Basement pipes (from well) wet when humid. What to do?
 

Is there a fix for this? Condensation is dripping all over the cold
water pipes (from the well) in my basement during humid weather. Its
not just the pipes but the filter tank too. Should I just wrap them up
in insulation, or can I add a small pipe heater or something like that
to take the chill off?

I wrapped up the system in my previous house, but it seemed to just
spread the problem further along the plumbing system, presumably
because the cold water was never warming up in the insulated part.

Any help appreciated.

Dean

On 16 Jun 2005 03:42:56 -0700, "dean" wrote:

Is there a fix for this? Condensation is dripping all over the cold
water pipes (from the well) in my basement during humid weather. Its
not just the pipes but the filter tank too. Should I just wrap them up
in insulation, or can I add a small pipe heater or something like that
to take the chill off?

I wrapped up the system in my previous house, but it seemed to just
spread the problem further along the plumbing system, presumably
because the cold water was never warming up in the insulated part.

Any help appreciated.

Dean

Sounds like you might want to run a dehumidifier in the basement. I
had the same problem and that cured it.

basement is 70' x 25', so its gonna need quite a lot of dehumidifier
electricity.

What about wraping a heating wire around the pipe to warm the water.
They are used on exposed pipes in my area to prevent freezing.
TB

"dean" wrote in message
oups.com...
basement is 70' x 25', so its gonna need quite a lot of dehumidifier
electricity.

Coupled with insulation, it should fix the problem. Unfortunately, there is
no cheap way to change the laws of physics.

Insulation is simple, cheap, effective and has zero operating cost.

dean wrote:

basement is 70' x 25', so its gonna need quite a lot of dehumidifier
electricity.

Or an exhaust fan with a differential humidistat.

Nick

Greetings,

dehumidifier
===============
Running a dehumidifier would work -- but would cost a very large amount
of money through the years.

heat tape
==============
Heat tape might not work! This is because when you are flowing cold
water the heat tape will have very little time to warm the water. It
also costs money and is an ongoing expense.

pipe insulation
=============
Pipe insulation WILL WORK but you might have to insulate the entire run
of pipe. You could start with your basement and see how much it helps
but if you are getting condensation elsewhere you will need to wrap
those areas as well.

Hope this helps,
William

Only you know the actual cost/benefit of a fix.

Not knowing whether you're near Miami, or Bismarck, it's easy to
suggest that you carefully fit, _and_seal_, the highest R-value
insulation you can find. On _both_ the hot and cold runs. Done right,
you only have to do it once.

Depending on where you are, and the other consequences of humid
basement, you may want to put effort into ventilating bsmt also.
Including blocking moisture entry.

HTH,
John

wrote in message
oups.com...
What about wraping a heating wire around the pipe to warm the water.
They are used on exposed pipes in my area to prevent freezing.
TB

Much of the heat tape is set to only heat slightly above freezing. It is
not hot enough to ekkp down the condensation. YOu can get some heat tape to
go to about any temperature you want but you will have to look for it. You
still have to insulate the pipe with the heat tape.

Nick,

You seem to love exhaust fans. It depends on where he is and the
humidity levels outside. If the dew point of the air outside is higher
than the surface temperature of the pipe im question, what you suggest
will not work. In fact, you will make it worse! Use a dehumidifier or
insulate the pipes or wrap them with heat tape. The heat tape idea
will work if the water flow rate is not too high. Try self regulating
heat temp. It is available in many temperatures and watt densities.

Stretch

dean wrote:
Is there a fix for this? Condensation is dripping all over the cold
water pipes (from the well) in my basement during humid weather. Its
not just the pipes but the filter tank too. Should I just wrap them up
in insulation, or can I add a small pipe heater or something like that
to take the chill off?

I wrapped up the system in my previous house, but it seemed to just
spread the problem further along the plumbing system, presumably
because the cold water was never warming up in the insulated part.

Any help appreciated.

Dean

Several suggestions. My take on it: You actually have two problems.

1. Excess humidity in the basement: Either cure that or live with it,
I live with it as it isn't harming anything. YMMV

2. Condensate dripping from pipes: Insulate the pipes - cheap,
effective solution for that problem. Or ignore it as I do as again it
isn't hurting anything. Of course mine is not a major drip, your's
might be. Mine is not a living area and again your's might be.

As for heat tapes or other methods of warming the pipes - what does
that do that insulation won't do much cheaper and probably better?

Harry K

Stretch wrote:

You seem to love exhaust fans.

This one would have a differential humidistat
that runs the fan when woutdoors wbasement.

If the dew point of the air outside is higher than the surface temperature
of the pipe im question, what you suggest will not work.

That seems unlikely to me. I think we need a new word now, "dryth."

Most basements and houses can store dryth.

Then again, we have Key West.

Nick

Shouldn't.
Unless the basement is REALLY wet, a 45 pint/day unit (not that big)
will do it easily. I have a basement that is 37' x 100', and it keeps
it bone dry (here in New England). Pipes don't drip anymore, either.
YMMV


dean wrote:
basement is 70' x 25', so its gonna need quite a lot of dehumidifier
electricity.