Most folks have come across a sweating toilet tank. However, why does it occur, and how do you prevent the toilet tank from sweating?
If your home has air conditioning, the air inside is generally dry, and the municipal or even well water isn’t excessively chilly, a lined tank might not be essential. You can either line (insulate) or unline toilet tanks with foam. Because there is a lot of cold water inside the tank, the liner aids in preventing condensation, or “sweating,” which can develop on the tank’s exterior in the hot, humid summer season.
Some types don’t flush the toilet with all of the tank’s water. It lessens the temperature shock and keeps moisture from forming without insulation.
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Why Does a Toilet Tank Sweat?
Once the air humidity is high, condensation (or sweating) frequently occurs on the exterior of toilet tanks. In other terms, the tank’s interior is considerably colder than its outside. Sweating on sometimes is typical. On the other hand, persistent moisture could cause the floor beneath the toilet to deteriorate.
Insulating the interior of your toilet tank is necessary to avoid condensation in your tank. And with this home remedy for a sweaty toilet tank, we’ll demonstrate how to accomplish just that.
The humidity in the bathroom is too high.
Excessively humidity in your bathroom is the major cause of toilet tank sweating. The bathroom is typically the room in your house with the most moisture because of baths and showers. Additionally, they don’t get much ventilation easily (particularly if you lack a ventilation fan).
Lower the bathroom humidity to get rid of toilet tank perspiration. To make the air colder and wick away extra moisture, it’s advisable to dry out the area using an air conditioner or dehumidifier. You can reduce condensation on the toilet tank by regularly operating air conditioners or dehumidifiers, particularly on especially humid days. Call an HVAC expert to consider a whole-house dehumidifier if you frequently have pain due to whole-house humidity.
There is no anti-sweat valve.
It can assist keep the toilet tank from sweating even during the hottest situations. These valves are designed to add the heated water to your toilet’s water supply line, raising the temperature within the toilet so that the tank and bowl are heated. An anti-sweat valve can control condensation and halt further harm to your bathroom since it helps to balance the temperature between the toilet and the room. It’s recommended to leave this task to a qualified plumber as it is a more complicated operation and necessitates some understanding of piping.
It would help if you insulated your tank.
Many homeowners might be unaware that insulating the toilet is a possibility. However, insulated toilets can be helpful in hot, humid climates where toilet tank sweat can be a persistent issue. Most significant toilet manufacturers offer an insulation option; however, you can also try a do-it-yourself approach. The foam you’re used to seeing in boxes has more purposes than keeping the box’s contents safe; it’s also useful if the toilet tank is sweating.
Insulation between the toilet tank and water might help to lessen moisture when condensation forms in your toilet. To create a barrier between the two, like the foam around the interior of the toilet. If the foam is not available, bubble wrap also works. Kits for toilet tank insulation are also sold in stores. Be cautious, though, as some professionals don’t advise using these DIY fixes because they can be ineffective compared to anti-sweat valves, dehumidifiers, or insulated toilets.
Perhaps the flapper is leaking.
An additional sweat may fall down the toilet tank due to a faulty flapper. To check if your flapper is the cause, you could add food coloring to the toilet tank water. Inspect the flapper one hour after putting the food coloring to determine if the color is as shown in the toilet bowl. If it does, you probably need to replace the flapper since it leaks. A plumbing expert can easily fix a flapper by replacing it.
Steps to Stop A Sweating Toilet Tank
Let’s get going with the directions now that you have the necessary tools and supplies for your solution. As nearly as you can, adhere to them.
Stop the flow of water.
Turn off the water supply valve immediately, which is beneath the toilet tank. The wall will be in the way. Now use a sponge to drain the last water from the toilet tank. You can squeeze water into a sink or bathtub.
Clean the interior walls.
After all the water has been drained, the toilet tank’s interior walls need to be cleaned and dried. Use your cleaning pad to do this, and then clean the tank. Overnight, let it dry.
Create front and back wall designs.
It’s time to use kraft paper to create toilet wall designs (or templates). Cut the Kraft paper first. It would help if you made patterns for the internal walls of the tank’s front and back. Ensure the paper is trimmed to fit snugly. Make a hole where the tank handle will go.
Cut the foam
On the 1/2-inch foam insulation, clip the patterns you just made. Using a utility knife, slice the foam into the paper’s outline. To place the panel behind the handle, divide the front panel vertically.
Stick foam panels with mastic
Add waterproof mastic to your foam panels using a putty knife. Place them up against the tank’s interior walls.
Construct the Side Panels
The front and back panels are already constructed and installed in the tank. Now, you must make the tank’s sidewall panels. The side-piece patterns are created using the same method as before, pinned to the foam, and then the foam is cut into the desired shape.
Modify, Fit, Apply, and Wait
The right and left-side panels should now be fitted and adjusted. Add mastic to the side pieces after they are in the desired position. After that, firmly insert them into the tank. Before switching the water supply valve back on, let the mastic cure overnight.
Installing foam insulation is a relatively difficult home repair project that should maintain the toilet tank dry by isolating your tank water from the tank walls. Kits with foam and guidelines are available at home improvements and hardware stores; they typically cost less than $20. The tank needs to be drained and dried with an old towel. Apply a hair dryer carefully to a tank’s interior to dry it out properly. To fit your tank, slice the foam bits to size, test-fit each component to its corresponding portion, and then glue it. Before refilling your tank for usage, allow the adhesive to dry for about a half-day.
How to Avoid Condensation in the Toilet Tank
Treating the symptoms is a different approach to condensation management. Experts advise using the ventilation fan and air conditioner and, if possible, leaving your bathroom door open to reduce humidity inside the bathroom after or during a hot bath or shower. Putting a tiny dehumidifier in the bathroom is another option.
Before calling a plumber and paying for repairs, try these steps with bubble wrap or an insulation kit to see if they work before replacing your flapper valve.
The toilet continuously needs to replace itself using cold water if [the flapper valve] is spilling water into the bowl. It can be causing your issue because water left in the toilet tank for a long time should gradually warm up and get closer to room temperature between those flushes.
A plumber will place a mixing valve to pump warmer water into your toilet tank when you’ve tried everything, even though the toilet tank is still heavily condensing. However, this problem may be more prevalent in homes that receive cold water from the well.
How to clean the toilet tank
Here are some ways to keep the tank cleaner daily so that life will be easier in the future.
- Think about flushing toilet tablets. Those could reduce the number of pollutants, minerals, and mildew. Bleach is known to damage metal, so be cautious not to purchase tank pills that include it. Before making any purchases, research and carefully read any internet reviews. Remember that tablets advertised as “chemical-free” or “natural” may be ideally equipped for decreasing the use of toxins in the home and the risk of harm.
- If you don’t use pills, more frequently drain the tank and refill it with vinegar. Before it turns into a problem, the vinegar eliminates mildew and eliminates mineral deposit buildup. Flush it out the following morning after leaving it in there overnight.
- Some people recommend cleaning toilet tanks every month, but experts believe that for individual households with multiple common bathrooms, twice annually will do. But maintenance requirements are determined by circumstance. Mineral deposits may accumulate more quickly in hard water. In a property with a large family or at a place of work, the toilet may need to be cleaned more frequently if it’s situated in a high-traffic area. After two weeks, lift your tank cover to examine it so you can determine what type of washing cycle the toilet might require. Keep track of the inspections and regular cleaning on a schedule to stay organized.
Take away
It’s not your average plumbing task to stop the toilet tank from sweating. However, it must be dealt with quickly to prevent water damage to the floors or the area behind your toilet. The greatest feature is that this guide is a simple craft that anybody can complete without the help of a plumber.
Please do not hesitate to contact professionals if you require toilet installation, replacement, or repair.