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Is it a leak or condensation? |
In a tennis complex; on a sunny day, a player complains about the leaky roof. Sure enough, there are drips on the floor. How do you stop the "leaks."
Or you have paid a roofer a significant sum to repair some leaks that occurred on a rainy day. The roofer even returned when you called about the reoccurrence of the leaks. After several calls from you, the roofer has disappeared. At this point, you should consider condensation in metal buildings’ prevention.
In first grade language, moisture collects on exposed metal surfaces. If the surrounding air is too humid, then the moisture on the metal changes to drips since the air cannot absorb the moisture. And drips grow heavy and fall downward.
Whenever attempting to stop condensation, imagine a cold soft drink can in your vehicle located in your door pocket where vehicle's circulating air misses the can. Now imagine the same cold soft drink can in front of your AC vent on your dash. Which can will sweat less? And why? Of course you know the answer is the can in front of the AC vent on your dash.
Now suppose you want to stop the water "leaking" problem of the can in the door pocket. Would you recaulk the soda can because the water just had to have leaked out, or would you take other steps—such as placing coasters around/underneath.
Use the same approach with metal roof condensation problems.
Circulate air, and keep the fans on. The more the fans are on, the less condensation will appear.
Consider vapor barrier work. The vapor barriers are the coasters around the soda can. Vapor barriers keep moist air away from metal surfaces. Even a small break in your vapor barrier could (under some circumstances) be an annoying drip.
Condensation is not like a pregnancy. One cannot be a little bit pregnant--one is or is not. In contrast, condensation is hardly absolute. The annoying drips for one owner may not even be noticed by another metal building landlord. For example,
1. An indoor roller skating rink must have a perfectly dry surface to skate on. One of my customers ran his air conditioner in November and December, just to keep the air dry enough to absorb the moisture collecting on his rafters
2. A tennis court owner decided the occasional drips were not worth the cost of repairing the vapor barrier. Indeed, no vapor barrier repair outfit can reasonably promise complete elimination of condensation without redoing the entire building. But a smart, handyman-type may be able to help.
3. A trucking company recognized that the new equipment and extra manpower increased the moisture too much, A simple roof vent improved the air circulation
As a long-time roofer in the field of preventing leaks on metal roofs, I have had to learn basic prevention of condensation on metal roofs. If I am in a building with damaged vapor barrier and no vents, I make sure the owner is comfortable with the role condensation may play. My trick question is, “Have you seen condensation on a rainy day?” If he/she says, “No, only roof leaks,” then I say, “Imagine a glass pitcher with ice on a porch…..”
Update 2007--Every fall the subject of condensation comes up due to the cooling outside temperatures. As a roofer, there are several questions to keep in mind:
1. If there is a roof leak, the drips show up ONLY on rainy days and usually within 10 minutes. They stop when the rain stops. Water does not sit somewhere and then decide to fall several days later.
2. Repairing or sealing roof venting spots, either planned or informal, will increase condensation because moist air cannot escape.
3. Leaks and condensation can both be a problem; leaks dampen the interior insulation which increases the condensation. In short there may be more than one problem to deal with.
4. Old chimney bricks and wood can absorb water; pouring a glass of water on these areas is a good check--if the water does not spot like a new wax job on a car, then the brick/wood is absorbing water. And both can absorb a lot of water.
5. Condensation can be so heavy, the water can drip as a steady stream.
6. Finally, controlling condensation
can be tricky--never eliminated, just managed.