Stopping Condensation in Existing Semi-Detached home

Existing Property, Belfast

1930‘s semi-detached house, Belfast suffering from condensation and mould growth came to Beam to help them with their problem.

Mr & Mrs Quinn, Belfast:

 After living in a draughty 1930’s house for several years, we decided to fit loft insulation to help keep the expensive heat in (the house already had cavity wall insulation). Initially we were delighted with how warm the house instantly became. We hadn’t realised that by “sealing” our house up, other issues were about to present themselves.

Within 4 weeks, condensation began forming on our double glazed windows. Within 8 weeks, we were wiping this water from the window panes and sills on a daily basis. Two months after this, we began to see small black mould spots on 2 walls in a bedroom. The spots seemed to easily rub off, re-appeared again before long. The condensation problem eased off around May time, and we forgot all about it until September when the problem was as bad as ever.  

We met Beam at an exhibition in October and they told us about a product they had which could help solve our problem, a Positive Input Ventilation (PIV) system. We decided to install a system to see if this could be the answer, and it was the best decision we ever made!
 
Beam recommended we use a mould remover spray to get rid of the black spots before the unit was installed. Within 1 week of the system being installed, condensation on the windowpanes had stopped forming.
 
A small unit was installed in the loft (we had an electrical power supply already there) and a ceiling valve was located over the stairwell. The air from the roofspace is pushed through this valve and circulated throughout the house.
 
We were concerned that there would be a noise from the unit as it’s above a bedroom, but it’s so quiet you wouldn’t know it was running!
 
There’s also a built-in heater which comes on automatically when the temperature drops below 10oC in the loft – again we were concerned this would impact on our electricity bill, but overall the unit costs us about £25 per year to run.

The system is now installed 7 years – condensation has been eradicated, and we’ve no more mould. We keep the unit running all year round to prevent the initial problems from returning”.

Beam’s Sales & Marketing Director, Paula Osborne:

This house had been made more airtight thanks to the addition of loft insulation.
Our clients were out working all day and living in the city meant windows couldn’t be left open to get rid of all the moisture being generated from daily showering, cooking and drying clothes on radiators.
 
This moisture then formed as condensation on window panes, particularly when the temperature dropped outside. The black mould spots were also a sign of poor ventilation.