New UPVC doors caused intolerable draught around floor.

[mumsandra]

I'm not sure where to post this, being new and all, but desperately need an answer.
I have a Baxi Burnall fire with underfloor draught which is excellent, or was excellent unitl I had new windows and doors installed in my bungalow.

Ever since installation, there has been an almighty draught around the floors of the house. I have complained to the fitter, who has tried to blame several things, one of these being, they said there was a hole under my concrete floor. I am presuming that this hole they saw was for the draught to my fire and as yet I don't know what they did with it, whether they left it as was, or have blocked it up. Either way, this draught in my house was not there with my old windows and doors.

Do you have any ideas what could be causing this. I would be most grateful for any help, I am not young and this draught is paractically causing Hypothermia.

 

[sunnybob]

Youve blocked off all the old little draughts and the fire MUST have air to burn. There arent more draughts, theres mow just one big one rather than 20 tiny ones.

The floor air vent should be in the floor very close to the fire, so that that the air travels from vent to fire to chimney.
Lay a sheet of paper over the vent. It should rise off and not stay there. If it does stay there, then that vent is blocked somewhere and the fire is desperately pulling air from somewhere else.

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCE SHOULD YOU BLOCK THAT VENT.
If you do, you will fall asleep in front of the fire and never wake up.

 

[CHJ]

I assume the Draughts are worst when fire is burning, if so then then be careful about blocking any 'draft' points that you identify, you need to ensure replacement air volume is sufficient to ensure combustion fumes are safely exhausted up the chimney.

I suspect that the underfloor feed to the fire is only supplying enough airflow for combustion needs and does not provide adequate flue volume air.

I suspect before sealing the windows and doors the replacement air movement was distributed over a much wider area and less concentrated in any one stream so that you did not perceive it as a draft.


Our Baxi Fire had the underfloor vents fed directly to the ash box sump and was prone to spilt ashes blocking them (two 4" dia from different aspects of the property) they now feed essential air for a gas fire.

 

[PAC1]

I think you need to get a Building Surveyor to take a look. You should be able to find someone local who can look at the actual room and give considered advice rather than us guessing at what might cause the problem. If you cannot find one contact the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and they will help you find some one suitable.

 

[RobinBHM]

The fire as I understand it is designed to take its air intake by a pipe running down to the void underneath a suspended floor and sucking in the air from the void which is gets fresh air from outside through the external brick vents.

You mention a concrete floor so is it a solid floor? -if so is there pipe acting as the air intake or do you mean a bit of the floor is concrete like the hearth by the fire.

It does sound like the fire is generating the draught because it is having to draw from the room somewhere.

I would get a HETAS engineer to have a look and advise as it sounds like the new windows have sealed up the house much better so the air is being drawn in elsewhere.

have you had cavity wall insulation done recently?

 

[skipdiver]

Do your windows have trickle vents installed?

 

[mumsandra]

Thank you all,I think CHJ hit the nail on the head. For two days, I did not have the fire lit and there was little or no draught (my feet were actually warm), the heating was on very low but the house was warm, whereas, when the fire was lit and the heating was high, the heat seemed to be going nowhere and there was a severe draught around the floor and a sort of cold presence in the air.Also, when opening the vent on the fire, it did not draw any differently than when it was closed. I have yet to speak to the Window/Door fitters about the pipe/vent from the fire, when I complained about the draught and they blamed a variety of things, they also said there was a 'hole' under my floor, maybe it's coming up through the floor. I don't think they knew what it was and I'm interested to know what they actually did with this'hole' , did they fill it with foam and hope for the best ? If this is what's happened, is it up to them to rectify the problem ?

 

[rafezetter]

I would get the engineer or surveyor in to make a proper determination - after that blame can be laid if the fitters did alter something they shouldn't have, if not at least you'll have the knowledge to sort it another way.

 

[mumsandra]

Well, HETAS engineer says he cannot tell whether or not the vent has been blocked.

The installers won't answer any of my communications, phone, text, messenger, mobiles, landline . Honestly don't know who to turn to. Feet are still frozen, can't light fire, heating on constant, wrapped up in blankets, feet up on pouffe with electric blanket under legs and feet.

It cost me eight grand to be more miserable than I've ever been before.

 

[skipdiver]

Trading Standards will put a rocket up their behind.