Useful tips on how to remove condensation from cold water pipes in the toilet

The formation of moisture on cold water pipes in the toilet is not a rare phenomenon, especially in the winter season.

An unsightly, unaesthetic appearance and constant dampness require determining the cause of this situation and solving the problem.

We will tell you in this article how to remove condensation from cold water pipes in a toilet.

Causes of droplets of moisture

Condensation can appear as small, almost imperceptible droplets on the surface, or it can be so abundant that it even begins to flow onto the floor and form puddles. This poses a risk to the premises due to increased humidity.

At the same time, water begins to be absorbed into the walls, damaging the fasteners and the pipes themselves. It can also lead to mold in the toilet.

The main reasons for the problem:

• high indoor humidity;
• poor ventilation;
• lack of thermal insulation of pipes.

Fighting methods

Various approaches can be used to combat condensation. The main directions are the restoration of a normal microclimate with good ventilation in the toilet and thermal insulation of water supply lines.

Ventilation

In some cases, the formation of condensation is mainly due to insufficient ventilation in the toilet. To make sure of this, you can leave the door to the room unlocked all night and analyze the condition of the pipes in the morning. If the experiment has shown that a previously wet surface has become noticeably drier, then it is impossible to do without solving the ventilation issue.

There are several approaches to the solution:

1. You should check whether there is a gap of 10-20 mm under the toilet door. It is necessary for air access to the toilet.

   Ways to eliminate the defect are to reinstall the door or install special ventilation valves in it that provide air flow.

2. Ensuring air flow from the street with more frequent ventilation. One option is to install a supply valve, which allows you to eliminate the problem without opening windows (it can be installed either in the wall or in the frame).
3. Installation of exhaust ventilation, which will effectively remove moist air from the toilet. The device is usually installed halfway through a standard ventilation hole. The device can be turned on only when necessary, for example, after wet cleaning, and the rest of the time ventilation will be carried out in standard mode.
4. The easiest and fastest way to remove excess moisture is to leave the toilet door ajar more often. This method can be used as a temporary method.

Thermal insulation

High-quality thermal insulation is a very effective method of eliminating condensation. This measure is aimed at eliminating the root cause of the appearance of water droplets on the pipe - the temperature difference between the water in the water supply and the air in the toilet.

Before purchasing a thermal insulation cover, you need to measure the length and diameter of the pipe on which you plan to put it on.

You can install the covers yourself according to the following algorithm:

• clean the surface of water supply lines from dust and dirt;
• if there is rust on the metal, it must be dealt with before installing the thermal insulation;
• taking into account all the bends of the pipe in the room, blanks are cut - separate for each straight section;
• on the covers there is a mark running along which each piece must be cut;
• after cutting the workpieces lengthwise, they are put on the pipes, bringing the edges of the longitudinal cuts together with your hands, without additional fixation;
• The bends (turns) of the pipes must be wrapped with electrical tape.

An alternative option is liquid thermal insulation. The composition should only be applied to prepared metal pipes - cleaned and primed. The method of application is chosen to be convenient: spraying, brushing. After the first layer has dried, apply the second. The product dries quite quickly - about an hour.

Air humidity

Poor ventilation is not always to blame for high humidity in the toilet. The reasons may be the following:

1. Presence of leaks. This could be, for example, water constantly running out of the tank.
2. When the toilet and bathroom are combined, drying wet laundry.
3. Lack (or complete absence) of heating devices. The solution is to install an additional coil.
4. Completely fill the coil with wet laundry and rags. As a result, even more moisture evaporates.To prevent this, the heated towel rail and hot water pipes should be as free as possible.

Features of troubleshooting taking into account the material

The material of the pipes also matters when dealing with condensation. An important role in this case is played by such an indicator as thermal conductivity. The lower it is, the less moisture collects on the surface of the pipes.

Metal

Metal pipes cool quickly when cold water passes through them. As a result, water vapor is attracted from the air, forming water droplets.

A water supply system that uses metal pipes requires additional thermal insulation. To do this, use a liquid product or wear special covers.

If metal pipes wear out, it is recommended to replace them with plastic ones.

Plastic

Plastic attracts moisture much less than metal. This is due to the lower thermal insulation of the material itself. But in unsuitable conditions, when the room has high humidity and is very hot, the plastic surface can also become wet.

If protection from moisture is required, then thermal insulation is performed with profile covers. Another possible solution to the issue is to sew the pipes into a protective plastic box, which isolates the water supply system from contact with moist air in the room.

Preventive measures

Using preventative measures will prevent the problem from occurring with condensate on the pipes in the toilet:

• correct installation of the door to the toilet, maintaining the gap or installation of valves;
• organizing a sufficient number of heating devices in the room;
• organization of good ventilation, including with an exhaust function;
• ventilation of the room;
• removing a large number of wet textiles from a small room;
• eliminating leaks;
• maintaining cleanliness in the room and ventilating the room after wet cleaning;
• organization of thermal insulation of water pipes with cold water;
• when installing pipelines, maintaining the distance between pipes with hot and cold water must comply with the standards and be at least 15 mm;
• areas where cold water communications enter the toilet must be insulated.

6 recommendations to help

Expert advice will help solve the problem:

1. Liquid thermal insulation is applied only to dry pipes at room temperature.
2. Before organizing thermal insulation, the surface must be prepared - cleaned of rust, mold, etc.
3. Half measures will not help solve the problem. For example, the thermal insulation of pipes must be completely organized, without “bare” sections or gaps. Just like good ventilation will not completely solve the problem of condensation if there are leaks.
4. The warmer the toilet room, and the greater the temperature difference between the water supply system and the air, the better and more reliable the thermal insulation should be.
5. Roll insulation is less practical in a toilet room and is more difficult to install than profile insulation.
6. If the source of the problem with condensation is a riser passing through the toilet room, it is recommended to cover it with thermal insulation and sew it into a box, which should be not only visually attractive, but also functional.

All the most important and useful information on toilet cleaning is presented in this section.

Video on the topic of the article

The video will show you how to eliminate condensation on cold water pipes:

Conclusion

You can remove condensation from cold water pipes in the toilet yourself. To do this, an integrated approach must be used, combining thermal insulation, ventilation and maintaining the hygiene of the room with the absence of water leaks.