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Keeping Out The Cold

Retardedrocker

By Retardedrocker
in Living Afloat

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Retardedrocker

Posted
Posted

It was a tad cold last night, down to -3C and, although the boat was still nice and warm, I have a question.

 

There are louvre vents in the doors front & back (fore & aft?) and any number of mushroom vents on the roof. I have all of these wide open all the time and this, obviously, lets in a lot of cold air. Is this correct, or can I close them down a little without killing myself?

 

Cheers,

T.

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Nightwatch Veteran II

NightwatchDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted

As Above, I wouldn't close the mushroom vents or block the grill vents that you may have. I believe these are functional.

 

However the louvre windows may not be. The cheapest way to stop draughts would be a curtain. You could purchase some rubber strips (u shaped) to fit over the edges of the panes. Or possibly sponge to trap in the panes as they close.

 

Only ideas that come to my mind.

 

Martyn

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Phil Ambrose Veteran II

Phil Ambrose

Posted
Posted

As Above, I wouldn't close the mushroom vents or block the grill vents that you may have. I believe these are functional.However the louvre windows may not be. The cheapest way to stop draughts would be a curtain. You could purchase some rubber strips (u shaped) to fit over the edges of the panes. Or possibly sponge to trap in the panes as they close.Only ideas that come to my mind.Martyn

Where did the louvre windows come from?

Phil

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matty40s Veteran II

matty40s

Posted
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I'll take that as a 'no' then. wacko.pngwacko.png

 

cheers,

T.

You can wind the mushrooms down, so long as there is still airflow through - you cant block the holes.

You can have a door curtain hanging down just inside the door, to baffle the cold draughts, you can't block the vents.

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ditchcrawler Veteran II

ditchcrawlerDonate to Canal World

Posted
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Yes,but no but.This'll get them fighting!!!icecream.gif

Isnt there a formula to calculate how much ventilation required?

Yes and it a worst case scenario, all appliances like cooker going flat out and maximum number of people on board.

Cratch cover and pramhood stopped draughts from our brass louvre vents in the doors, also no more condensation on them.

And I wonder how much it reduces air flow compared with vents straight to the windy outside world. I would bet there is very little natural air flow into a boat via a well fitting cratch cover.

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nb Innisfree Veteran II

nb InnisfreeDonate to Canal World

Posted
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Yes and it a worst case scenario, all appliances like cooker going flat out and maximum number of people on board.

 

And I wonder how much it reduces air flow compared with vents straight to the windy outside world. I would bet there is very little natural air flow into a boat via a well fitting cratch cover.

I would guess the area of the various gaps in an average cover exceeds that of the vents.

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blackrose Veteran II

blackrose

Posted
Posted

You can baffle the louvre door vents as long as the open area is not reduced.

 

But it is worth doing the ventilation calculation from the BSS Essential Guide to see if you have too little or too much.

 

Minimum effective area (mm2) = [2200xU]+[650xP]+[440xF]
U = total input rating (kW) for all appliances (including cookers) without flues
P = number of people for which the compartment is designed

F = input rating (kW) for all open or closed flue appliances

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ditchcrawler Veteran II

ditchcrawlerDonate to Canal World

Posted
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You can baffle the louvre door vents as long as the open area is not reduced.

 

But it is worth doing the ventilation calculation from the BSS Essential Guide to see if you have too little or too much.

 

Minimum effective area (mm2) = [2200xU]+[650xP]+[440xF]
U = total input rating (kW) for all appliances (including cookers) without flues
P = number of people for which the compartment is designed

F = input rating (kW) for all open or closed flue appliances

I have not looked it up, but have you got it down wrong as the way I am reading what you have put is that U and F are the same thing

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Emerald Fox Rising Star

Emerald Fox

Posted
Posted

We have been putting newspaper over the tops of the rear doors and stuffing kitchen towel into the other gaps to stop the draught - kitchen table is right at the back. Now we bought a sheet of hardboard/plywood which I'm going to cut to size to put up at the back doors when we're inside for the evening/night to stop the worst of it. The front door vents have air coming through like the Washington DC Metro grids, so thinking of putting some paper over them too. Surely the 3 mushroom vents are enough? New CO alarm fitted, and when going to sleep we can open the ventilation a bit more.

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ditchcrawler Veteran II

ditchcrawlerDonate to Canal World

Posted
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We have been putting newspaper over the tops of the rear doors and stuffing kitchen towel into the other gaps to stop the draught - kitchen table is right at the back. Now we bought a sheet of hardboard/plywood which I'm going to cut to size to put up at the back doors when we're inside for the evening/night to stop the worst of it. The front door vents have air coming through like the Washington DC Metro grids, so thinking of putting some paper over them too. Surely the 3 mushroom vents are enough? New CO alarm fitted, and when going to sleep we can open the ventilation a bit more.

I don't think you will find any one who will advise that regardless of what they really think

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