Hi there.
We have a 1960s red brick converted bungalow. It had what I would call an external recessed porch at the front door. We added a dwarf wall and uPVC windows and door about three years ago to 'close' it in, creating an internal porch. So we now have an external and internal front door.
We laid Laminate flooring on a membrane etc on top of a new concrete floor. Two of the three original sides have cavity wall insulation, the remaining originalk wall outside wall has no cavity. Above is a timber ceiling, above which is the very far edge of the attic. I think there is insulation directly above the porch but can't be sure. We didn't think it would be necessary to put a radiator into the porch (it's only 4ft by 7ft).
Once completed we put coat hooks up on the outside wall.....but in winter the porch is so cold that the coats actually started getting mouldy - nice! So we got a joiner to put 10mm plasterboard on the walls and skimmed them. Unfortunately same result - still freezing. Not sure what has changed but this winter the condensation is really very bad. The ceiling has massive water droplets on it (some about 15mm wide) and we're constantly having to wipe the ceiling with a towel.
We're thinking of getting two things done:
a) An electric tubular heater with built in thermostat - to give steady background heat when the temp drops
b) insulate the ceiling in some way as it seems that is the coldest part of the porch if the water is gathering there.
Do these sound like decent solutions? ANY advice or ideas would really help us - this simple small porch is causing us a lot of grief!! Thanks.
