The THIRD biggest problem in Portuguese houses

Posted By Castelo Construction Lda in Building in Portugal, buying property in portugal, damp house, Living in Portugal, low cost build, property problems May 12, 2015

Here is the third biggest problem in Portuguese houses

Heating and ventilation we have already covered Insulation and Damp in previous posts and coming in at no 3 has to be Heating and Ventilation which is the third biggest problem in Portuguese houses.

With a an open fire in the kitchen to cook on as the sole form of heat there is rarely a stove in old houses. If there is you can bet your bottom dollar its old clapped out and rusty. Not to mention highly inefficient in comparison to modern stoves and possibly leaking carbon Monoxide as well.

leaking carbon Monoxide as well is not such a problem because Portuguese people keep the doors open for most of the day its when you refurbish your property with nice new tight fitting, draft free windows and doors that it can become very dangerous.

If you are going to fit a new wood burner into the property. Think carefully about the ideal position ( ) that way you will get the best from the heat that it delivers, keep your home dry and burn fuel at maximum efficiency.

It is vital that you have Permanent ventilation close to the stove via a passive vent. It is not good enough just to open a window occasionally. Then you have to think about ventilation in the rest of the house to get rid of damp air which causes condensation and black marks on the walls.

A home with no insulation needs ventilation. This can be achieved by fitting passive vents through the outside walls, window trickle vents electrical extractor fans ( as long as they are turned on !)
Ventilation is the process of changing or replacing air in any space to control temperature or remove any combination of moisture, odors, smoke, heat, dust, airborne bacteria, or carbon dioxide, and to replenish oxygen. Ventilation includes both the exchange of air with the outside as well as circulation of air within the building. It is one of the most important factors for maintaining acceptable indoor air quality in buildings.
passive vents through the outside walls provide excellent ventilation. For more information contact Castelo Construction.

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About Castelo Construction Lda

Castelo Construction Lda are builders in Central Portugal. We have 12 years’ experience of working with and delighting clients in Portugal. Tel 00351 927168247 or kelvin@casteloconstruction.com If you need an English speaking builder for renovation or new build work we will provide free estimates, fixed prices and carry out your work to a very high standard. Many of our clients are not in the country full time so rely on our regular photographic updates and written reports. They are always surprised when they make inspection visits. New Construction and Refurbishment of Portuguese Property It’s exciting for both our team and of course our clients to mark out on the earth the site of a new home. We will have been with them during the design process and have spoken to the architect many times so we will be comfortable with what we are about to do. For many clients, this stage is a little daunting as it’s hard to see without experience just where the house is going to be in relation to other things on the property. Once the foundations are dug out the house normally looks smaller than they thought, As the pillars and foundation wall start to go you get a much better idea of scale. You can see with your mind’s eye the location of the kitchen, bedrooms and so on. Once the walls are up and the first floor is in place the rooms start to looks smaller again (something to do with the light absorbing properties of the bricks) once the walls are plastered the rooms look a lot larger and it starts to feel more like the home our clients imagined building. As the build progresses we are involved with many specialist subcontractors and it is our job the get them on site at the right time so that the trades do not overlap and time is not wasted. Once the roof is on and tiled it is traditional in this area to have a dinner on site. Everyone who is involved in the build is invited to share a suckling pig dinner with local bread, oranges and of course wine. This is a great way for the clients to enjoy some local hospitality and meet the craftsmen who are building their new home. We also invite the near neighbors so that they get a chance to see what’s going on (when the house is at a very basic stage) and it gives our clients a relaxed opportunity to make their acquaintance. As we always accompany our clients to choose, kitchens, tiles, bathroom fittings or whatever they want. We can help with translation and of course negotiation! As the house is coming to completion we always have them professionally cleaned so that when we hand over the keys it feels more like a home than a building site. 2 months after the house is finished we are back to check for any small faults that may need attention and of course we are available to help and advise should that be needed. Central Portugal builders