Hi Happy New Year to you all. I had a kitchen fitted about 5 years ago. A wall behind some corner base units is very cold (no cavity) and attracts condensation making the cupboards cold and damp. I would like to move the base units away, fit polystyrene insulation board to the wall and have the units fitted again. I would normally do this myself but the work top is very heavy and in two parts (round the corner) and I'm unsure of how to tackle it. Is this the kind of job I could ask a kitchen fitter to help with? I think the total job wouldn't be more than a day. Thanks in anticipation.
certainly within the realms of a competent kitchen fitter. However, I doubt fitting insulation will help, trying to adjust the airflow may be a better option.
Thanks for the reply, sospan and Astramax. I've considered the airflow. There are fascia boards at each end of the units - one against the fridge / freezer and the other against the cooker. I've tried leaving these off but it made no difference. One thing I have considered is vents in the fascia boards at the front. If I put my arm under the units near the back I can feel a sharp 'downdraft' of cold air flowing down the wall. So I do need to do something.
Recently fitted (November) 12 x 38mm dia circular pepper pot top one's in stainless steel to plinths of built in bedroom wardrobes and drawer units, have not heard back as yet.
at least there is some air movement. What I do on a lot of kickboards is to cut a "hand hold " on the top edge where it can't be seen. This allows the air to move and also for people to remove to clean up to the edge. Interesting you have the fridge at one end oven at the other, the heat given off by these should warm up the air behind the units.
Purchased from ebay they are called a 'Circular Air Vent Grill' and cost around £5 for 20 many sizes available.
Yes, sospan, but it's at the furthest from each - in the corner - that I have the problem. The cut-out is an interesting idea that hadn't occurred to me, I already have on under the swing-down door of the dishwasher to allow for clearance and, as you say, it can't be seen.
Yes, they are good quality, better than they look in the picture. Easy to fit using a hole saw of the correct size the ones I used had adjustable 'tabs' to pinch the hole on insertion.
Hi Guys I've finally got around to starting this job. I got some circular air vent grills as recommended. The cupboard that is cold / damp is the one in the corner under the microwave in the first photo. I intend to fit air vents in the facia boards under all the cupboards and at each end next to the larder unit (at the left hand end) and the cooker (right hand end). The facia boards are removed at the moment as the damp warped them badly and I'm trying to straighten them out. I understand that the increased ventilation / air flow through the vents will reduce the damp and condensation but do I also need to allow warm air to flow in? For instance I could put some vents just beneath the work top in the second photo (this is behind the cooker). This would be a bit more difficult in the cupboard unit at the left hand end, as it butts up against the larder unit, but it wouldn't be impossible.