Condensation behind kitchen unit.

[amfisted]

Its quite a long way from the nearest heating pipes to the area concerned, unfortunately.

I'll leave the kitchen window on vent for now, ensure as much as possible that good ventilation practice is being maintained and revisit the situation in the better weather. In the meantime, I've left the kickboard off the unit and the moisture appears to have dried out.

If it does turn out to be condensation and improved ventilation doesn't permanently solve the problem, I can use the socket that powers the washing machine to feed a small humidistat fan. Obviously I hope it doesn't come to that.

 

[Mikefromlondon]

I checked my lower units are all dry, behind washing machine, behind oven, but I can't be 100% sure behind other units as the back of units cannot allow me to look on the wall behind, but allowed me to peep from under the drawers, and wall seemed dry.

Reason my top unit covering the side high level window, (not in use so covered up with white board) has condensation is because I could see how the cooking steam rises up and the extractor fan does not pull all of the steam away, from boiling etc, so part of this steam is getting in through small gaps and then condensing on the cold window, once I change my white board, i will most probably seal all around the top unit as well as stuff the gap with insulation wool, that may help my situation.

I also noted that when cooking is in progress, pots on boil, there is plenty of condensation on windows despite the hooded extractor fan on which directs cooking fumes to outside through a steel mesh filter.

 

[amfisted]

Condensation is the scourge of modern, hermetically sealed human habitations. Our last house was a Victorian semi with solid walls, and we had plenty of problems with mould and condensation there. Naively, we expected to come to this cavity-walled, 1970s-built bungalow and find that we'd left the moisture menace behind. No such luck, and although things became much better after I fitted a humidistat fan in the bathroom and updated the kitchen extractor, I still find that an old towel comes in handy for mopping up water from internal window sills on cold winter mornings, even with the bedroom windows left open.

 

[amfisted]

I've resurrected this old thread because I've decided to install a vent in the exterior wall beneath the cupboard. Earlier on this year I fitted a louvred, closeable vent in the kickboard, but this obviously won't do anything until there's a supply of fresh air from outside.

I'm waiting for the core bit and other stuff to arrive from Toolstation, and then I'll get drilling. Hopefully introducing ventilation under the unit will prevent condensation. The supply pipes for the sink are just 18 inches or so away from the site of the vent, so I'll make sure they're insulated to prevent any problems caused by the cold air.

 

[ZA1788]

How did it go with the airbrick?
I have the same issue, but think it could be because it is so cold behind the base units. Our heating is always on to try and keep the place warm but we get condensation everywhere!
I’ve insulated the pipes Best I can abvoce floor level which hasn’t help.
Contemplating a pole heater but concerned about safety as not easily accessible and expense of running it.

 

[JohnD]

do you use an extractor fan to suck out the moist air from the kitchen?

Is there any sign of a water leak? The water must be coming from somewhere. You don't drape wet washing indoors, do you?

 

[ZA1788]

It only happens in winter.
We moved into our bungalow Feb this year and noticed a slight problem then with condensation. Particularly the bathroom. New extractor in bathroom, had 2 companies out as Mould on walls. Identified it all as condensation, various tips given to try and stop, but advised we’re “too well insulated”.
Moved a washing machine to install dishwasher in kitchen and noticed wall appeared damp then. Again a different company came out (all are trusted and used by a friend who owns serveral properties business and residential) who again advised all levels of moisture were normal, but to try and ventilate the area.
I have little dehumidifier under the base units and have a vent in the kickboard to allow the air to circulate.
We have had a loft conversion over the summer and had hoped this would help the air to circulate and rise out a bit more but it hasn’t seemed to do anything yet.
I have noticed several properties along the road and the surrounding roads seem to have problems with condensation so guessing it’s to do with the area.
Our driveway allow angles down toward our property so thinking this could be something to sort to ensure any surface water drains away.
Gutters all checked and no faults, drains clearing ok. Some cracks identified on clay pipes in survey but nothing that would cause damage.
We also keep the windows on the catch to allow air to circulate. Going to get trickle vents fitted in the new year to try and keep the heat in better in the hope that heating and venting will help the condensation.

 

[bobasd]

ZA1788, i've been reading posts on here for a while an theres pots of previous stuff dealing with your issues, some of the remedies are recent.
why not start a new post for you issues?

if i was you i wouldnt start drilling core holes in the walls or installing devices until you know what your dealing with.
if you want a few answers for your long post then give us a shout.

 

[amfisted]

Update: I drilled a hole from outside through the kitchen wall with a core bit, fitted a flap vent on the outside (flap fixed in the open position) and stuffed some mesh inside the opening to prevent creature incursion. As stated above, there's a closeable vent in the kickboard of the affected unit.

Early days so far, but there's no evidence of condensation on the underside of the kitchen unit base, unlike last year. The wall remains discoloured by the effects of historical damp, but I think the through flow of air may have improved things.

I have an extractor fan in the kitchen which is regularly used, and we try to dry all clothes using a tumble dryer rather than leaving them hanging around wet. The bathroom has a humidity activated fan, I run a dehumidifier in the colder rooms and we sleep with the bedroom window open at night. I don't think there's much else we can do to keep condensation to a minimum.

 

[Martynrbell]

Update: I drilled a hole from outside through the kitchen wall with a core bit, fitted a flap vent on the outside (flap fixed in the open position) and stuffed some mesh inside the opening to prevent creature incursion. As stated above, there's a closeable vent in the kickboard of the affected unit.

Early days so far, but there's no evidence of condensation on the underside of the kitchen unit base, unlike last year. The wall remains discoloured by the effects of historical damp, but I think the through flow of air may have improved things.

I have an extractor fan in the kitchen which is regularly used, and we try to dry all clothes using a tumble dryer rather than leaving them hanging around wet. The bathroom has a humidity activated fan, I run a dehumidifier in the colder rooms and we sleep with the bedroom window open at night. I don't think there's much else we can do to keep condensation to a minimum.

Many years on.
Hows your problem behind the kitchen unit.

Did a combination of kickboard vent and vent to outside behind the unit solve your issue?

 

[amfisted]

Many years on.
Hows your problem behind the kitchen unit.

Did a combination of kickboard vent and vent to outside behind the unit solve your issue?

Hi Martynrbell, no, it didn't solve the problem: not long term, anyhow.

Because it was so badly damaged by the condensation I eventually ended up replacing the kitchen corner cupboard: a Hellish job because for reasons I won't go into, the new cupboard couldn't be built in situ, but had to be squeezed into the gap when the old one was removed. It wasn't long before I could smell mould again, and upon inspection there it was, forming underneath the new cupboard and on the front of the backboard. We actually sold the property in 2022 and moved to a bungalow which doesn't have those problems, and the major reason why it doesn't suffer from mould is that I now regularly use a dehumidifier in all the rooms during the cold, damp months of the year. Had I used a dehumidifier for an hour a day in the kitchen of our previous home, rather than making holes in the wall and mucking about with slabs of insulation, I think the problem might well have been eliminated very quickly.

Moral of the story? Buy a decent quality dehumidifier, and use it regularly.