Very Humid, Toilets are Sweating

[velvetfoot]

It's been real humid around here. The toilets are sweating like crazy. Does anyone know of a solution that works, other than, say, circulating hot water? I've got towels around the bases and wipe them down periodically.

 

[fespo]

It's been real humid around here. The toilets are sweating like crazy. Does anyone know of a solution that works, other than, say, circulating hot water? I've got towels around the bases and wipe them down periodically.

Get the new ones with liners in the tank or put the A/C on

 

[BrotherBart]

Just don't slide off.

Don't know the answer. But taking the lids off will let the water heat up faster. You obviously have well water and it is cold. What I can't figure out is why our indoor humidity is hanging at 60 percent this year with the A/C running.

 

[Grisu]

Just don't slide off.

Don't know the answer. But taking the lids off will let the water heat up faster. You obviously have well water and it is cold. What I can't figure out is why our indoor humidity is hanging at 60 percent this year with the A/C running.

We have municpial water and the same problem. I have given up on wiping etc. As soon as someone flushes fresh, cold water comes in and the cycle starts again. We clean the tiles underneath regularly, otherwise I have no clue what else to do.

 

[Hogwildz]

Best bet is limit shower time, and run fan, and leave door cracked to lessen the humidity in the bathroom.
Otherwise there is another option of a valve made for this that adds a small amount of hot water to the incoming water to raise the incoming water temp, thus stopping condensation.

 

[heat seeker]

Insulating the tank, inside or outside of it, often helps.

There are mixing valves that will blend in some hot water to prevent the ice cold water in the tank, but that assumes that hot water is available at the bathroom whenever one flushes.

I've seen trays that hang under the tank that collect the drips.

Here's one:

http://www.amazon.com/William-H-Harvey-090950-Toilet/dp/B000HE6CY2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1373857130&sr=8-1&keywords=toilet tank drip tray

 

[pyroholic]

I have seen a storage tank ( old h2o heater) plumbed into the cold water line in the basement. This storage allows the cold water some time to acclimate to room temp before sending it to the toilet. Also can help keep the regular water heater from getting shocked with such cold water too.

 

[BrotherBart]

Probably why we don't have the sweating problem. The bladder tank holding the stuff until we can't hold the stuff.

 

[maple1]

Less flushes.

'Don't flush for every little tinkle' - something I've been trying to get across to the kids here for years for water saving reasons. But it reduces the sweats too.

 

[velvetfoot]

A tray could be helpful, but the reviews aren't universally glowing. Then too, the bowl itelf sweats as well.
The trays are said not to be cosmetically appealing, but neither, I suppose would leaving the lid off.
When I was younger and visiting some peoples' houses, they had the tank wrapped in some decorative cover, maybe even matching the floor mat. I didn't think at the time they might have a practical use.
I have to read some more on the internal liners-maybe they can be retrofit.

 

[firefighterjake]

A tray could be helpful, but the reviews aren't universally glowing. Then too, the bowl itelf sweats as well.
The trays are said not to be cosmetically appealing, but neither, I suppose would leaving the lid off.
When I was younger and visiting some peoples' houses, they had the tank wrapped in some decorative cover, maybe even matching the floor mat. I didn't think at the time they might have a practical use.
I have to read some more on the internal liners-maybe they can be retrofit.

HehHeh . . . sounds like my grandmother's house (she's dead now) . . . matching rug in front of the toilet, toilet tank cover and a knitted toilet paper cover . . . oh yeah, and the bars of soap shaped like sea shells that no one ever dared use.

 

[velvetfoot]

I'll also try to effect behavioral change at the velvetfoot domicile.

I wonder how those hot water mixing valves work? It takes a while for hot water to get to the bathrooms. If nobody's been using any water for a while, the hot and cold water line temperatures coming in would be approx. the same temp. for a while. It's been so humid, it doesn't take much of a temp. difference to cause condensation.

 

[velvetfoot]

I just watched a This Old House video on installing a mixing valve. I wonder if it would work? Would mean some work, maybe use more hot water...

 

[bmblank]

oh yeah, and the bars of soap shaped like sea shells that no one ever dared use.

Yeah, what the hell is with those things?

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

There are insulation kits that are cemented inside the water tank of the most important seat in the house this stops a lot of the tank sweats.

 

[velvetfoot]

There are insulation kits that are cemented inside the water tank of the most important seat in the house this stops a lot of the tank sweats.

I've read bad reviews of them. Apparently there are also insulated tanks from the mfrs.

 

[firebroad]

When I was younger and visiting some peoples' houses, they had the tank wrapped in some decorative cover, maybe even matching the floor mat. I didn't think at the time they might have a practical use.

That's EXACTLY what those tank covers were for. Time was, you bought bathroom rugs as sets, 3 piece or 5 piece. The 5 Piece was the one with the tank covers. Only problem was they got smelly when boys don't aim too well.

 

[lukem]

Have you taken the water's temperature to figure out how much of a difference you need to make? Your water might not be too cold, your humidity could be too high and it might make more sense to focus on that.

 

[velvetfoot]

Have you taken the water's temperature to figure out how much of a difference you need to make? Your water might not be too cold, your humidity could be too high and it might make more sense to focus on that.

We don't have air conditioning.

 

[heat seeker]

HehHeh . . . sounds like my grandmother's house (she's dead now) . . . matching rug in front of the toilet, toilet tank cover and a knitted toilet paper cover . . . oh yeah, and the bars of soap shaped like sea shells that no one ever dared use.

Just like it was in our house back in the 60's! But our soaps were also in the shape of circus animals.
She also turned one lid upside down, put some miniature gravel and soil in it, and installed some artificial plants! I added some Matchbox construction equipment to maintain the "gravel". Talk about multi-tasking!

 

[Highbeam]

Dehumidify the bathroom? Or heat the throne. How about some sort of fish tank heater in the tank? A flush doesn't usually replace all of the water in the tank so if you can heat that tank's water you will be burning off any condensation while preventing more from forming.

Spray foam the toilet.

Alternate use of toilets so that the same one isn't being repeatedly flushed(cooled).

If I had a problem toilet I would just park a dehumidifier there pointing at it.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

I've read bad reviews of them. Apparently there are also insulated tanks from the mfrs.

Had three of them at the prior house no problems and yes they were installed because without them the tanks would sweat.

 

[Hearth Mistress]

The dogs seem to like to lick the side of the bowl, now I understand why. We have well water that is always super cold. Under the sinks I have that foam pipe tube wrap on it, pop it off ever now and then to dry out the condensation it collects a d just replace it when it gets funky. We cant get the humidty under 70%, even with the window A/C units. Temps hover round 70 but the humidity is awful still, you can feel the "wet" in the air even though it's cool. Never had this problem before. We think it's because now that the house is "tight" from rebuilding the roof, walls, siding, etc from Sandy damage, we don't get the flow from leaky air like we use to. I'm sure we'll notice a difference when we fire up the stove this season too. Hubby can't understand how 80 is "comfortable" to me when the stoves goin' but 74 feels "hot" to me when the A/C is on

 

[Grisu]

Hubby can't understand how 80 is "comfortable" to me when the stoves goin' but 74 feels "hot" to me when the A/C is on

If the difference in humidity is as stark as you describe how you feel is actually perfectly normal. Here is some scientific explanation if your husband does not want to believe you :
http://science.howstuffworks.com/dictionary/meteorological-terms/question651.htm

 

[heat seeker]

If the AC units are oversized for the area, they will not run enough to dehumidify the air. BTDT. You could try running one less AC for a day or two and see if the humidity changes. It sounds to me like you have too much cooling capacity.

Agreed: high humidity at 74 can feel warmer than a dry 80.