Humidity
#1
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2008
Location: Moraira
Posts: 162
Humidity
Hi
Just trying to find out what others do when leaving there property empty for several weeks at a time, do you leave windows open, use a dehumidifier, install air bricks into each room, other suggestions?
Thanks in advance
Just trying to find out what others do when leaving there property empty for several weeks at a time, do you leave windows open, use a dehumidifier, install air bricks into each room, other suggestions?
Thanks in advance
#3
Re: Humidity
Before moving here permanently we only came over twice a year so the house was totally closed up for months at a time and we never had a problem.
Rosemary
Rosemary
#4
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Aug 2006
Location: Velez-Malaga
Posts: 4,915
Re: Humidity
I think it must depend very much on the individual property - like other posters we never had a problem when we used our house only for holidays, but I know of plenty of other people who do. One couple just up the street installed a dehumidifier which does seem to solve the problem, but they have to pay someone to come in at least once a week and empty the water away.
Leaving windows open might help, but depending on the type of property could also be a security issue - and might lead to problems in getting an insurance company to pay out in the event of a break-in if there wasn't evidence of forced entry.
Leaving windows open might help, but depending on the type of property could also be a security issue - and might lead to problems in getting an insurance company to pay out in the event of a break-in if there wasn't evidence of forced entry.
#5
Re: Humidity
I think it must depend very much on the individual property - like other posters we never had a problem when we used our house only for holidays, but I know of plenty of other people who do. One couple just up the street installed a dehumidifier which does seem to solve the problem, but they have to pay someone to come in at least once a week and empty the water away.
Leaving windows open might help, but depending on the type of property could also be a security issue - and might lead to problems in getting an insurance company to pay out in the event of a break-in if there wasn't evidence of forced entry.
Leaving windows open might help, but depending on the type of property could also be a security issue - and might lead to problems in getting an insurance company to pay out in the event of a break-in if there wasn't evidence of forced entry.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_...ls%2Caps%2C239
Good luck
Jon
#6
Re: Humidity
The crystals do absorb moisture but if they prove adequate then frankly there wasn't a real problem in the first place!
If you have ever used a proper dehumidifier and seen the amount of water it creates then you would see why crystals are only an answer in very small spaces.
Spain is pretty low humidity generally so it tends not to be a problem.
If you have ever used a proper dehumidifier and seen the amount of water it creates then you would see why crystals are only an answer in very small spaces.
Spain is pretty low humidity generally so it tends not to be a problem.
#7
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Aug 2006
Location: Velez-Malaga
Posts: 4,915
Re: Humidity
One thing we did have to do in order to get our gas contract was to have a ventilation grille put into the front door (it couldn't go in the wall as the ground level outside was above the floor level inside and for gas, the ventilation outlet has to be quite low). Maybe that might help the OP a little, probably easier than putting airbricks in. I know I was none too pleased as I'd just spent literally weeks stripping, sanding and refinishing our double wooden front doors only to be told we had to cut a hole in one for the grille to go in.
I would also recommend leaving all the internal doors open and also drawers, cupboard and wardrobe doors (less chance of getting mildew on things if you do have a damp problem).
I would also recommend leaving all the internal doors open and also drawers, cupboard and wardrobe doors (less chance of getting mildew on things if you do have a damp problem).
#8
Re: Humidity
The crystals do absorb moisture but if they prove adequate then frankly there wasn't a real problem in the first place!
If you have ever used a proper dehumidifier and seen the amount of water it creates then you would see why crystals are only an answer in very small spaces.
Spain is pretty low humidity generally so it tends not to be a problem.
If you have ever used a proper dehumidifier and seen the amount of water it creates then you would see why crystals are only an answer in very small spaces.
Spain is pretty low humidity generally so it tends not to be a problem.
Maybe we have more humidity as we are next to a river and close to the ocean....
Worth a try though for the OP as it non electricity and non invasive..... and s/he can see if it works or not. (If it can be carried to Spain, now that Amazon dont deliver there free - or if there isn't an equivalent there)
Jon
#9
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 990
Re: Humidity
The crystals do absorb moisture but if they prove adequate then frankly there wasn't a real problem in the first place!
If you have ever used a proper dehumidifier and seen the amount of water it creates then you would see why crystals are only an answer in very small spaces.
Spain is pretty low humidity generally so it tends not to be a problem.
If you have ever used a proper dehumidifier and seen the amount of water it creates then you would see why crystals are only an answer in very small spaces.
Spain is pretty low humidity generally so it tends not to be a problem.
Can't believe the original poster even suggested leaving windows open-you might have a dry house, but little else when you come back!
#10
Re: Humidity
We leave a window open for the cat to get in and out while we are away. The only problem was that another cat took up residence once. We found it - the ugliest looking mog you've ever seen - sitting on the settee looking at us like... WTF are you lot doing here?
The dogs went bonkers but it still wouldn't go. We had to go out and come back when it had gone in its own good time.
#11
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Aug 2006
Location: Velez-Malaga
Posts: 4,915
Re: Humidity
Don't forget that most houses have rejas (at least around here they do).
We leave a window open for the cat to get in and out while we are away. The only problem was that another cat took up residence once. We found it - the ugliest looking mog you've ever seen - sitting on the settee looking at us like... WTF are you lot doing here?
The dogs went bonkers but it still wouldn't go. We had to go out and come back when it had gone in its own good time.
We leave a window open for the cat to get in and out while we are away. The only problem was that another cat took up residence once. We found it - the ugliest looking mog you've ever seen - sitting on the settee looking at us like... WTF are you lot doing here?
The dogs went bonkers but it still wouldn't go. We had to go out and come back when it had gone in its own good time.
One house further up my street which has a small balcony from one upstairs window, with a sliding door to access it, was broken into. We were acting as keyholders at the time, and I had to deal with the police when they came to check it out. Their scene of crime technician looked at the front of the house and said "muy facil" when I said I couldn't understand how thieves had got up to the balcony and managed to get the window open. He reckoned they just shinned up the reja on the window below and hauled themselves up over the balcony.
Another guy we know came over on holiday to find his house had been burgled - the reja on a ground floor window had been cut through and then replaced with black tape wrapped around the cuts, so at first glance you couldn't tell that anything had happened. We know it's quite easy to do with the right tools, as my OH once had to do it for a friend who had locked himself out and didn't want to pay for an expensive call-out for a locksmith. I really wouldn't want to make it any easier for thieves by leaving a window open.
Last edited by Lynn R; Jul 24th 2013 at 2:56 pm.
#13
Re: Humidity
We have a dehumidifier, but dont use it when away as its electricity costs and I dont like leaving stuff on when away (and someone has to empty it, though you can put it on a table and run a pipe into the bath) My Friend told me to get some crystals from Amazon and they work great for him. He calculated +/1 a pound a month is the cost ..
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_...ls%2Caps%2C239
Good luck
Jon
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_...ls%2Caps%2C239
Good luck
Jon
Seek and ye shall find!
http://www.amazon.es/151-Deshumidifi...s=dehumidifier
#14
Re: Humidity
In Singapore it is 95% all the time.
A couple of weeks ago it was 17% here. It's 32ยบ at the moment and only 40%.
#15
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 5,368
Re: Humidity
Convinced I'd seen lots of posts here on damp, I searched "damp" in these forums and about 230 posts turned up. Now some will not be directly connected to it, but the majority must be complaining about damp. We have certainly stayed in many that have damp, smell of damp, or have just had a fresh coat of paint/emulsion to cover it. I think a combination of no insulation or damp courses in many houses plus gas heaters is a recipe for damp.