There is a lot of condensation on
my toilet tank, and its drips on the floor. Can I prevent this, and will it cause any
damage to the toilet or floor?
Condensation is caused by cold water entering
your toilet tank causing an abrupt drop in temperature on the outside surface of the tank.
During humid weather, the tank temperature can be low enough to cause the moisture in the
air to condense on the tank surface.
The problem starts when the condensation begins to drip on the floor. Water damage to
the floor itself and loosening of floor tiles are likely.
If the dripping is heavy enough, and the water gets under the toilet or around the
closet bolts, corrosion and eventual failure of the floor flange can occur. This can lead
to loosening of the toilet and a potentially expensive leak. Click the question:
When I flush the toilet, I noticed that water seems
to leak on the floor from between the tank and the bowl. How can I repair this? if
you want to see what hell you can go through if you don't do something about severe
condensation!!
Here are some fixes you might want to try:
- The best fix for an individual toilet if you have the patience
to do it right... the Toilet Tank Liner Kit:
You can purchase a kit that lines the inside of your toilet tank with insulating foam.
This is a fairly good fix, but a pain to install. Take your time, get the cuts right, and
don't try to "cut corners"... buy one extra kit when you buy them. If you screw
up a cut, you get a second chance without having to make a trip back out to the hardware
store. If you are anything like me, you will be tempted to try to "make do",
which is not very professional. Do it once right and it will last you for many years!
You must scrupulously dry the inside of the toilet before gluing in the insulation.
Other than that, follow the instructions and you should come out with a good job.
You will still get condensation on the metal intake tube. But if you replace the metal
tube with a polybutylene (plastic) intake tube, you eliminate that problem, too, Plastic
usually doesn't sweat because it is a better insulator than metal tubes. Click the
question: Show the typical toilet water line
connections. And how do I install a new intake line to my toilet? for help with
the intake tube installation.
- Condensation catcher tray thing:
There is a gizmo (the "official" name eludes me) that I have installed for a
few customers with mixed success. It is a plastic tray that actually hangs under the
toilet tank from long flat metal straps that bend over the top of the tank and under
the tank cover. The condensation drips into the tray. The tray has a drain hole with a
tube attached. The tube runs to a bottle you keep on the floor, and you empty the bottle
when it fills. Sort of like a toilet catheter, for those of you with a medical background.
The principle is good, but unfortunately the tray usually does not catch all the
condensation. It is, however, less daunting a project than the toilet tank liner, so I
would suggest that if you do use one of these, and you have a very severe condensation
problem, put a towel on the floor behind the toilet to catch anything the tray misses.
- Cover your toilet tank with an old towel:
Just kidding about the towel. What I really mean is
installing a toilet tank cover... a decorative blanket-wrap
that both dresses up the tank and also is highly absorbent. For
all but the most serious tank condensation problems, a tank cover may
be a godsend. Installation is a snap, and the only maintenance
is to occasionally throw it into the washing machine!
You may find them at many of the large chain stores, such as
Walmart or J.C. Penney. As of this writing, J.C. Penney has them
in their online catalogue, too!
- The ultimate and permanent solution to all condensation...
Install a mixing valve to warm up the cold water coming into your home!! Or, I guess you
could move to Nevada...
No, don't pack up and move to Nevada! No offense to Nevadanites, though I would be
surprised if many of you from the drier, warmer climes would be reading this anyway!!
It probably would be cheaper than a move, though maybe not too much cheaper. I think I
will get one of my plumber friends to give me a quote on this.
Anyway, the solution is just too simple: install a mixing valve that combines a little
water from your hot water line with the cold water line, just raising the temperature
enough to minimize condensation. It would have to be a precise mixer, because those of us
wilh quality drinking water who imbibe from the tap would not enjoy lukewarm drinking
water!
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