draughts...

[Dave Payne]

I'm getting terrible draughts at low level through the boat, the cabin is open from rear door to bathroom which is about 30ft, then bathroom and bedroom at front.

 

I have the standard top and bottom door vents on both doors, now I wouldn't dream of blocking the bottom ones off but does anyone have any tips to decrease the draught through these, diffuser type thing I guess to make them less draughty whilst remaining safe.

 

Getting back from.work this morning at 6.30 with a frozen cut was not nice, the fire was in but the draught makes the lower part of the cabin cold.

 

Thanks

Edited November 29, 2016 by Dave Payne

[GoodGurl]

we have a half door in the main cabin and when it gets too draughty we close it, it makes an hell of a difference to the bottom half of your legs,

[Grebe]

We had slide-in frame on the inside of the door frame into which we wouldput a board. Much the same way that yotties have a wash-board in the cabin hatch to stop water getting into the cabin.

 

So similar to GoodGurl but slide in rather than hinged.

[Athy]

Getting back from.work this morning at 6.30 with a frozen cut was not nice,

I thought you were a chap? Oh sorry, you wrote "cut".

 

More seriously, I guess that your stove creates at least some of that draught, as it draws air into the vent(s) at the bottom, thus air enters through your low-level door vents to replace it. Obviously you need the stove to heat the boat. So perhaps buying a couple of pairs* of nice warm socks would help?

 

* Chaps, of course, need only two pairs of such socks - one to wear until you take the other pair to the launderette next week.

[cuthound]

The simplest safe solution I have seen is to put a solid baffle, slightly larger than the vent, on upstands directly in front of the vent.

 

As long as the up stands are long enough to provide the same total ventilation area as the original all vent, it will still comply with the BSS.

[Dave Payne]

Problem is, the draught isn't just at feet level, i can feel it at three feet off the floor, makes sitting on the sofa uncomfortable.

[system 4-50]

Either you have a set quantity of ventilation which guarantees that you are safe, or you control your ventilation.

If you go for the set quantity then it has to be sufficient even when there is no wind so it will be excessive in high winds, etc.

If you go for control then you must know what you are doing - and err of the safe side when you don't, ie when you are asleep.

I would block off enough ventilation to get the boat warm and then open the doors at one end for 5-10 minutes to change the air when necessary, maybe twice a day. Changing the air does not make the boat cold, a lot of the heat the air has been holding has been transferred to the solid substance of the cabin, but it does make the air colder for a while. Then I would open a hopper next to my bed when going to sleep - and close it an hour before rising. (I sleep erratically.) This is for just a SF stove and no other appliances so far.

This works for me at the moment, I reserve the right to change the system as I find fit. If I wake up dead I am not fussed at all, this living lark is overrated.

[Stilllearning]

The low level ventilation used to be only advisory, has this changed?

In 15 years living on board, on 2 different boats, I never had any low level ventilation, and no draughts. Doors, side doors, roof vents, pigeon boxes, these all gave ample oxygen for me, the cat, the fire, the occasional visitors, without any concerns.

[ditchcrawler]

The low level ventilation used to be only advisory, has this changed?

In 15 years living on board, on 2 different boats, I never had any low level ventilation, and no draughts. Doors, side doors, roof vents, pigeon boxes, these all gave ample oxygen for me, the cat, the fire, the occasional visitors, without any concerns.

All ventilation is advisory, but it is good advice.

 

The problem is that it is often installed with little thought. Its easy just to cut holes in doors. The other thing is the advisory amount is the worst case, everything burning, full complement of people, no wind. when in real life it is for 90% of the time is one or two people with the cooker turned off and a light breeze.

[blackrose]

The simplest safe solution I have seen is to put a solid baffle, slightly larger than the vent, on upstands directly in front of the vent.

 

As long as the up stands are long enough to provide the same total ventilation area as the original all vent, it will still comply with the BSS.

That's the only way to do it. Diverting a vent while maintaining the same overall vent area is fine. On the other hand blocking low level vents with boards as some people on this thread seem to be suggesting, is asking for trouble and recommending doing that on a public forum is frankly irresponsible and I find that really worrying.

 

Edit: The only way to know how much fixed ventilation a boat needs is to do the calculations based on occupants, oxygen burning appliances, etc, which is all detailed in the BSS Essential Guide. People who block vents without doing the calculation may get lucky and not actually need as much ventilation as they've got, but since we don't know other people's boats we really shouldn't be recommending that course of action.

Edited November 30, 2016 by blackrose

[Bunny]

Rug over the legs solves the problem . In the evening I sit right in front of the door vents . Yep gets really chilly . If too windy I shield it a bit with a piece of hard board just enough to cut the breeze down but leave it 'open' so to speak. Then take the board away at bed time . Bunny

[ditchcrawler]

To my mind its more efficient to put a baffle board across the door openings on the outside than the inside, spaced far enough away to give the correct area of ventilation. Once the WIND hits the vent hole in the door and goes through it has to carry on round the internal baffle board. Where as if it hits the external board there is no force pushing it through the vents.

 

Well that's my logic now prove me wrong. NOTE all baffles are spaced to give correct sill air ventilation

[cuthound]

To my mind its more efficient to put a baffle board across the door openings on the outside than the inside, spaced far enough away to give the correct area of ventilation. Once the WIND hits the vent hole in the door and goes through it has to carry on round the internal baffle board. Where as if it hits the external board there is no force pushing it through the vents.

 

Well that's my logic now prove me wrong. NOTE all baffles are spaced to give correct sill air ventilation

The only problem with the baffle on the outside is that it will restict how far back the door can be swung.

 

Typically on a narrowboat both front and rear doors need to swing fully back when open.

 

The problem with having the baffles on the inside is that you can catch your legs on them.

 

Edited for spillung.

Edited November 30, 2016 by cuthound

[Dave Payne]

The baffle on the outside could work as my back door opens in, and the front ones open out but ha clearance behind.

 

Will have to fettle something!

[Murflynn]

prefer chess

[Athy]

prefer chess

What a ludocrous reply.

[WotEver]

What a ludocrous reply.

A snappy response.

[rusty69]

A snappy response.

That may be a Bridge too far!

[WotEver]

That may be a Bridge too far!

This is making my rummytism worse

[cuthound]

You can take gin for that.

[WotEver]

I've just pokered the fire so I should be ok.

[rusty69]

I've just pokered the fire so I should be ok.

Do you have a Monopoly on these dodgy one liners or can people join in at their own Risk?

[Murflynn]

I've just pokered the fire so I should be ok.

sorry, I read that as 'rogered'............... you certainly wouldn't be OK.

[cereal tiller]

Do you have a Monopoly on these dodgy one liners or can people join in at their own Risk?

Haven't got a cluedo

[WotEver]

sorry, I read that as 'rogered'............... you certainly wouldn't be OK.

Roger and me are just good friends.