Stone cottage with damp/condensation problems

[Bypass]

I've just moved into a 150 year old cottage with massive stone walls (450 - 600mm) and single-glazed windows. It was converted about 10 years ago, but not to a very high standard, and everything is on electric.

The house is a bit damp and musty, particularly in those areas with poor ventilation. The window glazing runs with water except when the outside temperature is mild. The cost of electric heating (portable halogen and convector heaters) is horrible, plus the air is a little 'dry'.

Eventually, I will embark on some improvement works, but for the time being I'd be interested in comments on the use of portable gas heaters and dehumidifiers. In this respect, gas fires give off a lot of water. Are they suitable in this sort of environment, and do they work well/efficiently in tandem with dehumidifiers?

Any other advice would be welcomed.

[Palindr☻me]

Mine is a bit older and a bit thicker..

I have a Corona Inverter Heater for when I have unexpected company - otherwise I manage with radiant IR heaters, just heating the bit of the house that I am in. I bought it from B&Q

- however they don't seem to stock them now.

has them.

It runs of paraffin (kerosene) or you can buy special fuel but paraffin works fine. It doesn't smell, it is heck of a lot lighter than a gas fire plus bottle. It does need an electric supply but then works automatically. Far, far safer than a portable gas fire as it shuts off if anything is wrong - including too much CO2/CO. Important if you have poor ventilation - could be vitally important..

Incredibly cheaper than a portable gas heater to run. I can carry it up and down stairs..

I also have an air con unit that works in reverse as a heater - throwing about 3kW of heat into the room for each kW used. It also controls the humidity very well.

[Palindr☻me]

Sorry, should be for each 2kW used..

[Martin]

Isn't that in conflict with the first and possibly even the second of someone's laws of thermodynamics....?

Where's the other kW coming from? If it's out of my chimney, I'll be really pi**ed..... :-)

[Palindr☻me]

It has a heat exchanger outside the house which takes in outside air at ambient temperature, extracts heat from it and exhausts air at a lower temperature. The heat extracted is transferred into the room.

If it helps - you can think of it as trying to air condition the garden, with the "waste heat" being dumped into the room..

[Martin]

As I thought - you're nicking the heat from our garden - and my goldfish has got hypothermia....

[Andrew McKay]

Funny, I always thought goldfish lived in glass vessels within a house. How well do they survive stuck outside then? ;)

Andrew

[Palindr☻me]

Easy, you give them a heat exchanger that vents into the OP's cottage...