Condensation on pipes

[Mopandbucket]

What do you tell your customers who have condensation dripping off pipes, we all know how it's caused but when customer asks what can be done? I just stand there looking stupid, mummberling. Can anybody give me a good answer to give to customer other than lagging, cheers

 

[lame plumber]

try instaling a vent fan, insulate the roof/walls, open a window occasionally, try wiping it away regularly if you are going to do none of the above, put lids on your saucepalns install a whole house ventillation system etc etc

 

[kozak1968]

Lagging pipework is the only reasonable answer.

 

[Deleted member 25704]

try instaling a vent fan, insulate the roof/walls, open a window occasionally, try wiping it away regularly if you are going to do none of the above, put lids on your saucepalns install a whole house ventillation system etc etc

Correct 'root cause analysis', lame plumber not so lame.

On the other hand, lagging pipes just treats the symptoms

Note: to prevent condensation, remove moisture where it occurs such as fitting extraction fan in shower room and kitchen. This diagnosis is supported by buidling regulations which make this action mandatory in new housing.

In addition in poverty housing, drying of washing on radiators or maidens in rooms is another big cause of condensation - peg-out washing

To avoid losing some of the efficiency of moisture laden air, which is packed with heat engergy, fit an heat recovery system.

 

[Alanc]

Have you checked all taps and toilets for dripping or overflowing.

Al

 

[Mopandbucket]

Thanks for replies, it's just was out this morning to leaky toilet , just bad condensation all along surfaced mtd pipes, can't see customer paying for fan insulation etc, so as suspected will just have to keep telling them " live with it" ?
thing is 2nd one this week and can't charge for telling them its condensation, cheers

 

[PETE 123]

I think the only thing is fresh air ventilation and heat. But that just dont happen in most cases.

 

[PlumbBobBob]

i had a job where fixing the fill valve on a toilet caused condensation! the diaphragm was goosed and only letting water in slowly so it was only running through the pipe slowly and so acclimatising. with the dia changed the water was running through much faster so therefore not having time to get equalised.

 

[AWheating]

the answer is whatever the customer is willing to pay for.

the cheapest option is smash the window


you cant force a customer to fit an expensive ventiation system, lagging may treat the symtom but its better than leaving it i guess.

 

[Deleted member 25704]

the answer is whatever the customer is willing to pay for.

the cheapest option is smash the window


you cant force a customer to fit an expensive ventiation system, lagging may treat the symtom but its better than leaving it i guess.

Smashing the window may make things worse, if 'cold air condensation' is considered, which may enter the building - this is why 'mechanical' extraction is specified by building regulations and not 'openable windows'.

In addition, treating the symptom with lagging does carry quite a dangerous risk!

If moisture laden air cannot condense on cold surfaces then it will do the following:

1. Enter the building fabric causing interstitial condensation which, in the case of timber framed housing, can cause the collapse of the dwelling if the vapour barrier is damaged.

2. Moisture laden air in cold dwellings will also enter soft furnishings and fabrics causing risk of bronchil and pneumonia type illnesses.

I repeat what I say, in that condensation problems are simple to solve - don't dry washing inside and fit extractors where condensation occurs e.g. in bathroom and in kitchen.

If you don't shower or cook, or dry washing inside, you will not get condensation enough to cause any problems.

 

[secret squirrel]

I've got a the same problem in a rental property of mine, it is a nightmare, the whole house drips, never ever a window open, heating always on, extractor fan in bathroom and even then they turn it off!

I have looked into a whole house circulator but they'd only turn it off, tennants want everything but don't want to help with the problem. Idiots!

I've had two jobs recently down to ventilation as well, do you open the window when having a shower to let the steam out? no, do you turn the lights on so the fan comes on? no its too loud. `What do you want me to do then?

 

[Reg Man]

Warm air against a cold surface, codensation will happen. Only way round it is lag it or open the doors and windows and be cold.

 

[Deleted member 25704]

Warm air against a cold surface, codensation will happen. Only way round it is lag it or open the doors and windows and be cold.

Unless you fit heat recovery, mechanical extraction is the only way, because sometimes the air outside your house contains more vapour than than the air inside, so we can have such a thing as cold air condensation which enters the building fabric and soft furnishings, so openning a window is not the solution. This is why mechanical extraction is part of building regulation requirements.

SS - consider fitting humidistat controlled mechanical extract fans as straight replacement for the light/timer or manually switched fans - they will run for weeks when first fitted and turned on in rented accomodation (because of vapour present from LPG portable heaters and drying washing) but they will get rid of the damp. Eventually they settle down to just switching themselves on when the moisture levels rise. The ventaxia ones have a manual over-ride, so conscientious tennants can switch on remove visible vapour when showering.

Tell tennants that there is a genuine risk of illness through the damp in furnishings and bed linnen and they will sometimes co-opperate. In addition the damp causes dangerous spores in soft furnishings - I have seen fungi growing on carpets from damp in poverty housing.

 

[AWheating]

Smashing the window may make things worse, if 'cold air condensation' is considered, which may enter the building - this is why 'mechanical' extraction is specified by building regulations and not 'openable windows'.

In addition, treating the symptom with lagging does carry quite a dangerous risk!

If moisture laden air cannot condense on cold surfaces then it will do the following:

1. Enter the building fabric causing interstitial condensation which, in the case of timber framed housing, can cause the collapse of the dwelling if the vapour barrier is damaged.

2. Moisture laden air in cold dwellings will also enter soft furnishings and fabrics causing risk of bronchil and pneumonia type illnesses.

I repeat what I say, in that condensation problems are simple to solve - don't dry washing inside and fit extractors where condensation occurs e.g. in bathroom and in kitchen.

If you don't shower or cook, or dry washing inside, you will not get condensation enough to cause any problems.

the window comment was a joke, but it would help.

you can tell your customer what ever regs you want, tell them not to shower or cook if you want but if they dont want to pay for a ventiation system then lagg the pipes give advise and go on with your day..

 

[Deleted member 25704]

the window comment was a joke, but it would help.

you can tell your customer what ever regs you want, tell them not to shower or cook if you want but if they dont want to pay for a ventiation system then lagg the pipes give advise and go on with your day..

I agree with your comments about spouting regs to customers, I merely supported my own assertion with the fact that building regs state that extract fans are fitted in kitchens and bathrooms - this also gives the op some evidence on which to give his own advice. This is called evidence based practice. It is scientific and something we should be moving towards as plumbers.

As for lagging pipes to treat condensation, I obviously cannot communicate my own arguments in a simple way, with regard to explaining why this sort of action constitutes a health hazard because moisture is not removed. Try thinking of your own family sleeping in a house with damp - I will try to work on a better way of presenting my advice in future.