Where to install a Spiral Cellar

A Spiral Cellar can be installed in any ground floor room: kitchen, living room, garage, conservatory*, dining room, garden room, outbuilding or study.

Advice on positioning the cellar within a design:

• It should not be fitted into a south facing conservatory due to overheating (other orientations are acceptable).
• Optimum performance of the cellar can be achieved where the ventilation pipes are on the North or North Eastern aspect with no more than 5m in plan to a perimeter wall. Other aspects can be considered, it usually depends how well shaded or protected the pipes would be.
• The external edge of the excavation can be within 600mm of load bearing walls
• Under floor heating should not be laid within the circular area  of the cellar PLUS 300mm all round. The vent pipes should be fully wrapped and insulated if shallow, or they may have to run under the slab. NO OTHER SERVICES SUCH AS HOT WATER PIPES TO RUN ACROSS CELLAR AREA OR VENT PIPE RUN AS IT WILL HAVE A DIRECT IMPACT UPON THE PERFORMANCE OF THE CELLAR.
• Care must be taken with ‘following trades’.

Spiral Cellars use an independent consultant engineer. He will prepare projectspecific calculations. If the property foundations are compromised or impacted by the spiral cellar there are a number of solutions;

1. The foundations are underpinned. This is extremely expensive and will be labour intensive, adding time and cost to the programme.
2. Provide deeper foundation, in the case of new build or extensions. This is also a very expensive solution.
3. ‘Some’ project engineers will design a concrete shell or pit for the spiral cellar to fit inside, with a sump pump. This is very expensive and will incur a design fee.

Spiral Cellars recommend:

4. Shuttering or Milton Rings and a reinforced concrete ring to resist the surcharge load. This is cost effective and saves time.

(*not south facing)