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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1985-10-09, Page 41Page 6, Energy Conservation Guide Controlling Visible Condensation Is condensation a problem in your home? Does moisture or ice form on the inside of windows or does moisture accumu- late on mirrors and Light fixtures? The solutions may be simple. Repair any leaks in basement walls, keep lids on your pots when cook- ing, reduce the number of plants kept indoors, and keep firewood outside instead of in the basement. If these steps don't eliminate the condensa- tion, ventilation will be necessary. This may just mean opening the appro- priate window or win- dows, or it may involve installing bathroom exhaust fans, a range fan or even a central ventila- tion system. 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Whe problems in many homes house air, leaking int — but the causes and exterior walls or the roof available solutions are condenses as water or is often complicated and on cold surfaces, the resul confusing. can be water -sodden insu Infiltration is the dation or even structura movement of cold, dry , deterioration. outdoor air into your If you are having home through cracks and problems with condo gaps. Cold air cannot hold tion in your home, it i as much moisture as warm important to remember air, so when infiltrating 'that there are three ele air mixes with warm ments to control. indoor air, humidity levels First, you have to try in the home tend to drop. to stop moisture from get - So, except in humid ting into your home. regions, infiltration Repair any leaks in base - shouldn't cause condensa- ment walls, keep eaves - tion problems. troughing in good repair Exfiltration is an- and make sure the grade other matter. This is the slopes away from the base - flow of warm, moist room ment walls. If the problem air outwards through gaps persists, try controlling the and cracks in a building. production of moisture As this warm air comes inside. Keep lids on your into contact with cold sur- pots when cooking, reduce faces it cools, can hold less the number of plants you moisture and gives up the -keep indoors, keep fire - excess in the form of water wood outside instead of in or frost. It is probable that the basement, and try to in most homes some exfil- take shorter showers. tration does occur. Curbing activities that During the winter produce moisture may be months, condensation is the only change you need usually a visible problem to make. only when water or ice But if surface con- forms on the inside of win- densation persists — mois- dows,. but it can cause ture On walls or ice on win- idit n s dows — it probably means n that you need insulation or o additional glazing on the windows. If i'hese steps e fail, the only solution is to t ventilate the house. Some- - times this just means open- ! ing the appropriate win= dow or windows, but exhaust fans, a nom- range hood fan or a cep- s tral mechanical ventilation system may be necessary. The most compli- cated problems are a result of hidden condensation — when humidity gets into a building cavity, such as the attic. This is when struc- tural damage, staining and ruined insulation are likely to occur. The easiest way to prevent this situation is to control humidity inside the house. Gaps and tracks in the interic5r fin- ish of the house, which allow moist household air to leak into cavities, should be sealed. If prob- lems persist, then ventild- tion of cold spaces, su;,•h as attics, should be im- proved. If the steps men- tioned above are not effec- tive, you should seek the advice if a professional, as your home may re- quite more complicated ch' :Ages. Wood Stove Stack Thermometers A stack thermometer on the flue pipe is the eas- iest way to keep track of how the fire is burning in your wood stove. Look for the type with a metal probe rather than the mag- netic type, and insert it in the flue pipe between 30 cm and 60 cm above the flue collar. For the best performance the flue tem- perature should not exceed 330°C or fall below 110°C during normal operation. CHIP Grants end March 31/86 or when funds run out - whichever comes first. HOWEVER - If you have registered early, funds will be reserved for you. You are under no obligation. If your attic insulation is not up to today's standard, 1134 or 91/2" NOW is the time to install more insulation. The (CHIP) Canadian Home Insulation Program will pay or up to $500.00 toward the insulation being installed. • FOR DETAII).S CONTACT: W. Adaflison & ion Contracting Ltd. ,A- Lucknow 528-2113 Basement Moistil,re Damp spots, crum- bling and cracked mortar, or a white powdery deposit on foundation walls (called efflorescence) are signs of moisture and water seepage. If you have these problems in your basement, the following steps should be taken to stop moisture penetration. The best solution is to install a system of drainage pipe or "tile" outside the foundation footings. Backfilling with coarse gravel allows easy water movement. Hybrid or Two -Fuel Just about any heat- ing system has strengths and weaknesses. If you want the most from your heating dollar, consider the use of two fuels with complementary charac- teristics. A good combina- tion is fuel oil and electric- ity. Many householders use electric plenum heaters or electric baseboard sys- tems with an existing oil- fired furnace. During the fall, early winter and Basement windows should be well sealed and any cracks in the walls should be repaired. Win- dow wells should contain crushed stone to allow effective drainage. The . ground should slope away from the house and eavestroughs should be installed to collect water from the roof and direct it away from the house. If you plan to insulate your basement, deal with moisture problems first. Sodden insulation is of no value. Heating Systems spring, heat requirements are modest and are met by electricity. An oil furnace firing for short cycles dur- ing these periods is very inefficient. In the dead of winter, the oil furnace can operate in long cycles, which makes for more efficient use of fuel. Even though the season's total heat demand is- the same, the combined sources cost Tess than either one alone.