If you go into the bathroom, you find "dew drops" on the pipes, then it's time to deal with the condensate. Your bathroom is not a greenhouse, and excess moisture is useless here. High humidity is not a harmless thing at all, and a wet floor under pipes is an unaesthetic sight. Therefore, having noticed condensation on cold water pipes, you need to clearly know what to do.
Causes of condensation on pipes
Most often, the appearance of condensate is affected by several reasons at once.
Temperature difference
Condensation is prone to cold water pipes. Condensation occurs due to the temperature difference between the water and air supplied through the pipes in the room. This unpleasant phenomenon is especially pronounced in winter, when the temperature difference is especially sharp.
Important! A clear distinction must be made between condensation and leakage. It is not difficult to distinguish them: condensate droplets are evenly distributed over the entire diameter of the pipe, often along its entire length, while the leakage is local.
Poor ventilation
If the bathroom and toilet do not have forced ventilation, condensate steam with mold can become their inhabitants. If there is an extractor hood, but the humidity in the bathroom is still high, then 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.
Proximity of cold and hot water risers
When hot and cold water pipes are placed too close to each other, condensation will inevitably form. Hiding pipes under the finish further contributes to the appearance of moisture and exacerbates the process. Finishing materials deteriorate, the service life of the entire pipeline is reduced. Given that all this is hidden from your eyes, the situation is insidious.
Malfunction of the faucet or toilet bowl
A constant set of cold water in the toilet bowl due to a malfunction or a breakdown of the faucet in the bathroom can also cause condensation on the pipes. In this case, both the faucet and the tank “sweat” along with the pipes.
If the stop valves are broken in the tank, the water does not fill up to the end, but flows through and simply does not have time to warm up at least 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 faucet may be leaking due to wear, malfunction or improper installation.
Leak from neighbors
Sometimes condensate can collect on the cold water pipe only in its upper part. This may indicate that the upstairs neighbors have a problem with the plumbing or a water leak. Here your participation is only indirect - inform your neighbors about it and follow the result in your apartment. If the leak is removed, the issue of condensate will automatically be closed.
How to get rid of condensation
Depending on the cause of the appearance, the methods of getting rid of condensate also differ.
In the arsenal of tips 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 from the ends of the rag into it. 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 room.
The decision must be serious and thorough, like the landlord himself. In most cases, the problem is solved by using pipe insulation and good ventilation.
thermal insulation
To minimize the effect of temperature difference in pipes with cold water and room temperature, it is necessary 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 dressed in a special material for insulation - cases made of foamed polyethylene (energy flex). It is a flexible material whose closed pores give it excellent thermal insulation properties.
Your actions:
- dry the pipe
- cut along the energy flex tube;
- wrap the pipe with cold water;
- fasten the longitudinal seam of the insulation with glue or clips;
- 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 glue to the Energoflex tubes, you need to wait 5 minutes and only then glue it.
As an option, Isollat, a universal material for pipe insulation, the so-called thermos paint, will help prevent the appearance of condensate. This is a water-based suspension, which, after drying, turns into a polymer coating with good thermal insulation properties.
How to paint "Isollat":
- clean and degrease the pipe surface;
- apply paint with a brush in one layer;
- to give a glossy sheen, it can be topcoated with silicone varnish type KO 85.
Creating adequate ventilation
High humidity, and with it condensation on the pipes, can be eliminated by establishing good ventilation in 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 house ventilation riser, contact the housing office;
- lay in the future repair project the installation of windows with micro-ventilation and the expansion of the ventilation hole.
Faucet or toilet cistern repair
If condensation forms on the toilet bowl, the first step is to check its serviceability. The constant sound of flowing water indicates that the tank is not filled to the end and is constantly updated with cold water, which produces condensate.
What can be done:
- repair toilet flush
- buy a new toilet with a double tank.
A double tank, inside of which there is an additional plastic container, will help to completely solve the problem with condensate. Cold water is drawn into it, without touching the walls of the tank, so the appearance of condensate is excluded. A big minus - the tank is most often sold complete with a toilet bowl and has a fairly high cost.
In the mixer, water control elements most often fail - joysticks, axle boxes, valves. A thin trickle of water flowing down around the faucet can just be the culprit for the appearance of condensate. Replace the gasket or cartridge and the faucet will be ready to use again. In extreme cases, you can buy a new mixer. Perhaps this is where the search for the causes of the appearance of condensate will end.
Do not postpone the solution of the issue with condensate indefinitely. And it's not just that, having dealt with it, you will do your health and repair a great service. Ignoring a problem with unpleasant consequences when it is easily and inexpensively solved is simply unwise.
