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heating / dehumidifying

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sylk
2/7/2017 13:00 EST

we have a roughly 35 year stucco quincho which is too cold in the winter and way too humid. my electrician partner thinks a thatch roof is a sponge and trying to dehumidify is like "trying to empty the ocean".
Quinchos have been around for 100's of years. - any one know what WOULD work to keep us warmer and dryer? (i love my roof). Thanks!

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Morell
2/7/2017 13:52 EST

We also have a quincho and have never had a problem with mould indoors and feel the quincho roof helps keep the house mould free.

We have a moisture meter in the living room and it is almost always in the green area meaning comfortable. Right now the humidity reads 54% for example.
In winter we have a wood burning insert stove with blowers that take the heat upstairs and we even dry laundry upstairs in winter in a few hours.
Our interior walls are mostly unpainted natural brick and we were told not to paint them as moisture leaves through them as well. We also have a permeable paint on the outside to allow the moisture to leave.

Not sure why you have a problem - what do you use for heat?

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sylk
2/7/2017 14:21 EST

our interior walls are stuccoed and painted (white) much like the outside walls. We have used our large fireplace and ridiculously expensive (to use) space heaters for warmth (& 3 layers of clothes). does the age of the roof (when was it last replaced) matter?
how old is yours (if i may be so bold)
thanks!

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Morell
2/7/2017 15:33 EST

You would be much warmer if you put an insert in the fireplace. We used Magna to do it. http://www.magna.com.uy/
I think a fireplace loses more heat than it gains.

We replaced the roof when we bought the house in December 2011. The roof was leaking badly at that point. It had not been replaced since the house was built in 1998.
Once you can see the horisontal wires across the surface, it means half the roof has gone and it is ready to replace. It is quite a job - it took four guys working four days a week from around 6.30 am to 6.00 pm with a lunch break of an hour, six weeks to complete it and cost around $8,500 US back then.

If the paint on the inside of your walls is the inpermeable stuff they tried to sell us, then the interior moisture is trapped inside and condenses on the cold walls causing mould. Burning wood really helps. We also have thick curtains on the windows in winter and put foam tape around the windows and doors.

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dawsonpointers
2/8/2017 13:30 EST

One thing that I am surprised that I do not see more of is ceiling fans (slow rotation, big blades, horizontal orientation just like in the movies). Thatched roofs are high at the peak because the slope needed to shed water. I wonder what the temperature gradient between floor and peak is in your house?
Ceiling fans are relatively inexpensive to operate and work to re-distribute heat and to keep air moving, which helps to reduce condensation and mold.
When we were shopping for our house, we saw a house with a thatched roof (in La Floresta) that had been covered by a really durable steel tile system that had an exterior texture like asphalt shingles. It had a couple of ceiling fans. We didn't see ceiling fans in any other houses.
We have high-peaked ceilings (not thatched) and I intend to get ceiling fans for several rooms. I searched and found Hunter-Douglas fan dealerships in MVD.
They work in summer and winter by reversing the direction. We had 2 of them in our house in Canada. Worked great.
A ceiling fan or two might be something to consider.

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