How to remove condensate from a cold pipe. The appearance of condensate on cold water pipes: causes and remedies

The formation of tiny water droplets on pipes, both in apartments and in private housing, is a common occurrence. Such a process is typical of the summer period and covers the surface of both non-pressure sewer and "cold" water pipes. Condensation in itself is not a problem. But its significant accumulation with subsequent dripping leads to the formation of puddles on the floor, as well as the risk of flooding the neighbors from below. The accumulation of condensate on pipes can significantly reduce operational period plumbing, leading to unplanned repair work. Excess moisture in pipes causes bad smell and dampness in kitchens, toilets and bathrooms, contributing to the development of fungus and mold.

Condensation: why pipes get wet

Most often, the appearance of moisture on the pipes is caused by the temperature difference between the surface of the pipes and the room. In addition, poor ventilation of the room contributes to condensation on pipes with cold water. due to humid air sewer risers and pipes conducting cold liquid, the appearance of drip evaporation is characteristic.

Cause of wet pipes in toilets

Moist evaporation is caused by excessive vapor content in the air or with a temperature difference. The most common causes of condensation on the pipes in the toilet room include:

1. Poor room ventilation. You can verify the presence of this particular reason by leaving the door to the toilet room open at night. The discovery of dry pipes in the morning indicates poor-quality convection.
2. Constant tank leak. Due to the non-heating of the liquid inside the pipe, it is constantly changing cold. There is an even greater cooling of the pipe with its coating with condensate droplets. This problem can be eliminated by checking and putting in order the exhaust valve and tank taps.
3. A leak from the neighbors. In this case, it is possible to temporarily eliminate the condensate moisture that occurs on the pipes by winding several bandage turns with lowering the end into any container. It is important not to forget about the timely pouring of accumulated water.

"Fogging" pipes in the bathroom

The answer to the question of why condensate drizzle forms on bathroom pipes lies in the same reasons as on toilet pipes.

1. Insufficient level of ventilation. During operation, the convection system becomes clogged and dusty. It is necessary to unscrew the grate that serves as an overlap of the circulation channel and thoroughly clean it. The reason for the appearance of condensate moisture is confirmed by the appearance of traction, which is checked using match ignition.
2. A feature of laying the water distribution system in the bathroom. Often pipes are installed at close distances without proper thermal insulation. This is what causes condensation to appear on the pipes. cold water leading to the mixer. When making the connection open type use of any heat insulator is allowed. When it is laid in the wall, more serious and complex manipulations are ahead, including repairs.
3. Mixer failure. The liquid dripping from it becomes not only a financial nuisance, but also the reason for the constant cooling of the pipes. Even at night, the presence of heat exchange processes between pipes and air is noted. It is possible to solve this trouble by repairing the crane.
4. Riser leaks from neighbors. It is possible to solve such a problem only for a certain period of time. A bandage or rag is wound around the pipe, the ends of which are brought out into a pre-prepared container. Thus, the water will directly flow into this container, thus preventing the formation of puddles.

To avoid wet spots on the floors, pipe sleeves are installed that are three times larger than the wiring itself. Thanks to the installation, long-distance repair or replacement of pipes is facilitated.

To begin with, it is necessary to strengthen the ventilation system. Normal humidity is considered to be up to 50 percent. Then the leak is removed flush tank and mixer. If the improvement of ventilation and the repair of fittings cannot cope with the appearance of condensation on the pipes, then before the in-wall installation of pipes, it is advisable to provide an additional thermal insulation layer that prevents a significant temperature difference on the surface of the device. by the most simple method to eliminate condensation is a simple coating of the pipe with special heat-insulating materials (paint) purchased at hardware stores. It should be borne in mind that the paint is applied to the surface of a dry pipe with cold water previously turned off.

It is worth thinking about purchasing special insulating pipes equipped with a cut. These pipes are available in various sizes. Before using it, wipe the surface of the pipe from condensate. If it is impossible to purchase an insulating pipe, it is allowed to use mounting foam, which is the best remedy in the fight against condensation.

You can use the reliable Grafoterm tool, which promotes the formation of a film on the pipe, minimizing the formation of condensate. If the cause of the wet pipes is a leak in a nearby riser, then you need to talk with your neighbors about replacing the pipes.

After taking a bath or shower, leave the bathroom door open. It is necessary to monitor the thermal state of the pipes: they must be warm, not cold. The simplest and effective method to combat condensate on cold water pipes, is their rag winding. This method is economical and quite effective. Its unpopularity is associated with damage to the appearance of pipes and the entire bathroom.

An important reason for the occurrence of moisture in pipes is the presence of cold floors, poor foundations, uninsulated walls and basement fumes. Unfortunately, this problem can be fixed by cosmetic repairs will not work. More global measures will have to be taken. In addition, weather conditions, for example, rains and prolonged frosts, or a nearby body of water, can also fail. For such cases, it is advisable to use a moisture absorber, which is purchased and installed on the table. The most reliable way to protect pipes from condensate liquid is to purchase an air conditioner that heats the air.

Thermal insulation addition of pipes

Under the very simple option it implies the purchase of factory-made heat-insulating raw materials, for example, K-Flex, penofol, energy flex and others. In addition, preference is given to porous materials, foamed propylene, basalt fiber raw materials, self-adhesive tape, and so on. That is, any heat-insulating raw material can act as a pipe insulation. If the acquisition of such material is not possible, then it is recommended to use:

2014-02-09 12:19:22

A very useful and relevant article. At least for me. And for many, I think, the fight against condensate on cold water pipes has long turned into a fight against windmills. No matter how hard you try, the pipes are still wet. I have all the piping hidden in a box. Accordingly, the masters who made this box did not take care of any ventilation. The hot water pipe runs next to the cold pipe. It was probably supposed that she should also dry the cold pipe. However, everything, unfortunately, is the other way around. The temperature inside the box is high and the cold pipe “sweats”. As a result, the humidity inside the box rises. Eliminated all possible leaks (toilet, faucet), made several holes in the box. And the problem remains the same. I think you will have to carefully remove the box and use heat-insulating material, as stated in the article. Unfortunately, it is not entirely clear which of the pipes to isolate. I'm thinking of isolating both.

Why does condensation appear on cold water pipes, what to do in this case? Condensation is a common problem, and it can appear on both metal and plastic pipelines. At first glance, the problem is insignificant, but over time it causes a lot of trouble in the form of rust, mold and an unpleasant smell. That is, you still need to get rid of the condensate. To do this, you need to find out the reasons for its occurrence. Why do pipes sweat?

Why does condensation appear on cold water pipes

Most often, you can observe condensation on the pipes in the toilet. One of the reasons is a water leak in the tank. The water is constantly changing and does not have time to warm up, hence the humidity. We get rid of the leak in the tank - this reason will disappear.

Sometimes puddles appear at the riser from excessive moisture. This means that the neighbors living above have a leak in the tank. At night, listen to the murmur of water in the sewer, and you will immediately understand everything.

Condensation also forms due to high humidity and temperature changes. To avoid condensation, you need good ventilation. To get started, just leave the toilet door open overnight, you may find a dry pipe in the morning.

The reason is obvious - the ventilation duct is clogged. Unscrew the grate ventilation duct and clean everything very well. A draft should appear in the ventilation duct.

In the event that there is ventilation, but it does not cope with the problem, you can install an exhaust fan. It attaches in place of the ventilation grille and you turn it on as needed.

The choice of fans in modern building supermarkets is huge, for every taste and at any price. Recently, the installation of such fans in toilets and bathrooms is very common.

How to fix the problem of condensation

How to get rid of condensation on the pipes in the bathroom? The pipes in the bathroom are also sweating. The reason may be the same. Condensation on the riser - neighbors have problems with plumbing. The pipeline that supplies water to your plumbing gets wet - the faucet does not work well. The lack of a hood, as in the first case, exacerbates the problem.
If hot and cold water systems are very close to each other, fogging cannot be avoided.

It is necessary to make thermal insulation of pipes, this is an excellent protection that will allow you to remove condensate.

Often, condensation forms on the pipes in the bathroom due to a malfunction of the faucet. Leakage of water contributes to their cooling. There is only one way out - repair of the crane!

How to get rid of condensation? Completely get rid of fogging of pipes will allow insulation for pipes. It is necessary to isolate cold water pipes from interaction with the external environment. There are special thermal insulation materials, using which you will save pipes from condensate. You just need to buy such material and insulate the pipelines. The abundance of such materials in the construction materials market is very large.

In case you prefer a budget option to eliminate moisture on the pipes, and do not plan to buy an expensive thermal insulation material, you can use other ways. It is necessary to purchase a bottle of mounting foam and plastic pipe or corrugation, the diameter of which exceeds the diameter of the condensate pipe. The corrugation or pipe is cut into pieces so that you can put them on the problem pipe, then put them on and fill the voids mounting foam.

There is another budget option for getting rid of condensate. You will need sandpaper to remove rust and acetone, so that after that it is good to degrease the problem surface. The best way to process the pipeline phosphoric acid and then apply a layer of epoxy putty on it so that it does not drain.

Then immediately wrap the pipeline with previously prepared strips of fabric so that the material is saturated with putty. You can use an old sheet by cutting it into pieces that look like bandages. Putty with fabric will quickly harden.

You can do this several times in the same way. The work ends with the application of finishing putty. It will look aesthetically pleasing if the putty is sanded and coated water-based paint the color you want.

In most cases, thermal insulation of pipes solves the problem of condensate, but sometimes the level of humidity in a house or apartment is so high that waterproofing of the floor and walls is necessary.

A serious problem in the cold season is the occurrence of condensate on the cold water supply pipes. The release of dew drops can be quite significant, leading to increased corrosion. steel pipes and does not bode well for plastic and polypropylene pipelines.

Condensation on pipes can appear as a result of the following factors:

• Increased air humidity;
• Insufficient ventilation of the room;
• Faulty pipes, plumbing valves and taps;
• Temperature instability.

Content:

If, for one reason or another, condensate appears on cold water pipes, our article will tell you what to do in the situation that has arisen. First of all, it is necessary to clearly understand what a serious problem the appearance of dew is for the water supply. The presence of additional moisture on the pipes leads not only to the loss of an attractive appearance, but also is fraught with failure of pipelines and flooding.

Causes and consequences of condensation on the pipe

Condensation in the bathroom is most likely due to temperature fluctuations and high humidity that occurs while taking a bath or shower.

As for the toilet, this is most likely the case here. As a result of the constant replacement of water, its temperature remains significantly lower than the ambient temperature, which leads to cooling of the walls of the tank, resulting in a temperature drop and the formation of condensate on the pipes.

The consequences of drops not eliminated in a timely manner, both for water supply and for sewage, can be very deplorable.

First of all, the flow of droplets down under the action of gravity leads to the creation of favorable conditions at the base for the formation of various. With increased dampness, bacteria and molds will actively increase the population, so it will be far from easy to destroy them later.

Metal pipes of cold water supply, upon contact with drops, rust intensively, plastic and polypropylene pipes lose their attractive appearance. The constant presence of dew drops adversely affects all types of finishing materials.

Regular flow to the base of the pipe, of course, will not cause a spontaneous flood in the apartment, but water wears away the stone and sooner or later certain problems will arise there, which is unlikely to have a favorable effect on good neighborly relations. In addition, the accumulated condensate at the bases of the pipes, with a high degree of probability, will render unusable such flooring like, or linoleum.

As can be seen from the above, the consequences of an untimely reaction to the presence of condensate on pipes can be quite serious, so we will consider possible methods to prevent its occurrence. The fact is that the prevention is cheaper than the elimination of the destruction caused by this unpleasant phenomenon.

How to get rid of condensation from cold water pipes

V modern construction water supply can be mounted both from steel, and from plastic and polypropylene materials. Depending on the material of the pipeline, there are various methods of dealing with additional moisture.

How to remove condensation from a plastic pipe

Although the appearance of dew drops on plastic is unlikely to lead to failure of the water supply system, nevertheless, negative consequences cannot be avoided.

If moisture forms on plastic hot and cold water pipes, you can get rid of condensate using one of the following methods:

• To improve air circulation, replace the hood with forced ventilation;
• Carry out thermal insulation using special polyethylene tubular insulation designed specifically for plastic and polypropylene pipes;
• If the room is subject to a sharp temperature drop, the solution may be to use a special tread primer, which can significantly reduce the formation of condensate on the surface of the pipe.

Getting rid of moisture metal pipes cold water supply

The resulting condensate on metal pipelines is more dangerous than in the case of using plastic plumbing. The fact is that in addition to the loss of aesthetic indicators, in the case of using metal, its corrosion destruction can occur. Consider the popular protection methods:

• The first, most simple and effective step to get rid of condensate is to clean the pipe from various contaminants, degrease, dry and cover with oil paint;
• Next, you should treat with a waterproof sealant the cracks at the points of contact of the pipes with the floor, ceiling and in other likely places;
• The entire pipeline is treated with a protective compound and coated with enamel, in addition, it is possible to use insulating materials.

Having carefully studied the essence of the problem, condensate on cold water pipes, what to do now is more or less clear, but it should be noted that it is worth trying to prevent the occurrence of condensate through preventive measures. This is due to the fact that to eliminate possible consequences the appearance of dew is much more difficult and expensive.

Droplets of condensate on cold water pipes are common, especially in summer when the air is heated to high temperatures. Droplets collect in streams and often puddles form on the floor next to the water supply pipe. What to do if condensate appears on the pipes, how to get rid of, prevent corrosion of the pipeline, eliminate the fungus that occurs from moisture?

Why does condensation form on the water pipes in the house

During the renovation 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:

1. Leakage plumbing as a result of improper installation, or in the process of wear.
2. Weak ventilation, improperly organized humid air exhaust system. blockages ventilation system lead to excess moisture on the surfaces of the room.
3. Leak in the plumbing system, neighbors' toilet bowls.
4. 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.
5. 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 deal with and get rid of condensate on cold water pipes

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. Faulty plumbing fixtures directly in the apartment may be to blame. 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 and make pipe insulation

You can deal with the problem in several ways:

1. Check the hood, remove debris, cobwebs from there, then buy a compact fan, install it instead of the ventilation grill. Manufacturers offer a wide range of similar devices, different in price, power.
2. 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.
3. Provides complete insulation next way. 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:

1. First, the surface of the pipes is cleaned of rust, then dried, covered with drying oil, oil paint.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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 such as 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.

A more expensive option is to install an air conditioner with climate control, which will ensure the optimal level of 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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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, if you have 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.

A rare person has not had to deal with such a phenomenon as condensate on the surface of a cold water pipeline. Although this unpleasant phenomenon can also occur on other structures - windows, exterior walls, in the corners of rooms.

Condensation is caused by moisture vapor in the air. In contact with a cold surface, they cool down and turn into drops. The higher the humidity in the room and the greater the temperature difference between the air and the cold surface, the greater the likelihood of this unpleasant phenomenon.

If pipes and windows are chronically “crying” in the house, then it is urgent to deal with the causes of this phenomenon.

Mostly this affects areas such as bathrooms and toilets. It is there that the risers of cold and hot pipelines are usually located.

There are several reasons for water condensation on pipes:

• poor ventilation of the bathroom and toilet, leading to the preservation of high humidity in them and increased general temperature in these premises;
• in the toilet, the cause of the problem can be a malfunction of the valve that shuts off the water in the toilet bowl - water leakage leads not only to its leakage, but also to the constant cooling of the pipe with cold water;
• in the bathroom, condensate often forms for the same reason - a malfunction of the faucet valve that shuts off cold water;
• high humidity in an apartment or house, which can be caused by many malfunctions - poor ventilation, current roofing, incorrectly selected insulation.

If condensation began to form recently, then the cause must be immediately clarified, and not wait until the problem becomes chronic. Perhaps you have recently changed windows or installed some kind of equipment in the house that contributes to the “warming of the microclimate”.

It must be remembered that although condensate is just water, it is it that is the main aggressive environment destroying steel structures, including pipes.

In addition, excess moisture will sooner or later cause fungus and mold to appear not only on pipes, but also at any point in the apartment where there are cold surfaces.

And this is not just ugly, but often even dangerous for people living in the house, especially allergy sufferers.

What to do in case of misted pipes

The algorithm is very simple - you need to find the cause and eliminate it:

• You can start by checking the drain system of the tank and stopcocks. To do this, you have to watch them. Sometimes people leaving the bathroom do not notice that the faucet is dripping, and the toilet valve periodically opens due to a decrease in the float level due to a small leak from the tank.
• Check the operation of the ventilation with a piece of paper or by holding a lit match to the ventilation grille. If the piece of paper falls and the match burns evenly, then the ventilation is not working.
• If you did not find any malfunctions in your apartment, then you will have to visit the neighbors from above and find out from them if they have encountered the same problem. A fault on any floor above results in a constant circulation of cold water in the pipe, which significantly reduces its temperature.

• If in the bathroom and toilet you have forced ventilation, then it is worth checking the effectiveness of its work.
• If everything is in order, but the pipes are “crying”, then the reason for this is that the temperature difference between the surface of the pipe and the surrounding air exceeds 17 degrees, and special methods will have to be used to solve the problem.

Solutions to the problem

The main idea of ​​all the methods listed below is the thermal insulation of the cold water pipeline to reduce the intensity of exposure to too warm air.

• Pipe painting heat-insulating paint. It is quite expensive, but effective method solution to the problem at hand. Here you should be patient, because to achieve the desired effect, you will have to paint the pipe at least 5-6 times. Each previous layer of paint must be well dried and only then apply the next one. In this case, the room will have to be forcibly ventilated - an ordinary fan is suitable for this.

• Pipe insulation with foam insulation pads. Linings are soft pipes with a longitudinal section. They are put on a dry pipe like a cover, and the edges are then glued. To achieve the desired effect, it is very important that the size of the lining ideally matches the diameter of the pipe. if it turns out to be more, then there will be no effect at all, and if it is less, then you will not be able to glue the edges of the lining. You can combine the two previous methods: first paint the pipe, dry the paint and put on linings on it, which can also be painted on top with heat-insulating paint.
• By putting a larger plastic pipe on the pipe and filling the space with mounting foam, you can also achieve good results. But here it is important that the foam completely and evenly fills the space between the pipes, otherwise the method will not work.
• Self-creation of thermal insulation on the surface of the pipe. This is an inexpensive, but troublesome way, which is a completely reliable solution to the problem.

To create it, you need to stock up on the following materials:

• epoxy putty;
• simple cotton fabric (for example, old sheets);
• strong thread or thin twine;
• putty knife;
• sandpaper;
• means for cleaning pipes from rust;
• acetone or other suitable substance for degreasing the pipe surface.

The fabric must be cut into strips about 10 cm wide and wound into rolls. You can also use medical bandages of a suitable width.

Next, we proceed as follows:

• We clean the pipe from paint and carefully degrease its surface.
• Next, the pipe is treated with an anti-rust agent.
• After drying the pipe, a layer of epoxy putty must be applied to it and immediately quickly wrapped with a cloth from the bottom up. In this case, the turns of the fabric should be superimposed on each other and impregnated with putty. The fabric is then secured with thread.
• After the first layer has dried, several more are applied in the same way.
• At the end of the work, I again coat the pipe with putty on top.

After the insulation is completely dry, it can be sanded and painted with paint of a suitable color.

In solving the problem of "weeping" pipes, the main thing is not to miss the moment until the pipes begin to corrode.

If it is not possible to eliminate the problem by eliminating leaks in the valves of plumbing fixtures and good ventilation, it is better to immediately resort to thermal insulation.