Photo: Alex Green

Do cold walls mean damp?

A damp wall is a cold wall. A cold wall attracts condensation. Condensation attracts mould. Your damp and/or cold wall is certainly costing you money, it could be also costing you your health.

newtonwaterproofing.co.uk - Improving The Warmth Of External Walls - Newton Waterproofing

What do British people call a shed?

sheddies But in the UK, they have a Shed Week and a Shed of the Year contest and fans of sheds, who go around calling themselves "sheddies." I...

Last updated Dec 6, 2021

Why do people paint barns white?

These paints sold at a much lower price per gallon than house paint, hence attracting the every-so-thrifty farmer. Red was the color of favor until...

Last updated Jul 8, 2021

These are the Best Shed Plans!

Comprehensive and Intuitive to follow. Build That Shed!

Learn More »

Promotion

Cold Walls Cause Condensation

A damp wall is a cold wall. A cold wall attracts condensation. Condensation attracts mould. Your damp and/or cold wall is certainly costing you money, it could be also costing you your health. Your wall may be cold for a variety of reasons. Single skin and solid walls are unsuitable for cavity wall insulation and so the exterior wall of the property is significantly cooled by cold outside temperatures. Solid walls are also more susceptible to penetrating dampness from wind-driven rain. A damp wall has significantly reduced thermal properties compared to a dry wall, and even insulated walls will become inefficient if the moisture within the walls makes the insulation damp as well.

Solution 1 – Keeping The Wall Dry

Newton 807 BKK eco is a colourless wall coating that protects porous walls of various substrates from wind driven rain. After treatment, the product penetrates deeply into the substrate, creating an invisible deep layer of protection. This makes the wall deeply impervious to water ingress and so better protected against frost damage. The treated wall will also continue to dry out, thanks to the coating being vapour permeable. The resultant dry wall is much more thermally efficient, which as well as reducing the incidence of internal condensation, will also save on heating bills.

Buy Newton 807 BKK eco from our online shop.

Solution 2 – Increasing The Surface Temperature Of Internal Wall Surfaces

Newton 806 CWC is a thermal coating for cold and poorly insulated internal walls. It contains mineral powders with insulating features that warm the surface of the treated wall. Condensation is formed when warm air comes into contact with a cold surface (known as the dew point). The air close to the cold surface cools and becomes unable to hold as much water vapour as it could when it was warmer. This additional water vapour is therefore deposited on the adjacent cold surface. Because a wall treated with 806 CWC will experience a 5°C temperature increase compared to an untreated wall, in most cases this takes the temperature of the wall surface to above the dew-point. This means that the formation of condensation and mould is eliminated and thermal efficiency is greatly improved.

Buy Newton 806 CWC from our online shop.

Result

Treatment with Newton 806 CWC and Newton 807 BKK eco results in structural walls that are drier and significantly warmer than if they were left untreated. The difference to the internal habitable environment will also be immediately noticeable, and the occurrence of surface moulds will be considerably reduced. As well as being more thermally efficient, the exterior walls will be less susceptible to frost damage and the pointing within mortar walls will also last longer.

What to do with potting soil at the end of the season?

Rejuvenating Used Potting Soil Many gardeners simply mix used potting soil with new material, using about half of each, with a few handfuls of...

Last updated May 30, 2021

What can I put on my shed roof instead of felt?

EPDM membranes are fast-becoming the roofing industry's go-to alternative to felt and other outdated roofing materials. The composition of EPDM as...

Last updated Apr 8, 2020

Are shed plans easy to follow?

These are! They guide you every step of the way to complete your dream shed.

Learn More »

Promotion

What is the best way to insulate a wooden floor from underneath?

Timber floors can be insulated by lifting the floorboards and laying mineral wool insulation supported by netting between the joists.

energysavingtrust.org.uk - Floor insulation information and advice - Energy Saving Trust

Many homes – especially newer ones – will have a ground floor made of solid concrete. This can be insulated when it needs to be replaced, or can have rigid insulation laid on top. Older homes are most likely to have suspended timber floors. If you have air bricks or ventilation bricks on the outside wall(s) of your house that are below floor level, you probably have a suspended timber floor. Do NOT block up air bricks in your walls. They are needed to help ventilate the space under your floor and stop your floorboards rotting. If you have a basement or cellar beneath your house that you can get into safely, take a look down there to see what type of floor you have. If the floor is a suspended wooden floor, you will probably be able to see wooden joists and the undersides of the floorboards. If you don’t have access to the space underneath your house, you will need to lift a corner of the carpet and underlay to have a look. Timber floors can be insulated by lifting the floorboards and laying mineral wool insulation supported by netting between the joists. Insulating under the floorboards on the ground floor could save you about £110 (£90 in NI) a year in an average property, or up to £180 (£145 in NI) if you live in a detached house. Alternatively, a recent innovation involves a robot applying spray foam insulation to the underside of the floorboards, which would avoid the need to take them up altogether.

How do I keep my small shed cool?

Tips to Keep Your Shed or Garage Cool in Summer Heat Increase ventilation. During the summer months, increasing airflow in the garage or shed ranks...

Last updated Nov 25, 2021