Reasons Why Your Plumbing Sweats in the Summer

If you are tired of finding condensation around your fixtures and pipes during the summer months, here are some solutions you may find helpful:

It’s all about the dew point.

The dew point is the temperature air needs to be cooled to in order for it to release water vapor, and the dew point changes with the humidity level. The higher the humidity, the higher the dew point. Once the temperature is below the dew point condensation occurs.  When air cools on contact with chilled surfaces (such as your water pipes and toilet tanks), it releases water vapor in the form of droplets. Condensation on pipes and tanks is more noticeable during the summer months simply because it is more humid with a higher dew point than other times of the year.

Accumulated drips can cause damage over time.

A little bit of water should not cause problems as long as it dries. When humidity is really high, the condensation that forms on your water pipes and toilet tanks can be substantial enough to puddle on floors and inside cabinets, this is where it could possibly cause damage. Even worse, that dampness in a dark, closed space, such as under a sink, creates the perfect environment for mold and mildew to grow.

Add insulation to prevent hot, humid air from contacting your cold pipes.

One of the easiest ways to keep water pipes from sweating is to cover them with insulation. Pipe insulation has a slit along the length of the tube that easily slips over your water supply pipes, making this easy for anyone to install. Also, the factory-applied adhesive at the seam activates when you close it, which makes an effective barrier to prevent humid air from reaching the cold pipes in the first place.

Increase the water temperature to decrease condensation.

Raising the temperature of your water a few degrees could be enough to make surfaces slightly warmer than the dew point, making it likely to reduce condensation. A water-mixing anti-sweat valve connects to both the hot and cold-water supply lines so it can introduce hot water into the cold line when needed. The amount of hot water can be adjusted to prevent your toilet tank from sweating while using as little hot water as possible.

Install a ventilation fan to reduce bathroom humidity and prevent toilet tank sweating.

The humidity caused by steamy showers increases the dew point so installing a ventilation fan will help remove the moisture in the air. Less moisture in the air means less moisture accumulating on cool surfaces.