Sweating pipes in the bathroom what to do. Cold water pipes sweat: how to get rid of condensate on water pipes

In our modern busy life, I really want to have cozy house or an apartment. It is in it that you can relax, relax, feel happy. Therefore, it is very important that the house was 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 the little things. And then it becomes a real problem.
For example, condensate on pipes. At first, he doesn't really bother anyone. But when you notice with surprise that mold has appeared, then you grab onto repairs, 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, eliminate the small one before it turns into a big one.

What is condensate?

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

At first, this process is not so noticeable. The surface fogs up. Then small droplets form. These drops of water begin to grow, then collect on the floor, and can 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.

Causes of condensation on pipes:

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

It is imperative to deal with this problem. It's not only comfortable conditions life, but also your health.

Ways to deal with condensate on pipes

First, we find out if there are any leaks. You need to look at yourself and your neighbors. If a leak is found, you can hear water flowing down the sewer riser, then simply fix 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 in places where the pipes of an apartment or house are located (bath, toilet, laundry, and so on), the ventilation system works well.

If a given ventilation cannot solve the problem, it is necessary to install another fan - an exhaust fan. The exhaust fan must operate either in manual or automatic mode. Such 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 pipe with cold water sweats constantly. This is a call to action! Therefore, it is necessary to insulate the pipes cold water from external environment. Now this is not a big problem.
1. There are special tubes made of porous heat-insulating material. They are issued in standard sizes. They can be called differently: energoflex, thermoflex and so on. The tube, cut along the entire length, is put on the pipe and glued along the seam with special adhesive tape. Sometimes the gap between the pipe and the heat-insulating material is filled with mounting foam. As warmly insulating material corrugation is often used. The diameter, which must be greater than that of the pipe. Thus, the pipe is reliably isolated from the external environment.

2. If there are no such materials at hand, then improvised materials can be used.
Step-by-step instructions for these works.

Step one: the pipe must be sanded. This procedure is necessary in order to make a reliable bond with subsequent materials.
Step two: degrease it. To do this, the surface is rubbed with acetone.
Step three: rust treatment of the pipe. To do this, you can use phosphoric, citric, oxalic, nitric acids. Also, special preparations that can be bought in construction stores. Their list is large.
Step Four: Epoxy putty is applied to the pipe. Its composition resembles thick paint and doesn't drip. The material itself hardens quickly. Therefore, you need to work quickly.
Step four: the prepared pipe is tightly wrapped with a cloth. You have to start from the bottom. The last round is tightly tied with a thread. The coils of fabric overlap each other and are impregnated with putty.
Step Five: It is recommended to apply several coats of putty. Usually two or three additional layers are applied.
Step Six: Apply the epoxy layer.
Step seven: the pipe is sanded and painted to match the color of the wall.

These simple steps to remove condensate on pipes are not so difficult to complete. Moreover, new compounds are being created all the time that more effectively protect the material from corrosion.
Often good ventilation and pipe insulation solves the problem. And the house will be fine.
But it also happens that weather- a rainy protracted autumn or spring, perhaps there is a large body of water and high humidity nearby, then it is worth installing an air conditioner to solve this problem.

do not dry clothes inside the house
when cooking, close the door, open the window or turn on the hood.
after taking a shower or bath, leave the doors open, let it ventilate.
regular airing of the entire room.

Conclusion:

It must be remembered that the problem of condensation in the room on the pipes occurs quite often. This is due to the difference in temperatures outside and inside, an uncorrected ventilation system. And it needs to be solved.
It is necessary to approach the solution of this issue in a complex manner. The emergence of new modern materials and innovative technologies helps in solving this problem. Although maintaining a temperature-humid regime is certainly challenging task and multifaceted, but it is quite within the power of everyone to 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.

A common phenomenon today is the formation of condensate on a cold pipeline, which greatly worsens the appearance of the bathroom.

Pipes sweat, become wet, therefore, they serve much less.

Therefore, such a problem must be eliminated very quickly. However, in order to deal with the consequences, it is first necessary to understand what causes such situations.

Why is formed

People living in apartment buildings, can often occur with similar phenomenon. However, there are many reasons for its occurrence.

Most often, condensate forms on pipes through which cold water flows.

At the same time, the main reasons for its appearance are considered:

poor ventilation in the room;
a constant set of water in the tank;
one of the locking elements allows water to pass through (this can be a filter or a faucet located in the bathroom, in the kitchen or any plumbing);
temperature environment significantly lower than in the house;
increased levels of humidity or water leakage from neighbors from above.

That is why it is necessary to regularly ventilate the bathroom or create a constant air circulation there. However, in the case of non-stop operation of the tank, moisture will form not only on the riser, but also on the pipes going further.

A similar situation is in the case of problems with the flow of the mixer. As a rule, the causes of "fogging" of pipes are several of these problems at the same time.

Master's note: in the event of a sudden formation of condensate on the pipes, it is worth remembering what specific changes you have made in the house or apartment recently. So, it can even be a change of windows, as well as the installation of certain heating equipment.

Possible consequences

"Fogging" of water pipes is not just the formation of water droplets. First of all, this is a very aggressive environment, which negatively affects the metal pipeline.

In such conditions, the products will be highly corroded, and, accordingly, fail. Also, in the case of condensation, which greatly increases the humidity, a smell of dampness appears. This in turn creates excellent conditions for the appearance and reproduction of various bacteria, in particular fungi.

Note: to initially avoid condensation on the pipes, it is recommended to use polypropylene options. In this case, metal pipes will be located only near the meter.

If you do not notice the appearance of condensate in time, and also if its formation is very abundant, this can lead to the fact that water will drip onto the floor. Prolonged exposure to moisture flooring will cause the need to repair the toilet.

Necessary actions

In the event that you have begun to form small drops of water on the pipes, you need to carry out a certain set of actions:

First of all, it is necessary to check the ventilation for its performance. To do this, it is enough to vent bring a thin and oblong sheet of paper. If it is drawn inward, then the operation of this system is normal, otherwise it is necessary to find and fix the problem in the hood. When you have a bathroom forced ventilation, you need to run it and check if it works properly. If everything is fine, but the condensate does not disappear, the problem is different.
After that, check the shut-off valves, mixers, as well as the operation of drain tank. If there are problems in their work, it will be visible immediately. The presence of a leak must be eliminated. This may require either repair or replacement of a particular element.
Also, the cause of the problem may not even be in the apartment itself, but on the riser above. In this case, you need to go up to the neighbors and check where the water supply pipe is leaking.

Note: if all the above systems work correctly, but the pipes continue to get wet, the main factor in the appearance of moisture will be a large difference in water temperatures in the pipe and in the apartment.

Installation of new heating systems, as well as new windows, has big influence to the temperature of your apartment. At a room temperature of 18°C or more, without good ventilation, condensation will constantly form.

Use of special tools

In the event that the cause of "sweating" is a significant temperature difference, then to eliminate it, it is necessary to carry out pipe insulation.

As an insulating material to protect pipes from condensate, a variety of various materials, depending on the specific situation.

The easiest way to use pads made of foam. They look like soft pipes with a longitudinal section. Important to choose right size so that there is no space between the material and the pipes.

Highly effective method, however, more expensive is the use of heat-insulating paint. To properly insulate the pipes, it will need to be applied in about 5 layers, while allowing each layer to dry.

Also, for applying paint, forced ventilation is required, which can be helped by a conventional fan.

In addition, plastic linings are also used for decoration. In this case, the distance that is formed inside these elements will need to be filled with ordinary mounting foam.

Take into account: before the beginning insulation works we must not forget about the need for pre-drying, because you can not insulate wet pipes.

All listed methods solutions to the problem of "sweating" are the most effective. However, if you don't have required amount money to purchase such expensive coatings, you can make thermal insulation even with your own hands. It is also possible to use chemicals"Grafoterm", which will help eliminate fogging at any temperature.

Self-creation of insulating material

In fact, making your own suitable insulation is very simple. To do this, you must have a standard set of tools.

As a heater, you can use a regular sheet, bandages or any other similar materials. Large and wide canvases must be cut into long strips, the width of which is not more than 10 cm.

After that, it will be necessary to clean the pipes themselves from paint, as well as degrease their surface. They are used for processing conventional means used for nail polish removal. And then you need to clean the pipes from the rust on them with special means.

When the preparation stage is completed, the warming process itself begins. First you need to apply a small layer of putty to the surface and, without waiting for it to dry, wrap the pipe with a prepared cloth.

It must be applied in such a way that each next turn is superimposed on the previously laid one. In this case, the material should be well saturated with putty.

At the end, it is necessary to cover the surface with putty and wait for it to dry. After that, the pipe is polished and painted in the desired color.

No need to leave the problems of condensate on the outside of the pipes unattended. Except them appearance, it also damages the integrity of the pipes, due to which they fail faster.

That is why it is necessary not only to remove the drops that have appeared, but to get rid of their formation. However, it is better to take care of this in advance to avoid negative consequences.

Watch a video that explains how to get rid of condensation on pipes with heat-insulating paint:

While I lived in the South, and even on the top floor, I did not know about such a problem as sweating cold water pipes. But now, after moving, I faced this problem.

It turns out that a sweating cold water pipe can produce a puddle with a total volume of up to 5-7 liters of water per day. This is not at all pleasant and unnecessary. What to do?! Let's figure it out!

Pipes sweat, what to do. The answer is simple

Indeed, the answer is simple, but the solution must be complex and may have several options. Let's decide on the reasons why the pipes sweat, and then we'll talk about the methods and materials that can fix this problem. By the way, pay attention, perhaps from old age, micro-holes appeared in the pipes through which water oozes. but if there are no leaks, then read on.

Why do cold water pipes sweat?

The answer to this question lies in the physics textbook for grade 7, it seems. Condensation on the pipes appears as a result of a large temperature difference between the cold water pipe and the air temperature. Thus moisture from the air condenses on the colder surface of the water. The more moisture in the air and the colder pipe the more condensation will occur.

Of course, if the water in the pipe does not move (that is, no one consumes it in the whole house), then the temperature of the pipe will approach room temperature and the amount of condensate may be reduced to zero. But everything in the house time runs analysis of water, so the pipe is cold all the time.

That is, there are two reasons: air humidity and low temperature cold water pipes.

Now we figured out why the cold water pipe is sweating and we will fight this ailment.

To prevent cold water pipes from sweating

It is necessary to insulate pipes as much as possible
Find water leaks from neighbors (a plumber from the management company will help you with this)
Improve indoor ventilation

The most important and simple event is the thermal insulation of the pipe. How to insulate our cold water pipe? Firstly, I’ll immediately make a reservation that it doesn’t matter what material - metal, carbon fiber, polypropylene, metal-plastic, gold, silver .., your pipes are made, without thermal insulation they will sweat!

Thermal insulation of cold water pipes

The easiest option is to wrap it with heat-insulating material:

Thermal insulation flex
K-Flex ST
Thermal insulation for polyethylene foam pipes
Thermal insulation cylinder
Thermal insulation "Energoflex"

You can continue this list for a long time, but the point is to wrap the pipe with heat-insulating material from floor to ceiling or from beginning to end in several layers. The minimum thickness of the thermal insulation layer should ultimately be at least 3 centimeters, and preferably five.

It is very important that the thermal insulation fits snugly against the pipe and is securely wrapped with tape. In places where aesthetics are needed, you can wrap it with tape with metal foil.

The disadvantage of this method is that it is difficult to tightly and completely wrap the pipe around bends, as well as on shut-off valves! Also, it is not always possible to make such a focus in hard-to-reach places.

Warming paint (heat-insulating) for pipes, so as not to "sweat"

In this case, you can use a more expensive, but convenient way.

There are paints for thermal insulation of surfaces and pipes as well. To insulate a cold water pipe, it is necessary to wipe it from moisture and apply 4-5 layers of heat-insulating paint on the pipe. Each layer must dry, after which the condensate on the pipe is wiped again and the next layer is applied.

The third method can be combined, that is, first paint the pipes heat-insulating paint, and then dress in a foamed heat insulator.

As I already said, sweat and metal pipes and plastic (polypropylene, metal-plastic), therefore, all types of pipes must be covered.

But! Before applying thermal insulation to the pipe, it is necessary to carefully check whether there is a micro-hole somewhere in the pipe, from which water oozes drop by drop. Especially often such a trick lies in metal pipes. If condensation forms over the years, then the metal pipe rots at an amazing rate, resulting in micro-holes and micro-leaks. So be careful not to have to redo it later! Most often, such micro-holes form in places near the floor or ceiling (in these places the most favorable conditions for corrosion of metal pipes).

After the right measures for thermal insulation of pipes with condensate, you can say goodbye. And if they did it wrong or there is a leak in the pipe, then there will be less condensate, but it will not disappear.

My advice to everyone, do not skimp on thermal insulation. It’s better to get confused once than to suffer every day from dampness (which is unhealthy), mold, smells and just constant puddles ..

Droplets of condensate on cold water pipes are a common occurrence, especially in summer when the air heats up to high temperatures. Droplets collect in streams and often puddles form on the floor next to the water supply pipe.

How to get rid of condensate, prevent corrosion of the pipeline, eliminate the fungus that occurs from moisture?

Causes of condensation on pipes

During the repair of the premises, especially with constant high humidity, it is worth taking care of communications in advance. Condensation on pipes, both metal and plastic, can occur for the following reasons:

Leakage plumbing as a result of improper installation, or in the process of wear.
Weak ventilation, improperly organized humid air exhaust system. blockages ventilation system lead to excess moisture on the surfaces of the room.
Leak in plumbing system, cistern toilet bowl neighbors.
A sharp temperature drop in the room where condensate collects. The situation is especially deplorable in the summer, when the surface of the pipeline is literally.
Configurations of distributing cold, hot water supply. If they are not thermally insulated, while located close to each other, condensation is inevitable (which is why it is so important).

How to get rid of condensation?

If moisture accumulates on the riser, it is possible that the neighbors have a mixer, other plumbing. This can be tested at night, when the characteristic sounds of flowing water are heard in silence. The problem with ventilation is observed when the windows are locked, especially those equipped with metal-plastic bags. Checking the operation of the system is easy.

It is enough to take a sheet of paper, attach it to the hood, clogging the windows, then do the same with the doors open. If there is no ventilation, the visual effect is obvious.

If moisture is concentrated on the apartment's wiring pipes, the reasons may be as follows. The culprit may be faulty plumbing fixtures directly in the apartment. The second reason is poor air circulation, especially in rooms with constant high humidity.

If the cold water pipe leading to the plumbing gets wet, the faucet, the shower faucet, the inlet valve of the tank in the toilet are to blame. When the riser is constantly getting wet, you need to look for the problem of water pipes from the neighbors from above. If the ventilation is clogged, it is worth checking the air circulation in it.

How to eliminate condensate?

You can get rid of the problem in several ways:

Check the hood, remove debris, cobwebs from there, then buy a compact fan, install it instead of a ventilation grill. Manufacturers offer a wide range of similar devices, different in price, power.
Isolate the water supply system with special insulating tubes with a cut, which are available in building supermarkets. They are made of energy flex, polyethylene foam, the ends are fixed with permanent metallized tape. This method is the easiest, fastest, but before insulating the pipeline must be thoroughly dried.
Complete isolation will provide the following method. First, the pipe is sanded, after which the surface is wiped with acetone, then with a rust converter. After drying the pipeline, it is covered with epoxy putty and quickly wrapped with strips of fabric in 2-3 layers, the edges of the fabric are fixed with a clamp, wire. Then the epoxy putty is applied again, after drying, the surface is sanded, covered with paint.

Methods for protecting metal pipelines

If condensation is not removed from the metal pipes of cold water supply, corrosion will cover them over time. What can be done in this case:

First, the surface of the pipes is cleaned of rust, then dried, covered with drying oil, oil paint.
You can use carbolate, a paste-like mass for sealing cracks in floors and walls. The composition is applied to the surface with a 5 mm layer, left to harden for 24 hours. After that, it is sanded with fine-grained sandpaper, painted with oil paint.
Protective primers can be used, consisting of zinc dust diluted with drying oil, epoxy varnishes. They cover the surface of the pipe, after which they are painted with paints and enamels.
The pipeline in the toilet can be coated with a composition based on drying oil, red lead in a ratio of 20:80 or primers type GF-031, FL-03K, FL-053, GF-021.

If we are talking about a bathroom, here for painting hot pipelines, heated towel rails, oil-resistant enamels are used, for cold ones - any enamels, paints.

How else can you deal with condensation?

The following is a good way to fix the problem. It is necessary to put on the pipeline a corrugation with a diameter larger than that of the pipe, then fill the cavity between the surfaces with mounting foam. If puddles form on the floor, in the place where condensate accumulates, a sleeve made of pipes several diameters larger than the wiring itself will help get rid of them. The system is simple, while it will not interfere with the repair, replacement of the pipeline in the future.

Moisture absorbers sold in supermarkets household appliances – great way deal with the problem. They are a plastic box inside which an absorbent tablet is placed. The absorber will relieve not only of condensate on the pipe, but also eliminate humidity in the entire room.

More expensive option– installation of air conditioning with climate control, which will provide optimal level humidity.

It is advisable to waterproof the floor of the bathroom, toilet, which will help to cope with the problem of condensation on pipes and surfaces. If this method of repair is not feasible, it is worth opening windows after taking a hot shower, taking a bath, opening the bathroom doors. The circulation of cool air will quickly eliminate the accumulated condensate, help to effectively cope with moisture on the pipes.

Based practical experience to combat condensate on pipes, the masters advise the following:

Yuri Rogov, plumber, recommends buying Gofroterm, special composition sold in specialized stores. It is applied to the surface of the pipe, after which a strong elastic film is formed on it, which prevents the formation of moisture.
Andrey Kazantsev, foreman of the production site, advises to purchase liquid thermal insulation, which, like paint, is applied to the dried, cleaned surface of the pipeline. According to him, this method is better than thermoflex, other insulating materials.
If the ventilation, plumbing, plumbing is in good order, the cause of the accumulation of condensate may be the temperature difference between the pipe and the air. Locksmith Nikolai Korotkov advises in this case to conduct insulation. To do this, you will need long covers of polyethylene foam, or merylon, hollow inside, which are sold in hardware stores. They are put on the pipeline, fixed at the bottom with a wire, a clamp.

You can get rid of fogging of the cold water supply pipeline different ways. Which one to choose should be determined after analyzing the situation.

Plumbing work with a tool, experience, you can do it yourself, as an option - seek help from specialists. Read also the material about and you will be interested in the material about.

Condensation forming on the pipeline is a common occurrence. In this regard, it is worthwhile to understand what such a situation could threaten. If you think that a misted pipe only makes your home unattractive, then you are seriously mistaken. It is possible that certain problems have arisen that require urgent attention to eliminate the possibility of more serious problems. In any case, you should understand what is the reason for this situation and how to solve it.

Mostly fogging is observed on pipes with cold water, which also applies to adjacent plumbing fittings. Much less often, drops appear on the surface of cylindrical products for the disposal of sewage. On pipelines of heating and hot water supply, condensate is completely absent.

The appearance of moisture on the pipes in the apartment is similar to how dew forms on the grass. The air in the room is usually warm, and the cylindrical structures are cold, so when one comes into contact with the other, moisture falls out of the air, which is condensate. For this to be implemented in practice, it is necessary to have certain conditions: temperature difference and specific humidity parameter.

Moisture can form when the so-called dew point is reached, when the surface temperature reaches its maximum values. More detailed information on this subject can be obtained through a special table.

So, at an air temperature of 22 ° C and a humidity parameter of 70%, condensate appears on the pipes if the surface temperature differs from the corresponding ambient value by 6 ° C, that is, it is 16 ° C. If the temperature exceeds the mentioned value, condensation will not occur.

Drops are formed mainly in the cold season, if the liquid is taken from open sources, for example, from rivers, since the water in them is characterized big difference temperatures depending on the season: about 5 °C in winter and about 14 °C in summer. If the liquid enters the pipe system from an artesian well, this dependence is not observed, however, this fact leads to the fact that condensate may also occur in the summer.

The so-called fogging of pipes provokes their rapid wear due to the appearance of rust. The formation of moisture on cylindrical structures contributes to the development of mold and fungus, leads to damage to the finish of the room and flooding of neighbors from below if the amount of condensate becomes prohibitive.

What else contributes to the appearance of moisture on the pipes

Solutions

Condensation is not a problem per se. It is easy to get rid of it, having understood the causes of this trouble. The temperature difference causes the formation of moisture on the surface of the pipeline, therefore it is necessary to establish a barrier between cold products and humid air in room. To achieve this goal, thermal insulation is used.

As a heat-insulating material, it is preferable to use foamed polyethylene, which has the following properties:

does not rot;
does not absorb moisture;
is different high performance thermal insulation.

It is recommended to use foamed polyethylene, presented in the form of a tube. This type of product is convenient in terms of application, since its internal diameter corresponds to the cross section of standard plumbing cylindrical products.

The best solution is to place a heat-insulating tube during the installation of the water supply system. In this case, the best tightness is provided, but this is rarely possible.

Basically, it is necessary to isolate the already assembled structure, which is done by cutting the polyethylene foam tube along the length and putting it on cylindrical products, followed by fastening with plastic ties or plumbing tape.

To ensure tightness, due attention must be paid to the top and bottom of the pipe, otherwise you can get the effect that is inherent in the chimney. If it is not possible to reach some sections of the water supply, it is recommended to use mounting foam.

What materials are suitable for removing condensate

In addition to polyethylene foam, as mentioned above, the use of polyurethane foam. But also for these purposes, a corrugation that has a larger diameter compared to the pipe, in relation to which work is carried out to prevent the formation of condensate, is quite suitable. To put this into practice, you will need to cut the material into the appropriate parts and wrap the pipes with them, filling the annular space with mounting foam.

Condensation in the bathroom

Having found a leak in the riser, you should contact your neighbors: perhaps they have problems with plumbing in their apartment. If moisture has formed on a pipe that is connected to a bathtub or sink, then the first step is to check the serviceability of the faucets, while it is desirable to insulate the pipes. Poor ventilation can also lead to condensation in the bathroom, so you need to make sure it works.

You can also use special chemicals in the form of the same "Graphotherm". It will be possible to get rid of condensate if dry structures are rubbed with this substance. However, it should be noted that the effect will be temporary.

Condensate on the gas pipe

Cylindrical product coming from gas boiler, always has traces of drops. It will not be possible to completely get rid of this phenomenon, however, it is possible to significantly reduce the amount of moisture on the pipe walls. This is achieved by insulating the structure, focusing on its upper part, which reduces the cooling rate.

To prevent condensation from forming inside the product, it is advisable to use sandwich pipes in which the outer walls act as a heat-insulating barrier.

Condensation in the toilet

Misting can also occur on the pipes in the restroom, which is associated with the appearance of steam in the air or a temperature difference. Settling of water droplets on cylindrical products is a problem that may be due to insufficient ventilation. To understand how true this statement is, you should open the door to the toilet and leave it in that position overnight. If the pipes are dry by morning, then the duct is not coping with its tasks.

Another reason for moisture condensation may well lie in a tank malfunction. Its flow leads to a continuous flow of cold liquid into the sewer drain pipe, which explains the formation of moisture on its surface. This can be avoided by restoring the normal functioning of the reservoir outlet valve.

Why is a wet pipe dangerous?

Condensation on cylindrical structures helps to reduce the life of the pipeline, since such an environment provokes metal corrosion. high humidity indoors - this is not only the smell of dampness, but also the appearance of fungi and mold, which can adversely affect the health of residents. Finally, abundant condensate causes serious smudges and puddles, and this inevitably brings the repair time closer, which implies an unplanned expenditure of funds.

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