What "man jobs" have you done today?

[DXP55]

We have a oil delivery in a few days so had to clear a space for him to get to tank. Unfortunately it is also the wife junk/garden stuff storage.
Now if she could stack stuff there wouldn't be a problem -She puts small bits down first then big bit on top -When that won't stay in place she put's another small bit down and big bit on top to hold up the first bit and so on and so on.
She stores plastic storage boxes top up so they are full of dirt and water and so it goes on -
Still -no rest for the wicked. Had a rest now back to the grind.

 

[PlacidCasual]

I took my laptop apart 3 times thinking I had a fan problem. Then it wouldn't start and my heart sank. Then I realised it hadn't been plugged in and all I'd done was run the battery flat. The fan problem was probably a power saving thing, now I've plugged it in I've "fixed" the problem.

That definitely qualifies as a man job

 

[Mysterae_]

A few years or more ago I installed a new extraction fan for an ensuite using soil pipe in the loft and someone on here said that I should insulate it or I could get condensation. I didn't give that comment the attention that it deserved....

You might want to watch out for condensation in your run as technically your supposed to use insulated ducting in the loft space but you could wrap the pipe if needed.

Damn.
So the fan is now disconnected and the hole in the ceiling blocked until the loft floor dries out and I'll get some thermal duct wrapping around the pipework and fan. It really was a surprising amount of moisture that condensed on the fan unit.

 

[PlacidCasual]

A few years or more ago I installed a new extraction fan for an ensuite using soil pipe in the loft and someone on here said that I should insulate it or I could get condensation. I didn't give that comment the attention that it deserved....

Damn.
So the fan is now disconnected and the hole in the ceiling blocked until the loft floor dries out and I'll get some thermal duct wrapping around the pipework and fan. It really was a surprising amount of moisture that condensed on the fan unit.

High relative humidity air, low air flow speed for a nice quiet in line fan, large diameter pipe, cold attic air. It would have to be a short run not to get condensation in the winter. The air in the pipe is probably only a few degrees above saturation temperature.

I hadn't thought of it until you posted but it seems obvious once it's pointed out. Annoying but at least if looks very fixable.

 

[Mysterae_]

High relative humidity air, low air flow speed for a nice quiet in line fan, large diameter pipe, cold attic air. It would have to be a short run not to get condensation in the winter. The air in the pipe is probably only a few degrees above saturation temperature.

I hadn't thought of it until you posted but it seems obvious once it's pointed out. Annoying but at least if looks very fixable.

It's worse when you also consider that even when the fan isn't on any warm air from the house is travelling up the vent and warming the space. The outside vent has those flaps that only open when there's airflow from the fan but that's not going to stop the cold getting in.
The thermal pipe wrap is cheap enough so I'll do the lot. The final plan was to have the pipe and fan underneath the loft floor as at the moment I consider the floor to be too low with not enough insulation.

 

[norm]

A few years or more ago I installed a new extraction fan for an ensuite using soil pipe in the loft and someone on here said that I should insulate it or I could get condensation. I didn't give that comment the attention that it deserved....

Damn.
So the fan is now disconnected and the hole in the ceiling blocked until the loft floor dries out and I'll get some thermal duct wrapping around the pipework and fan. It really was a surprising amount of moisture that condensed on the fan unit.

I had the exact same issue when I originally installed the extractor fan to my bathroom.

I revised the route by having the ducting all fall downwards as my vent is out through the roof.

Worth noting though even when the fan is angled it's not water-tight, I had to silicone any gaps around the fan with silicone, which is odd as you'd think Vent-Axia would design it to deal with condensation. The joints are solvent welded in the PVC where possible. Any condensation eventually makes it way back down the ducting and drips into the bath tub.

 

[dlockers]

A few minor jobs... I was told to get the house sorted for Christmas so boards are going back "first fix" and given how "easy it was" to get under I put my first few runs of EcoTherm to stop the draft.



Also threw a curtain up over the drafty-ass front door. Seems to have made a decent improvement.

 

[norm]

A few minor jobs... I was told to get the house sorted for Christmas so boards are going back "first fix" and given how "easy it was" to get under I put my first few runs of EcoTherm to stop the draft.

Gosforth Handyman did a great job insulating his suspended floors in his 1920s refurb if you haven't seen it.

How we INSULATE under the floors (1920's Renovation Part 26)

In this video I’m showing you how we go about insulating under the floors in our 1920’s semi-detached house renovation. Up to 15% of a home’s heat is lost un...

youtu.be

 

[dlockers]

Gosforth Handyman did a great job insulating his suspended floors in his 1920s refurb if you haven't seen it.

How we INSULATE under the floors (1920's Renovation Part 26)

In this video I’m showing you how we go about insulating under the floors in our 1920’s semi-detached house renovation. Up to 15% of a home’s heat is lost un...

youtu.be

Will give it a re-watch

I was just watching his log burner video!

 

[Mysterae_]

I had the exact same issue when I originally installed the extractor fan to my bathroom.

I revised the route by having the ducting all fall downwards as my vent is out through the roof.

Worth noting though even when the fan is angled it's not water-tight, I had to silicone any gaps around the fan with silicone, which is odd as you'd think Vent-Axia would design it to deal with condensation. The joints are solvent welded in the PVC where possible. Any condensation eventually makes it way back down the ducting and drips into the bath tub.

I should pay more heed to what you say .

I used self-amalgamating tape to make the joints with fan which should have been waterproof. So is the moisture from the inside of the pipe getting out or is it moisture in the loft condensing on the fan, or a bit of both, I'm unsure. I'm going to try to cover both bases by redoing the connections and thermal wrapping the fan as well as the pipework. Unfortunately the fan vent doesn't sit above a bath or shower so I can't let it drip back down.

 

[norm]

I should pay more heed to what you say .

I used self-amalgamating tape to make the joints with fan which should have been waterproof. So is the moisture from the inside of the pipe getting out or is it moisture in the loft condensing on the fan, or a bit of both, I'm unsure. I'm going to try to cover both bases by redoing the connections and thermal wrapping the fan as well as the pipework. Unfortunately the fan vent doesn't sit above a bath or shower so I can't let it drip back down.

It'll be the hot moist air in the pipework that's condensing on the cold pipework and fan casing. The weak point is the fan, as it's not waterproof, as well as the fact the casing dips in the middle to accommodate the fan, this creates a low point for water to sit, which then seeps out. Your setup would have been fine otherwise.

Short of elevating the fan like I did to make sure no water collects around the fan, all you can do is heavily insulate the pipework and plugs all the gaps with silicone.

The other troublesome thing with these inline fans is isolating them from the ducting and where they are fixed to else you hear the vibrations from the motor elsewhere in the house.

I'm of two minds whether to even use them in the future. You can get smart fans now that route out of the exterior walls which would be a lot simpler/hassle free, they even have the ability to close off the vents to eliminate any drafts.

 

[norm]

I should pay more heed to what you say .

I used self-amalgamating tape to make the joints with fan which should have been waterproof. So is the moisture from the inside of the pipe getting out or is it moisture in the loft condensing on the fan, or a bit of both, I'm unsure. I'm going to try to cover both bases by redoing the connections and thermal wrapping the fan as well as the pipework. Unfortunately the fan vent doesn't sit above a bath or shower so I can't let it drip back down.

An alternative idea would be to sit the fan in a watertight plastic tray with a hole connecting to some 15mm pvc pipe and feed that off to the eaves and let the water drip out there?

 

[DXP55]

Cat litter trays have many uses.

 

[Hawk Tuah]

An alternative idea would be to sit the fan in a watertight plastic tray with a hole connecting to some 15mm pvc pipe and feed that off to the eaves and let the water drip out there?

The more I think about it, the better this solution seems. What you have there, is a very efficient dehumidifier.

 

[Mysterae_]

It'll be the hot moist air in the pipework that's condensing on the cold pipework and fan casing. The weak point is the fan, as it's not waterproof, as well as the fact the casing dips in the middle to accommodate the fan, this creates a low point for water to sit, which then seeps out. Your setup would have been fine otherwise.

Short of elevating the fan like I did to make sure no water collects around the fan, all you can do is heavily insulate the pipework and plugs all the gaps with silicone.

The other troublesome thing with these inline fans is isolating them from the ducting and where they are fixed to else you hear the vibrations from the motor elsewhere in the house.

I'm of two minds whether to even use them in the future. You can get smart fans now that route out of the exterior walls which would be a lot simpler/hassle free, they even have the ability to close off the vents to eliminate any drafts.

Totally agree, looks like I have to do some redesigning. Now I understand why your fan is at such an extreme angle. I think I'll need to do something similar but rather than flowing black to the internal vent I would angle towards the external so the water can drip outside. That'll make for some interesting pipework!

An alternative idea would be to sit the fan in a watertight plastic tray with a hole connecting to some 15mm pvc pipe and feed that off to the eaves and let the water drip out there?

This a good idea but I wouldn't like to vent to my eaves as I've just had the soffits replaced and don't want cut in to them. Alternatively I could run the drain pipe/hose to the airing cupboard below where my hot water tank is and connect it to the tank's tundish drain (drain side), that would get rid of the water. Now I'm getting a case of scope creep - consider an insulated box which would contain the pump (for thermal insulation and noise isolation) and also contain the water capture tray with the drain hose routed as discussed. I like it .

 

[ChrisD.]

Raked up some leaves. Apparently some dog poo too which was a lovely surprise.

 

[JonRGV250]

Started to clear out a drain that was blocked using a power washer attachment..



Plenty of fat removed, but it's still blocked despite 15 M of hose going down it..



Sadly there was a piece of glass in the drain which nearly took the end of my finger off, so I'll have finish up tomorrow.

 

[DXP55]

Always wear good work gloves especially for that kind of work - Its a s@@t job isn't it.

 

[Itchytrigg]

Found condensation in the loft so tried to clear some insulation from the soffit vents which is not easy when only the centre is boarded….hopefully cleared it enough, front was ok (and had least condensation) but rear was blocked in a few areas.

Left a few dehumidifier packs up there as well in the hope of taking some extra moisture out.

Does make me realise I’ll need to fully board it in spring/early summer so I can be 100% sure they’re all clear so it doesn’t happen again next year.

 

[Buffman]

Found condensation in the loft so tried to clear some insulation from the soffit vents which is not easy when only the centre is boarded….hopefully cleared it enough, front was ok (and had least condensation) but rear was blocked in a few areas.

Left a few dehumidifier packs up there as well in the hope of taking some extra moisture out.

Does make me realise I’ll need to fully board it in spring/early summer so I can be 100% sure they’re all clear so it doesn’t happen again next year.

You can also put these roof lap vents in the roof felt which may assist

Check this out! https://amzn.eu/d/0LEwzgQ