Lean-to done on the cheap!!!!!!!!!!

[PATERSONS ALL SORTS]

Hello,
just discovered this site and im thanking my stars as i know next to nothing and have a house full of problems and a wife full of woe.

1st one i'd love some advice on is our lean to consevratory.
Its single skin walls with a pretty good roof and double glazed but its cold.

Single skin walls obviously do not help but even more worse than that, i beleive, is the fact that the whole thing was not put down with any foundations that i can see. Looks like it was just built on the old concrete patio. The floor is laminate with the foam stuff under it and that sits on the cold concrete. There is a dpm in the wall.

I would like to make this room a usable room for my kids during the winter and am on a very tight budget.

We are having problems with damp in there, probably no suprise to the experts out there and obviously need this solved also.

I have been told of good sealants for single skin walls and it has been suggested that i put this on then board over the top with gyproc with foil back to retain some heat.

Does this sound like a waste of money or a good idea??????

All tips and experience's welcome.

Many thanks and Merry Xmas to all

 

[nelsy]

We had a similar problem with our lean to conservatory. The concrete floor lead to massive condensation on all the windows (not all double glazed) and it was always cold and unfriendly - apart from on sunny, warm days. We raised the floor, which suited the level of the adjacent kitchen and laid floorboards. Major improvement, the floor is carpeted and warm - the whole area is warm and more inviting, no more condensation. It is now an all year room. If your floor levels can be raised it can make a dramatic improvement to your living conditions in there.

 

[Static]

Its a conservatory which is basically a greenhouse attached to a dwelling. They are damp, cold, wet rooms with little if any foundations and normally quite a few plants.

Thus unless you convert it into a proper extension (ie building regs and planning etc), or you just make it more comfortable to use (portable heaters and carpet) in which case you will never eliminate the damp or cold.

 

[noseall]

agree with Static, even a conservatory built with walls and floor to building reg's spec, isn't going to change the fact that it will still have a conservatory style roof. because heat rises a whole load of warmth is going to leak through this weak link.

 

[PATERSONS ALL SORTS]

thanks for replying so quick!! wow.

the roof is not a double glazed type just a felt top with gyproc underneath.

Im assuming there is no insulation between the two so i guess that would be a good point to improve the insulation. But which materials.
Any tips on the ol foil back gyproc bit or the damp proof paint ive heard about?

Thanks again

 

[noseall]

look at cellotex and kingspan, both excellent at insulation solutions, either with (sub fill) or without (fullfill) external ventilation.