Hello all,
Whilst not a builder (yet) I can pass on a hypothetical solution to
this problem.
[discussion of problems of RH control removed ]
> >
> I use an extractor fan to keep the air turning over.
> You pay to heat up the world - but the humidiy stays low.
> Pete Lawless 109
>
Whilst doing some refurb work on my house and poking around building
equipment exhibitions, I came across building ventilation products.
These are designed for modern, well-sealed houses.
To explain the obvious, the point is that with good draught protection,
room-sealed boilers and no chimneys, there is little natural air-flow
in houses. Additionally, the bathroom and kitchen produce significant
amounts of water vapour which leads to very high RH and condensation
damage, mould growth &etc.
The common solutions are vents/extractor fans in the kitchen/bathroom
or to open the door or window. Then, as the previous correspondent
pointed out, all your heat goes out too and if you live in a city like
me, lots of dust comes in with the "fresh" air.
The ventillation products are variations on a theme: forced air
circulation by a fan, both exhaust *and* inlet ducting and a heat
exchanger between the two to minimise heat loss. Embellishments
include a heat-pump to increase heat recovery, dehumidification, dust &
pollen filters, etc., up to the point of full air-conditioning / heating.
That's enough of the salesman bit, I don't even work for these guys.
Anyway, it occured to me that the basic ventillation / heat recovery
and hence RH reduction equipment could be very useful in a composite
workshop.
I've got brochures for basic devices from a UK firm starting at around
GBP125 + VAT that have washable plastic filters & heat exchangers,
claiming to recover 60-70% heat and keep humidity well down by air
circulation. They come in a variety of packages including direct wall
mounting, external mounting and remote mounting with flexible plastic
ducting. If people think they could be useful, I'll root out the
brochures and mail more details.
Simon
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