Ventilating utility cupboard - core drilling air brick

[elniniol999]

Hi all,

Had a search but couldn't quite find the answer to my question before posting.

I have an issue with a small utility area in terms of ventilation. There is a washing machine, condenser tumbler and a rail for hanging damp clothes.

Currently there is an old air brick only.

I know this isn't sufficient for dealing with the damp clothes and likely the tumble dryer.

My options are (as I see it) -

1 - buy a vented dryer and install a ducted vent

2 - Install an extractor (probably humidistat?)

3 - both of the above

Is both overkill? Dryer likely needs replaced anyway as the board is knackered on it.

If I'm installing an extractor fan, is it possible to go through the existing air brick by core cutting? It's an external cavity wall. I don't have a lot of space to work with due to obstructions on the external wall and the air brick is in the ideal spot.

There is a slight gap under the doors to the cupboard - would this be sufficient for allowing air flow into the cupboard if a fan was installed?

If the air brick needs to stay, is there a minimum distance a fan needs to be from it to allow adequate flow? Eg, above/below the air brick.

I appreciate that's a bit wordy! I've attached a couple of pics that might make it clear.

Thanks all

 

[flameport]

Install a tumble dryer with a vent to the outside, and stop hanging damp clothes in the cupboard.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Install a tumble dryer with a vent to the outside, and stop hanging damp clothes in the cupboard.

Whssign

• Taylortwocities
• 16 Jul 2016

What he said

 

[elniniol999]

Thanks both.

I know that not hanging damp clothes would help, but if there was an extractor installed too, would it likely solve the damp hanging clothes? We only hang items that can't be tumbled - which isn't that much.

Thanks

 

[JohnD]

Yes, a good modern extractor will run for 100 hours on 1 kWh of electricity, and be very quiet, so you can afford to run it constantly while you have anything damp in the cupboard, and it will remove the water vapour from the house. Don't get a Humidstat fan, they are not reliable.

The Silent 100 extractor from Envirovent or Soler & Palau (same company, two brand names, get whichever is cheapest) is the best small fan I know.

Vented driers are the cheapest to buy, and have the simplest components so not much to go wrong.

You can get a Core Drill from your local tool hire shop. They are noisy and dusty but cut a neat hole. Insist on one with a safety clutch to release if the cutter jams, or it can whirl you (or more likely your arm) around. Start from the outside to avoid damaging the render.

 

[elniniol999]

Yes, a good modern extractor will run for 100 hours on 1 kWh of electricity, and be very quiet, so you can afford to run it constantly while you have anything damp in the cupboard, and it will remove the water vapour from the house. Don't get a Humidstat fan, they are not reliable.

The Silent 100 extractor from Envirovent or Soler & Palau (same company, two brand names, get whichever is cheapest) is the best small fan I know.

Vented driers are the cheapest to buy, and have the simplest components so not much to go wrong.

You can get a Core Drill from your local tool hire shop. They are noisy and dusty but cut a neat hole. Insist on one with a safety clutch to release if the cutter jams, or it can whirl you (or more likely your arm) around. Start from the outside to avoid damaging the render.

Thanks for that! Ideal.

Any advice on whether I can core the existing air brick or the placement if I can't?
Thanks

 

[JohnD]

For your tumbledrier, probably low down, behind or beside the appliance. You want a short route, but you might change machines in future and the new outlet might be in a different position. IIRC the Bosch ones can vent rear or left. Look at the brochures before deciding where to drill. Try to avoid running the hose behind the appliance as it is very big and will prevent you pushing it back to the wall.

The extractor fan should be high up because steam rises.

I think the existing airbrick would smash but you could cut out the inside one and mount the extractor in the hole on a board to seal round it.

Or drill a new hole and put a hit and miss vent over the inside airbrick to close it.

Tilt the holes slightly so any condensation runs outside.

 

[elniniol999]

For your tumbledrier, probably low down, behind or beside the appliance. You want a short route, but you might change machines in future and the new outlet might be in a different position. IIRC the Bosch ones can vent rear or left. Look at the brochures before deciding where to drill. Try to avoid running the hose behind the appliance as it is very big and will prevent you pushing it back to the wall.

The extractor fan should be high up because steam rises.

I think the existing airbrick would smash but you could cut out the inside one and mount the extractor in the hole on a board to seal round it.

Or drill a new hole and put a hit and miss vent over the inside airbrick to close it.

Tilt the holes slightly so any condensation runs outside.

Ideal. Thanks for the pointers

 

[FrodoOne]

There is a slight gap under the doors to the cupboard - would this be sufficient for allowing air flow into the cupboard if a fan was installed?

No.
Install a grill/vent, at least equal to rhe Cross Sectoinal Area of the exit vent, low down in the door.
.

 

[Sureitsoff?]

Or leave the door slightly open....

 

[JohnD]

All the time the clothes are drying, the water vapour released will occupy vastly more space than the water did, so allowing ingress of air air under the door will be unnecessary until totally dry. After which it doesn't matter.

Think of a steam engine.

 

[plugwash]

At room temperature water has a vapour pressure of 0.023 atmospheres. So even water-saturated air at room temperature and standard-ish pressure is still mostly air.

If you want to turn water into a gas without mixing it with air you are going to need either significantly higher temperatures or significantly lower pressures.

 

[flameport]

but if there was an extractor installed too

If you install an extractor, it will only be of use when the tumble dryer isn't on.

When in use, the tumble dryer will do all the extracting you need, and the air inlet can be the existing air vent.

 

[SUNRAY]

I've been in similar stuation twice, I used a small (~8mm) chisel and carefully chopped out that required.

If the air brick is bigenough as a supply route too the extract fan can be fitted with a duct to another part of the room to generate circulation.