(I've read the excellent Sticky but could still use some help).
Just went in the loft to return the Xmas decorations and found condensation dripping off the felt and some damp timbers (no sign of mould). This is a first in the 12+ years we've lived here.
The only thing that changed this year was that I topped up the insulation to 300mm (DIY) a few months back when the offers were on. I didn't allow the new insulation to go closer than a foot from the walls, a metre from the eaves and 100mm from the felt - so I thought I'd maintained the ventilation. As there was a load of stuff in the loft that we need to keep I made a couple of platforms up that we could store everything neatly on without it sinking into the insulation. There is also a ducted bathroom extractor fan and a bathroom downlighter (been there 8+ years).
[After a month I found water collecting in the extractor fan ducting from the bathroom which I assumed was because the roof was that much colder the damp air was condensing in the ducting. I covered the ducting up to the fan with some spare insulation and made sure the ducting after the fan was sloped towards the exit at the eaves so any water would drain. I figured this would be my only lesson learnt.]
[The house also suffers from condensation - probably from drying clothes but we've no room for a tumble drier. We've recently bought a de-humidifier which seems to be working well].
Having read the sticky I have;
1/. Checked the ventilation at the eaves and pulled the original insulation back a little to improve the air flow - in some cases it appeared to be right up to the roofing felt.
2/. Moved a load of boxes that were nearly up to the felt in places.
3/. Taped up the connections between ducting and extraction fan in case steam was escaping.
4/. I'll look for a terracota pot and seal off the downlighter.
So my questions???
Why has it started now - if the new loft insulation is doing it's job (and the loft is certainly a lot colder now) shouldn't the temperature difference between outside and in be less and so the chances of condensation be less?
If the cure is better ventilation and I've addressed that is there anything else I need to do in order to dry the loft out?
Just went in the loft to return the Xmas decorations and found condensation dripping off the felt and some damp timbers (no sign of mould). This is a first in the 12+ years we've lived here.
The only thing that changed this year was that I topped up the insulation to 300mm (DIY) a few months back when the offers were on. I didn't allow the new insulation to go closer than a foot from the walls, a metre from the eaves and 100mm from the felt - so I thought I'd maintained the ventilation. As there was a load of stuff in the loft that we need to keep I made a couple of platforms up that we could store everything neatly on without it sinking into the insulation. There is also a ducted bathroom extractor fan and a bathroom downlighter (been there 8+ years).
[After a month I found water collecting in the extractor fan ducting from the bathroom which I assumed was because the roof was that much colder the damp air was condensing in the ducting. I covered the ducting up to the fan with some spare insulation and made sure the ducting after the fan was sloped towards the exit at the eaves so any water would drain. I figured this would be my only lesson learnt.]
[The house also suffers from condensation - probably from drying clothes but we've no room for a tumble drier. We've recently bought a de-humidifier which seems to be working well].
Having read the sticky I have;
1/. Checked the ventilation at the eaves and pulled the original insulation back a little to improve the air flow - in some cases it appeared to be right up to the roofing felt.
2/. Moved a load of boxes that were nearly up to the felt in places.
3/. Taped up the connections between ducting and extraction fan in case steam was escaping.
4/. I'll look for a terracota pot and seal off the downlighter.
So my questions???
Why has it started now - if the new loft insulation is doing it's job (and the loft is certainly a lot colder now) shouldn't the temperature difference between outside and in be less and so the chances of condensation be less?
If the cure is better ventilation and I've addressed that is there anything else I need to do in order to dry the loft out?
