conservatory condensation

[petek]

My elderly Mum has sufferred with extreme condensation in her approx 10 year old conservatory in cold weather ever since it was built. It is normally unheated but in an attempt to provide a cure I have put in a

2kW electric panel rad recently. This has been on virtually round the clock but still extreme condensation especially on the plastic roof. I have just searched the group and one theme seems to come over very clearly - ventilation. There are no trickle vents over the windows and because we are worried about security we normally keep the windows shut. Also my Mum is 90, confused and infirm, so she can't keep jumping up to open/close the windows. Any ideas on how to introduce ventilation, or other ideas to solve the problem? TIA

[The3rd Earl Of Derby]

Window fans...the self rotating type. Can't remember the exact name of these.

-- Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite

[Alan]

That 2kw heater will cost loads to run in electricity! Also, if the (warmed) moist air has nowhere to go to the moisture will just re-condense when it meets a cold suftace again like a window or roof.

Why not use a dehumidifyer instead - this will remove the moisture from the air and either fill it's collection container or can be piped outside. And it will use *far* less electricity that the heater.

Alan.

[Roger]

The message from "Alan" contains these words:

Also consider the source of the moisture.

Some people have plenty of plants in their conservatories and then wonder where all the water is coming from.

[petek]

Thanks for the replies. I have already considered the source of the water vapour and am amazed at the amount of condensation - it's a small

2 bed bungalow, lives on her own, doesn't cook (too confused/infirm), too infirm to take a bath/shower, kettle is only on for short bursts just enough to make one cup of tea at a time, and no plants in the conservatory. But she has the central heating thermostat screwed right up, so the place is like an oven! No condensation to speak of in the other rooms. Not sure about the plastic rotating fans in the windows. I know the type I think you mean, are they suitable for d/glazed sealed units? So, it looks like forking out about =A3100 for a dehumidifier. Still, it should pay for itself compared to the running cost of the 2kW panel rad!

Thanks again for your help (realise this is not really DIY so a bit off thread)

[John Cartmell]

No. Ventilate. Get trickle vents fitted or the equivalent. Get ventilation between the conservatory and the rest of the house. Have higher heating in the conservatory that the rest of the house if that's what it takes. You say the place is like an oven - what place? the conservatory or the rest of the house?

[dg]

Trickle vents and heating will be no magic cure, as your mothers use of the conservatory and bungalow will be a major contributory factor. Depending on which way the conservatory faces, may make things harder still.

Venting cold air into a enclosed conservatory will not stop condensation. Nor will use of heating in itself or with trickle vents.

You need to get air circulating around the whole bungalow and fresh air in at various places and stale air out naturally or via mechanical extraction.

I would connect a radiator to the main system (if you have a wet rad system) and keep the door to the bungalow open as much as possible. Treat it as a normal room

Trickle vents are easily fitted - just drill a few holes in the frame or casement and scren the vent on.

dg