We have a villa in spain. It is of typical Spanish construction from the 1970s having a concrete foundation on which there is a hollow block wall which in turn supports a row of U blocks in to which have been cast a ring beam. On the ring beam are concrete joists and with lightweight infill slabs and the rest of the house is built on that.
The problem I am having is that the ringbeam attracts a great deal of condensation even though I have a generous number of airbricks to the underbuild which in itself is about 5 feet high. On some days the condensation also is seen dripping from the concrete beams close to where they rest on the ringbeam. In colder weather the U blocks are very wet compared with the regular hollow blocks above and below - I assume as there is no insulation between them and the outside wall which is above ground at that point this forms a cold spot which casues the condensation.
Is there any point in trying to insulate the ringbeam and floor beams - or is there anything else I can do to reduce the condensation??
The problem I am having is that the ringbeam attracts a great deal of condensation even though I have a generous number of airbricks to the underbuild which in itself is about 5 feet high. On some days the condensation also is seen dripping from the concrete beams close to where they rest on the ringbeam. In colder weather the U blocks are very wet compared with the regular hollow blocks above and below - I assume as there is no insulation between them and the outside wall which is above ground at that point this forms a cold spot which casues the condensation.
Is there any point in trying to insulate the ringbeam and floor beams - or is there anything else I can do to reduce the condensation??
