Condensation on the cold water stand in the toilet. Eliminating condensation on water pipes

If you go into the bathroom, you find "dew drops" on the pipes, then it's time to deal with condensation. Your bathroom is not a greenhouse, and excess moisture is useless here. High humidity is not at all a harmless thing, and a wet floor under the pipes is an unaesthetic sight. Therefore, if you notice condensation on the cold water pipes, you need to clearly know what to do.

Causes of condensation on pipes

Most often, several reasons at once affect the appearance of condensation.

Temperature difference

Cold water pipes are susceptible to condensation. Due to the temperature difference between the water and air supplied through the pipes, condensation occurs in the room. This unpleasant phenomenon is especially pronounced in winter, when the temperature difference is especially sharp.

Important! It is necessary to clearly distinguish between condensation and leakage. It is easy to distinguish them: condensate droplets are evenly distributed over the entire diameter of the pipe, often along its entire length, while the leak is of a local nature.

Poor ventilation

If the bathroom and toilet do not have forced ventilation, steam condensation with mold can become their inhabitants. If there is an extractor hood, but the humidity in the bathroom is still high, it means that the ventilation is not doing its job. Check the draft, and if it is weak, contact the management company: its employees should check the common ventilation duct and clean it.

Close arrangement of risers of cold and hot water

When the hot and cold water pipes are too close together, condensation will inevitably form. Hiding the pipes underneath the trim further encourages moisture and aggravates the process. Finishing materials deteriorate, the service life of the entire pipeline is reduced. Considering that all this is hidden from your eyes, the situation is insidious.

Faulty mixer or toilet cistern

A constant supply of cold water to the toilet bowl due to its malfunction or a breakdown of the mixer in the bathroom can also cause condensation on the pipes. In this case, together with the pipes, both the tap and the tank “sweat”.

If the shut-off valves are broken in the tank, the water is not collected to the end, but flows through and simply does not have time to heat up even a little. The condensate limit on the tank corresponds to the level of water collected in it. Above the level, the tank is completely dry.

The mixer may leak due to wear, malfunction or improper installation.

Leaking neighbors

Sometimes condensation can collect on the cold water pipe only at the top of it. This may indicate that the neighbors above have a problem with the plumbing or a water leak. Here your participation is only indirect - to inform the neighbors about it and track the result in your apartment. If the leak is removed, the condensate issue will also be closed automatically.

How to get rid of condensation

Depending on the cause of the appearance, the methods of getting rid of condensation are also different.

In the arsenal of advice from "craftsmen" there is a way to isolate a pipe with cold water by wrapping it with a cloth, followed by strict control over its wetting and timely replacement. Sometimes it is advised to additionally put a jar - to drain moisture into it from the ends of the rag. We will not even consider such a method. This is not a measure, but a half-measure that spoils the appearance of a bathroom or toilet.

The decision must be serious and solid, like the landlord himself. In most cases, the problem is solved by using pipe insulation and providing good ventilation.

Thermal insulation

To minimize the effect of temperature differences in pipes with cold water and room temperature, you need to insulate them. Excellent thermal insulation, high fire safety, ease of installation, tightness and low price of modern heaters will allow you to appreciate this solution.

The pipe must be covered with a special material for insulation - cases made of foamed polyethylene (energoflex). It is a flexible material whose closed pores give it excellent thermal insulation properties.

Your actions:

dry the pipe;
cut the energyflex tube along;
wrap a pipe with cold water;
fasten the longitudinal seam of the insulation with glue or clamps;
glue the ends of the energy flex together;
if desired, you can paint the insulation with spray paint of the desired color.

Important! After applying the glue to the tubes of the energoflex, you need to wait 5 minutes and only then glue.

As an option, Isollat, a universal material for pipe insulation, the so-called thermos paint, will help prevent condensation. It is a water-based suspension, which, after drying, turns into a polymer coating with good thermal insulation properties.

How to paint with Isollat:

clean and degrease the pipe surface;
apply paint in one layer with a brush;
to give a glossy shine, it can be topcoated with an organosilicon varnish type KO 85.

Providing adequate ventilation

High humidity, and with it condensation on the pipes, can be eliminated by establishing good ventilation of the bathroom and toilet.

What to do:

periodically leave the door to the bathroom ajar for fresh air;
increase the opening at the bottom of the door or make a ventilation grill in it;
put a powerful fan in the forced ventilation opening;

in case of problems with the general ventilation riser, contact the housing office;
to include in the project of future renovation the installation of micro-ventilation windows and the expansion of the ventilation opening.

If condensation also forms on the toilet cistern, the first step is to check its serviceability. The constant sound of flowing water indicates that the tank is not fully filled and is constantly being renewed with cold water, which gives condensate.

What can be done:

repair the toilet bowl drain;
buy a new toilet with a double cistern.

A double tank, inside of which there is an additional plastic container, will help completely solve the issue of condensation. Cold water is drawn precisely into it, without touching the walls of the tank, so the appearance of condensation is excluded. A big minus - the tank is sold most often complete with a toilet and has a fairly high cost.

In the mixer, water regulation elements most often fail - joysticks, taps-axle boxes, valves. A thin stream of water leaking down around the tap may just be the culprit for the appearance of condensation. Replace the gasket or cartridge and the mixer will be operational again. As a last resort, you can buy a new mixer. Perhaps the search for the causes of the appearance of condensation will end there.

Do not put off solving the issue with condensation indefinitely. And it's not only about the fact that, having dealt with it, you will render your health and repair a great service. To ignore a problem with unpleasant consequences when it is easy and inexpensive to solve is simply unwise.

Many owners of not only apartments, but also private houses face this problem: seemingly harmless, wet pipes with cold water (both gravity and water pipes) are a source of dampness in the kitchen, toilet or bathroom. Condensation on pipes can cause mold growth and shorten the time between repairs in wet areas. Our short article is devoted to solving this problem: below we will talk about why condensation forms on the pipes, as well as how to deal with this scourge.

Reasons for the formation of condensation on pipes

Most often, the formation of condensation on pipes with cold water is associated with poor ventilation in the room. That is why droplet moisture forms on the sewer riser or pipes supplying cold water: humid air fully contributes to this process. Therefore, before thinking about that, you need to take care of creating an additional heat-insulating layer that will prevent such a strong temperature drop on the surface of the product. Often, those who have risers with hot and cold water run too close to each other face a similar situation.

Wet pipes in the bathroom

First of all, it is necessary to check the operation of the ventilation system. Over the years of operation, it could well become clogged with dust and debris. Therefore, to begin with, we unscrew the grate covering the ventilation duct, and thoroughly clean everything. If the reason was this, then a thrust should appear, the presence of which can be checked with the help of a lighted match.

Another point is the peculiarities of the distribution of cold and hot water in the bathroom. Most often, pipes are run very close to each other, without worrying about additional thermal insulation. It is not surprising that at the place where the water is supplied to the plumbing equipment (simply the mixer), the cold water pipe “cries”. If the liner is open, you can easily use any suitable thermal insulation material. If she walks in the wall - the decision suggests itself and is associated with more complex work, including repair. If you need to change the geometry of the product, then you can read about that in the article devoted to this issue on our website.

Often the cause of condensation on the pipes in the bathroom is a malfunction of the mixer. If water drips from the tap, then you not only pay extra money for it, but also contribute to the constant cooling of the pipes: even at night the heat exchange between them and the air continues with all the ensuing consequences. The way out is obvious - it's time to repair the crane!

Fighting condensation on pipes in the toilet

The situation is similar to the one described above, with only one "but" - there are much more pipes in the toilet, and they are all laid in a small space. If you live in a private house and the internal one was carried out by you on your own, then already at this stage it was worth thinking about potential problems with condensation: either remove the cold pipes from the hot ones, or additionally isolate the first ones.

Continuous leakage from the reservoir can also cause the pipes to wet. The situation is the same as in the case of faulty plumbing in the bathroom: water constantly passes through the pipes, so it does not have time to warm up, and the humid air only aggravates the problem. Therefore, it is obvious that the most cost-effective solution would be to simply repair the intake valve and adjust the tank fittings.

The thermal conductivity of different materials is different. But this does not mean that to eliminate condensate on pipes, it is necessary from cast iron to PVC. It is better to follow one of the paths, which we will talk about below. It will be about the device of the heat-insulating layer.

Thermal insulation of pipes

The simplest option involves the purchase of factory heat-insulating material: K-Flex, energoflex, penofol, etc. It can be made in the form of porous material, polypropylene foam, basalt fiber, self-adhesive tape, etc. In fact, any heat-insulating material can be used as a heater for pipes. If buying it is not included in your plans, you can go in other ways:

use a plastic pipe of a larger diameter and polyurethane foam. We cut the product in such a way that it would be possible to "grab" the pipe on which condensate forms. We fill the annular space with polyurethane foam;
use old rags and epoxy putty. The pipe is preliminarily cleaned from rust with sanding paper, degreased with acetone. Next, we apply the first layer of putty to it, after which we literally bandage the pipe with a cloth so that it is impregnated with epoxy. After it has hardened, we apply a finishing layer of putty - the impromptu thermal insulation is ready!

Now you know what to do if condensation forms on the pipes in your apartment!

Causes of occurrence

Condensation is quite common. It mainly forms on cold water pipes. The reasons for this are the presence of high humidity in the room air and the difference between the air temperature and the temperature of the pipeline.

This phenomenon occurs just like dew on grass leaves in the morning. Under certain conditions (humidity, temperature and atmospheric pressure), the so-called "dew point" is formed, upon reaching which the water vapor present in the air settles on the surface of the surrounding objects.

Steam also settles on the surface of water pipes, which seem to "sweat", becoming covered with drops. For this effect to appear, the surface temperature must be lower than the ambient temperature. Therefore, this happens with cold water pipes in the bathroom and toilet, which are cooled due to the passage of a cold stream through them with a temperature below the room temperature.

In order to determine the true cause of the appearance of condensation, it is necessary to accurately determine at what moment it appears, since cooling is associated with the direct movement of the water flow.

If water does not flow through the pipe, then the pipe, together with the water in it, heats up to ambient temperature. Condensation is not possible under these conditions.

Therefore, when water droplets are found on the pipe, it is necessary to find out exactly where the source of water movement is. This can be a toilet cistern, through which water flows unnoticed due to lost or torn gaskets. This movement of water through the pipe is quite enough to cool it and form condensation. Also, a poor-quality gasket on one of the taps, through which the water flow passes, may be a source.

In addition, the reason for the formation of water droplets can also be found in neighbors who live higher on any of the floors, if, for example, they have a leaking cistern. In this case, condensation can form on the risers with water passing through the apartments from bottom to top. In this case, the constant movement of water and, accordingly, the cooling of the pipe occurs due to these leaks. When determining such a reason and wanting to eliminate it, it is necessary to inform the tenants who are located above.

It should also be taken into account that the formation of condensation on the pipes is facilitated by insufficient or lack of ventilation, especially in rooms with high humidity. For example, this can happen in a bathroom, where steam is generated from hot water, which settles on the pipes in the form of drops.

Effects

One of the consequences of condensation is rust. The formation of rusty streaks not only spoils the appearance of metal parts, but also destroys them. Often, condensation also occurs on risers that pass vertically through the apartment. In this case, the paintwork may peel off.

The droplets fall onto the floor, forming small puddles, which can destroy the floor covering. Moisture can also damage the furniture in the room. Also, due to the constant accumulation of moisture on surfaces, mold and mildew can occur, which have a negative impact on human health. The appearance of mold in hard-to-reach places of plumbing units is especially unpleasant.

Condensation is especially dangerous in closed places (where it is not visible). At the same time, moisture can also get on the electrical wiring, oxidizing the contacts. Also, water is an excellent conductor. Leaks on walls can conduct electricity, which is a very dangerous factor.

First steps

If you notice moisture formed on the pipes, you should immediately take measures to eliminate it. First of all, it is necessary to wipe off the formed condensate and dry the place of its appearance.

It is important not to allow moisture to build up. To do this, you should establish the reason for its appearance. In this case, it is necessary to find out which source gives a constant flow of water, as a result of which the surface of the pipes is cooled. To determine this, you need to check the toilet cistern and all taps for constant leaks. You should also pay attention to the washing machine installed in the house, through which water can flow if there are valve faults.

In order to rectify the situation, in most cases, you can do without special knowledge, it is enough just to replace the faulty gasket. If it is impossible to eliminate the malfunction on your own, it is better to turn to specialists, especially when it comes to repairing washing machines.

You can check the performance of the ventilation system with a simple sheet of paper. When you bring it to the opening of the working ventilation, you can notice a slight movement of the sheet. This is an indication that the ventilation is working. But to determine the effectiveness of the installed ventilation, you need to invite specialists.

If it is found that condensation forms on the riser, it is necessary to involve the neighbors on top, who may have a leak in the plumbing equipment, to identify the cause. In this case, condensation will also be observed on their pipes.

How to get rid of

If the identified problem was not too serious, then it can be successfully solved by replacing the gasket on the drain tank or tap. However, the solution is not always that simple.

In some cases, the cause is incorrect pipe routing, in which the hot and cold pipes pass close to each other. This is sufficient for condensation to form. Indeed, if there is a flow of water through both pipes, one of them heats up, and the other cools. From such a temperature drop, moisture is formed. Often such situations arise in private homes, where piping is carried out without the involvement of specialists.

In this case, in order to eliminate the cause and avoid the formation of moisture, it is necessary to change the layout of the water pipes, isolating them from each other, which is far from always an easy matter. To organize a new wiring, it is often necessary to violate the integrity of the walls and their coatings.

In such cases, the use of a special thermal insulation material that can be used to wrap the water supply can help. This way you can insulate, eliminate mutual heat transfer and protect the pipes. This method is quite effective and does not require capital work on the alteration of the water supply.

If the reason lies in insufficient exhaust from the room, then a fan must be installed at the ventilation outlet to create a forced air flow. This removes excess moisture from the room.

Plumbing professionals have extensive experience in finding the causes of condensation and eliminating it effectively. For example, one of the modern ways to solve the problem is to coat pipes with a special liquid heat-insulating compound. It is applied to the surface of the pipes, forming a durable, elastic and non-corrosive layer when it dries, allowing it to get rid of moisture.

However, with a very large temperature difference, the pipes must be additionally insulated. For this, polyethylene foam is often used, which is fixed using ordinary wire. It is lightweight and does not decay. It is produced both in the form of sheets and in the form of soft tubes of various diameters with a longitudinal cut.

For maximum effect, it is necessary that the inner diameter of the pipe matches the outer diameter of the water pipe. In this case, the tube is put on tightly, without unnecessary gaps. If it is of a smaller diameter, then there will be a gap, if it is larger, it will dangle. At the same time, it will practically not bring any benefit. Ease of use lies in the fact that you can put the part on the pipes yourself, immediately getting the desired result.

Basically, condensation is thought to be due to the accumulation of excess moisture on any surface that is cooler than the ambient temperature. Basically, condensation appears on pipes and containers in which cold water flows or appears in rooms in which there is a source of a high level of humidity. Such premises include: toilet, boiler room, basements, laundry rooms and bathrooms.

In addition to the aesthetic appearance, condensation on pipes can have rather dangerous consequences, therefore it is best to get rid of it.

Why is condensate on pipes dangerous?

Condensation on water pipes is not only not beautiful, but also dangerous. I explain why it is better to get rid of condensate on pipes. If you have metal pipes, then condensation can cause corrosion, which leads to destruction. And for humans, this will be reflected in the source of respiratory and allergic disease. All this will happen due to the fact that mold begins to appear on the pipes. Mold is a type of fungus that is quite harmful to humans. It can cause serious illness in people. I would especially like to mention bronchial asthma and a noticeable decrease in immunity. In my opinion, I have given enough arguments to convince you to get rid of condensation on the pipes. And to put it in everyday language, make sure that the pipes do not sweat.

Why do pipes sweat?

Consider the reasons for the manifestation of condensation on pipes. The main reasons include the following:

poor ventilation

low level of thermal insulation of sewage and water supply pipes,

the rooms have a high level of humidity.

Here it can be noted that the following reasons are attributed to sources with a high level of humidity:

terrain features,

defects in the operation of technological communications,

construction defects of buildings,

external weather conditions, climate.

How to get rid of condensation?

Now let's look at how to get rid of the condensation that appears on the pipes.

If there is a high level of humidity in the room, then first of all you need to eliminate the occurrence of high humidity. For example, it is best to hang wet laundry in another ventilated area, or you can use airtight lids to seal the water containers.

The next step in how to get rid of condensation on the pipes is to provide ventilation. In this case, you can install a ventilation window with a grill, which will help remove excess moisture outside your room. In order to make this ventilation, you will need to drill a hole with a hammer drill and a crown-shaped drill. Then insert the ventilation grill and secure with self-tapping screws or construction glue.

If all this is not enough, in order to correct the situation in the room and get rid of condensation on the pipes, then you will need to make active ventilation.

Active ventilation looks like an exhaust fan that can be attached to the exhaust outlet, and it operates in two modes, namely manual and forced. The forced option is considered more preferable, and the manual mode is used for limited time actions. In manual mode, you will need to connect a timer, or a special humidity sensor that will help drive the fan into action. Forced ventilation will be inappropriate if your room has high levels of humidity.

In very high humidity environments, it is best for you to insulate the pipes with special insulating materials to get rid of condensation on the pipes. All thermal insulation materials are made in the form of mats, which are composed of heat-reflecting metal foil and mineral wool. They can also be made in the form of pipes, in which the inner diameter will coincide with the outer diameter of the pipe. Such heat-insulating materials are made from different materials, and they take not only rubber, but also different polystyrene, polystyrene. It is necessary to carefully wrap the pipes with such material and fix it.

If you are going to use a tubular insulation material, then you will need to cut it along its entire length. After that, you will need to wipe the pipe dry, and put heat-insulating material on it, so that complete tightness is obtained. If you make a mistake, then it will not work to get rid of the condensate on the pipes, it will begin to appear again, and the work will be done down the drain.

In our modern busy life, we really want to have a cozy house or apartment. It is in it that you can relax, relax, feel happy. Therefore, it is very important that the house is good.
But often everyone is faced with minor or more serious problems in everyday life. After all, your home must be kept in order, maintained in good condition. And this is sometimes not easy.
Sometimes you just don't notice a little thing. And then it develops into a real problem.
For example, condensation on pipes. At first, he does not particularly bother anyone. But when you notice with surprise that mold has appeared, then you grab onto the repair, which will now cost much more.
Therefore, the state of an apartment or house is like a state of human health. The main thing is to prevent the problem, or at worst to eliminate the small one, until it turns into a big one.

What is condensation?

According to the laws of physics, we know that if there is a temperature difference, then water droplets are formed on the surface. This axiom is still known from school. Thus, if there is a temperature difference in an apartment (house), then this is a phenomenon and can occur there as well.

At first, this process is not so noticeable. The surface is fogging up. Then small droplets are formed. These drops of water begin to grow, then collect on the floor, and may even form small puddles over time. Mold appears. And the next stage in the development of this phenomenon is colds, which have every chance of becoming chronic. The picture is sad.

Reasons for the appearance of condensation on pipes:

there is a leak in the pipe.
there is no ventilation.
high humidity in the room.

It is imperative to fight this problem. These are not only comfortable living conditions, but also your health.

Methods for dealing with condensate on pipes

First, we find out if there are any leaks. We must look at ourselves and our neighbors. If a leak is detected, you hear water flowing through the sewer riser, then you simply eliminate the problem of water leakage. It all depends on the given situation. Either do it yourself, or call a plumber, it's up to you.
Secondly, you need to make sure that the ventilation system works well in the places where the pipes of an apartment or house are located (bath, toilet, laundry, etc.).

If this ventilation cannot solve the problem, then it is necessary to install another fan - an exhaust fan. The exhaust fan must operate either in manual or automatic mode. These fans can be purchased at the store. But, unfortunately, this is not a guarantee of a solution to this problem.

Temperature difference! - will also cause condensation. The room is warm and the cold water pipe constantly fogs up. This is a signal for action! Therefore, it is necessary to isolate the cold water pipes from the external environment. Now this is not a particular problem.
1. There are special tubes made of porous heat-insulating material. They are available in standard sizes. They can be called differently: energroflex, thermoflex and so on. The tube, cut along the entire length, is put on the tube and glued along the seam with special tape. Sometimes the gap between the pipe and the heat-insulating material is filled with polyurethane foam. Corrugation is often used as an insulating material. The diameter, which must be larger than the pipe. Thus, the pipe is reliably isolated from the external environment.

2. If such materials are not at hand, then you can use materials at hand.
Step-by-step instructions for these works.

Step one: the pipe must be sanded. This procedure is necessary in order to make a reliable adhesion with subsequent materials.
Step two: degrease it. To do this, rub the surface with acetone.
Step three: treating the pipe from rust. To do this, you can use phosphoric, citric, oxalic, nitric acids. Also, special drugs that can be bought at hardware stores. The list is large.
Step four: an epoxy putty is applied to the pipe. In composition, it resembles thick paint and does not run off. The material itself hardens quickly. Therefore, you need to work quickly.
Step four: the prepared pipe is tightly wrapped with a cloth. You need to start from the bottom. The last turn is tightly tied with a thread. The fabric turns overlap each other and are impregnated with a putty.
Step five: it is recommended to apply several coats of putty. Usually two or three coats are applied additionally.
Step six: epoxy is applied.
Step seven: the pipe is sanded and painted in the color of the wall.

These simple steps to remove condensate on pipes are not difficult to accomplish. Moreover, new compounds are being created all the time, which more effectively protect the material from corrosion.
Good ventilation and pipe insulation often solves the problem. And the dwelling will be in order.
But it also happens that the weather conditions are a rainy, prolonged autumn or spring, perhaps there is a large reservoir nearby and high humidity, then it is worth installing an air conditioner to solve this problem.

do not dry laundry inside the house
when preparing food, close the door, open the window or turn on the hood.
after taking a shower or bath, leave the doors open, let it ventilate.
regularly airing the entire room.

Output:

It must be remembered that the problem of condensation in a room on pipes arises quite often. This is due to the difference in temperatures outside and inside, uncorrected ventilation system. And it is necessary to solve it.
This issue should be approached in a comprehensive manner. The emergence of new, modern materials and innovative technologies helps in solving this problem. Although maintaining the temperature and humidity regime is certainly a difficult and multifaceted task, everyone can solve it.
Therefore, comfort and coziness in an apartment or house is in your hands. By solving small problems, you have every chance of not having big ones.