Sweaty Pipes Or Condensation? Slater Was About To Call The Plumber…
It's been hot lately. Like, 90 degrees hot, an early June heatwave! We all know the tips to keep your house cool, right? Close the windows, close the blinds, don't use the oven or the dishwasher, etc.
Now, normally my cellar stays cool; however, doing laundry last night I had a little freakout. I noticed small like a line of water on the cement floor, sort of like when your gutters drip rain on the grass and it leaves that gully on the lawn.
Immediately, I looked up to find what I thought was my pipes sweating; however, I quickly observed that it was only the cold water pipe and that the entire length was wet. I mean wet, too, these droplets were huge!
So, I googled pipe condensation and realized that I didn't need a plumber after all. How did I not notice this before? At least I don't remember seeing this in my cellar. I mean, I've seen the toilet bowl condensate before, just not the pipes in the cellar.
Normally, I run the dehumidifier when starts to get hot, more importantly, when it starts to get humid.
The cold water pipes attract the moisture in the warm air causing condensation to form on the outside of the water supply lines. Enough condensation can form on the pipes and they can drip and form puddles on the floor. The process is the same as a glass of cold water sweating on a hot and humid summer day. -thepinkplumber.com
It's all about the dew point temperature. The dew point temperature is the temperature to which the air must be cooled before dew or frost begins to form.
As you can see the dew point temperature is high today.
Once I extrapolated some moisture out of the cellar air with the help of the dehumidifier, the condensation on the pipes dried up.
Constant condensation on pipes can be harmful to the subflooring, tile, sheetrock, and especially in dark areas where mold can grow. Pipe insulation can help.
Don't get fooled as I did!
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