Pro- Ventilation OR Anti-Ventilation?

[tonybloke]

just to be different!
I use solid floors, with no top ventilation during the 'season'
I also add insulation to the roof-space.

during the winter, I use top ventilation, no insulation

oh, and crownboard = no holes
feeder / clearer board = holes

 

[greatbritishhoney]

You were right!

I'm always right

 

[user 6228]

Headnavigator,

can you tell me why respected makers of Nationals send them out with OMF, crownboard with hole(s), and ventilation cones or meshes in the roof?

The main reason is so the same board can have multi functions. The Porter bee escape holes are for when the board might be used as a clearer board. The feeder holes are there for just that purpose. The porter ecape holes can be used for feeding purposes.

The ventilation or cones are simply for ventilating the roof space (between the crownboard and the roof), the latter being useful should bee(s) get trapped above the crownboard when replacing the roof. The reasons the roof is ventilated is two-fold; 1) Trapped moisure at any time (crownboards and roofs may not leak but moisure will go through the crownboard, slowly) will accumulate and can cause mould, or rot. 2) When the Sun's rays beat down on the roof the air insulation layer in the roof will prevent most of any heat conducted through the roof entering through the crownboard, but that will be assisted by the ventilation holes in the roof allowing some heat tranfer rom the hive in some designs. The good old WBC is particularly good in this respect as it allows warm air inside to convect from the hive, being replaced by cooler air from below.

Hope that helps to entirely explain your conundrum.

Regards, RAB

The same well reasoned arguments would say no roof ventilation for thick poly hives

both of which fall in with the building regs of houses!

The thick poly roofs do not rot and with the higher insulation value and lower mositure content do not suffer(as much) from mould, condensation or heat gain.

Internal insulation in the roof of the wooden structure (e.g. kingspan) should if possible have a ventilated space between the top of the insulation and the wooden roof if house building regs have any sense to them

 

[Vergilius]

just to be different!
I use solid floors, with no top ventilation during the 'season'
I also add insulation to the roof-space.

during the winter, I use top ventilation, no insulation

oh, and crownboard = no holes
feeder / clearer board = holes

You're not the only one Tb...

Think hollow tree, the housing of choice for most bee colonies for millions of years...


Ben P

 

[wwwcight]

oh I'm trying one better than that, I've made a solar powered vent to pull air through when the sun is hot enough.

 

[madasafish]

My roofs overhang the walls and shade them, roof is insulated. Bees propolise all top bars so no ventilation...

 

[debzbees]

I have a poly hive and am worried about ventilation when I block up the entrance? At the momemt they seem warm and happy....but no ventilation at the top, no gap between crown board and roof..anyone else got a poly and have suggestions, well appreciated, this is my first and very exciting year

 

[For want of a better word]

Grandfathers hives had solid floor and a QUILT on top... for winter the entrance was barely open
The quilt was felt...... compressed sheep fur or wool if you like...
surely that allowed ventilation without a moisture build up... a material that is reinventing itself I believe.... watching Grand Designs !

 

[Bryanthebee]

I am thinking i have put kingspan in the roof space to prevent any damp build up and prevent it from turning to ice in the wintre months.

I am in the thinking that you only get mositure build up in the top of the brood area if warm air comes into contact with a cold surface. hence the kingspan to keep the inner surface warm.

I also beleive the girls will deal with any problems by directing the air in the hive them selves.

I also had the omf closed last year and my girls came out the other side of wintre very strong. But i am not saying this is the write way just cause for thought.

I am alway willing to learn.

 

[wwwcight]

What is kingspan?

 

[marklaverda]

Kingspan manufacture insulation in styrene for building. Rather like hoover they have such a share of the market their name has almost become generic with board insulation

 

[For want of a better word]

What are you talking about !?!

OF COURSE THE HIVES HAVE TO BE VENTILATED!!!!



If anyone says 'no' (anti) they are idiots. Sorry but true.

Goes without saying ... like Ogres NEVER live happily ever after!