Condensation on the toilet bowl is a fairly common problem. It appears as a result of the fact that the temperature of running tap water used for household needs is below room temperature. In fact, this is the same dew that has fallen out of the air as a result of its contact with the very cold walls of the drain tank, and this is a normal, absolutely safe physical phenomenon. Let's try to figure out what to do if condensation appears on the toilet flush tank, and how to get rid of it yourself without expensive repairs and buying new equipment for the toilet.
Reasons for sweating
To get rid of the problem, you need to find the cause that causes it. It is known that dew appears when the air is much warmer than the object on which it falls. However, when it appears on objects, it causes corrosion and provokes the growth of mold, which leads to the destruction of the material. Even at room temperature and normal humidity in the bathroom, the water in the drain tank, cooled to 5-6 degrees, will cause sweating. In this case, the material from which the drain container is made does not matter. What causes temperature differences and high humidity, which lead to the appearance of water droplets on the drain tank?
- The exhaust system does not work well or does not work at all. To check, you need to bring a burning match to the exhaust pipe and look at the movement of the flame whether there is thrust or not. In the absence of draft, it is necessary to contact the managing organization to inspect the entire ventilation system of the apartment passing by.
- If hot water pipes pass through the bathroom, they will also cause temperature changes. To eliminate the cause, it is necessary to isolate them with special covers for pipes, which are provided with cuts for ease of installation.
- High humidity in the room can be caused by fumes from the bathroom entering the toilet. To eliminate them, it is necessary to separate the exhaust systems of the bathroom and bath and organize forced ventilation.
- The cause of condensation on the walls of the toilet tank can be a slight drain mechanism failure. Because of it, a thin stream of water flows through the drain hole all the time, which means that new cold water constantly enters the tank, which simply does not have time to heat up. Too cold walls of the tank in a warm room inevitably fog up.
How to check shutoff valves
An improperly installed, poor-quality or failed locking mechanism causes big problems if it is not repaired in time. It is he who can cause water dripping onto the floor from the walls of the drain tank and resulting in large puddles. You can identify this problem in several ways:
- After the drain tank is full, turn off the water supply to the tank and see if its level will decrease or not.
- Do not use cleaning products when cleaning the toilet for several days. If there is a leak, then a reddish trace of smudges will remain at the place of water inlet from the tank.
- Add any brightly colored watercolor paint to the water in the drain tank and mix the water thoroughly. After a few minutes, it will become clear whether the drain is leaking or not.
Types of locking mechanisms and methods for replacing them
If the drain valve is to blame for dripping condensate from the tank, then it must be replaced. First you need to figure out what kind of this mechanism is installed. Shut-off valves are:
- Rod or exhaust. The oldest and most common type, but at the same time the most reliable. Flushing is triggered after the rod is lifted, opening a hole for draining water.
- Push-button.This is a modern system designed to save water. Allows pressing the button to regulate the amount of drained water.
- In the form of a mechanism with a pneumatic drive.
After determining the type of reinforcement, it must be replaced:
[smartcontrol_youtube_shortcode key="toilet fixture replacement" cnt="4" col="2" shls="true"]- Carefully remove the old fittings and clean all joints from limescale.
- Install the seal in the appropriate place in the tank.
- Place the fittings in the drain container and fix with the nut that is included in the kit.
- Screw the remaining fasteners, after putting the gaskets on the bolts.
- Install the tank in the place provided for it.
- Install the upper part of the fitting and connect it to the water supply.
- Close the container with a lid, connect the drain mechanism and check the operation.
Checking the central exhaust system
If, after replacing the fittings, the question “how to remove condensate on the toilet flush tank” remains relevant, then it is necessary to eliminate the ingress of moisture from neighboring rooms and check ventilation. What to do in this case:
- Call the representatives of the management company and force them to check the entire ventilation system, if necessary, decide on its cleaning.
- In typical apartments, there is a ventilation hole between the bathroom and the toilet, and the second, exhaust, is located in the wall of the toilet. It is necessary, having measured the distance between these holes, to buy a pipe for the hood and install it.
With a correctly installed exhaust system, the humidity in the toilet is normalized and condensation will no longer occur.
Forced exhaust installation
If the house is multi-storey and the central exhaust system does not function well enough, then it is necessary to forced exhaust system. Its correct installation is not difficult if all the necessary parts are purchased.
- It is necessary to purchase a ventilation duct, which will make it possible to install a grate from the toilet room into it, since the main exhaust duct will be closed during installation. For this purpose, any plastic ventilation duct of the right size will do.
- Ventilation grill to close the cut piece in the ventilation duct in the toilet.
- Inline exhaust fan, preferably with a humidity sensor. The noise threshold of the fan should be no more than 35 dB, the air intake should be at least 25 cubic meters. m / h in separate bathrooms and twice as much - in a joint one.
Properly installed forced ventilation not only solves the problem of how to get rid of condensate on the toilet bowl, but also removes odors that appear from time to time in the toilet. It is vital in city apartments with a combined bathroom and a poor ventilation system.
To enhance air exchange in sanitary facilities, you need to leave small gaps under the doors or buy special doors with grates built into them.
Tank improvement
Since condensate appears due to the temperature difference between the tank cooled by water and warm air, it is possible to insulate the walls of the tank with polyethylene foam.
Another solution to the problem is to buy a modern tank, which has an additional plastic container inside. There is a gap between the ceramic walls and the plastic water tank, due to which the outer walls of the tank do not cool.
Consequences of condensation
What can happen if the issue of high humidity and violation of the temperature regime in the bathroom is not resolved in time?
- Drops of condensate, stagnant in hard-to-reach places, form fetid puddles.
- High indoor humidity is the cause formation and spread of black moldwhich is very harmful to the human body.
- Drops of water flowing down pipes cause corrosion of metal pipes and cover plastic systems with stubborn stains.
- If the toilet has a wooden floor, then this will lead to its decay.
- The flush tank itself becomes covered with a network of small enamel cracks over time, and loses its attractive appearance.
If the problem with getting rid of condensate and, accordingly, improving the microclimate in the toilet is not solved in one way, then all measures must be applied in combination. Check the condition of the tank, install an exhaust system and increase the gap between the door and the floor. And if this does not help, then it means that you need to buy an air dryer in the toilet.