HOW TO PREVENT CONDENSATION IN YOUR METAL BUILDING

If you’re wondering how to prevent condensation in a metal building, you’re not alone. Metal buildings are great in many ways. They’re easy and inexpensive to assemble, and can handle severe weather well. They need very little maintenance to keep their appearance or functionality. However, they also experience a few problems that other buildings don’t meet as often. The biggest problem is condensation and water damage.

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WHY CONDENSATION PROBLEM MUST BE SOLVED?

First, because many metal buildings are uninsulated, condensation forms more easily in them than in other building types.

Also, because steel rusts, condensation can lead to problems both with the structure and the appearance of your building. It will reduce the lifetime of building.

Last but not least, large amount of dripping water causes damage to the product, lead to economic losses. Condensation can result in corrosion, which the NPL states “can result in a variety of defects, seizure of moving parts, distortion of metering equipment, blocked outlets, etc, which can seriously affect the function of the machine.”

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Then you may ask for the reasons of condensation problems. Understanding why your building is experiencing condensation issues is the first step towards solving the problem.

Causes of Condensation Problem and Solutions #1: Lack of Insulation

Essentially, condensation occurs at night, when the temperature inside a building is warmer than outside. Warm, wet air rises and meets the cold roof and cools. As it cools, it can’t hold as much moisture. That excess moisture ends up as drops of condensation on the roof. Over time this can lead to rust, mold, and pooling water that can erode your foundations.

The main cause of condensation problems is that the walls and roof aren’t insulated. This puts the cooler surface of the metal up against warmer, more humid air, and allows water vapor to condense on it easily.

Fortunately, this problem is relatively easy to solve. Insulation can be added to almost any metal building interior, which in turn reduces condensation and also helps regulate the interior temperature of the building. If you have a farm building, a shed, or a metal garage, it would probably benefit from being insulated.

Causes of Condensation Problem and Solutions #2: Improper Construction

Another common problem that leads to condensation is an improper construction of the building, specifically the concrete pad that provides the building’s foundation. In many cases, building owners or the contractors putting the structure together, wanting to finish as quickly as possible. Thus, they will either assemble the building while the concrete is still curing or they will pour a concrete pad into the floor after the building is finished.

In both cases, condensation problems will occur. Why? The answer is simple: as concrete cures, the water used to keep concrete fluid evaporates, leaving behind the solid form. But the evaporated water still has to go somewhere. If there is a building enclosing the space over the concrete then the water will condense on the interior surfaces. Water may drip down and pool on the still-curing concrete, which creates even more severe problems.

The solution is simple. Either fully prepare the concrete surface before constructing the building over it, or (if you must do both at the same time) leave a panel off the walls or roof while the concrete finishes curing. If you have a smaller building, you can also leave a door or window open – just keep in mind that you want to exchange as much air as possible. By leaving some open space for water vapor to escape, you’ll ensure that the concrete cures properly and there will be no condensation issues.

Causes of Condensation Problem and Solutions #3: Lack of Ventilation

If you use your steel building as a workshop, shed, or for the animal shelter and you’re experiencing condensation problems, one likely cause is the lack of proper ventilation. The presence of humans or animals in a metal building is enough to raise the internal temperature by several degrees. Plus, breathing air in and out, sweating, and urination from horses or cows can cause a significant amount of humidity inside your building. This humid air will condense on the steel walls or roof and cause problems like mildew, mold, and rust.

Ventilation problems can be solved by adding vents, openable windows, and fans to your building in order to promote air movement and exchange. There are a group of ventilation options for metal buildings, including wall and roof louvers, openable vents with bird screens, traditional and sliding windows, and extractor fans. All of these solutions will help keep the interior of your building less humid and decrease condensation. You can also use dehumidifiers in conjunction with these other methods, but keep in mind they are more expensive to run and must have proper drainage (or be emptied regularly).

Causes of Condensation Problem and Solutions #4: Insulation Problems

A special concern when dealing with insulated buildings is when the insulation itself is exposed to condensation. Buildings improperly insulated can experience even more severe problems than those that aren’t insulated at all. For instance, when fiberglass or blown insulation is exposed to water, it absorbs water and quickly grows mildew or mold, leading to odor and problems with rot, allergies, or illness.

Most insulation problems occur because the insulation was not properly sealed from the outside air. In a metal building, it’s especially important that you seal the top and bottom spaces with vinyl backing or a vapor barrier so you can keep humid air out of the insulated space. This will also prevent unwanted heat transfer, which in turn makes the insulation more efficient.

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TearStop Anti Condensation Felt

TearStop anti condensation felt is a different way of dealing with the condensation on uninsulated metal roofs in a simpler, more economical way.

TEARSTOP anti-condensation felt has good performance on anti- condensation, noise reduction, thermal insulation , and aging resistance. It is widely used in the field of steel structure construction. The anti-condensation felt with its unique moisture absorption and breath-ability functions bring the vapor from the metal structure pass through the vent, thus effectively prolonging the service life of the building, preventing the condensation of water in the metal building, preventing the condensation, heat preservation, noise reduction, energy saving, and improving the living environment.

The unique respiratory function of TEARSTOP has become a major invention and innovation in the field of building applications worldwide. At the same time, it is used in the fields of a steel security door, garage door, metal furniture and so on according to the anti-mite, mold, bacteria, heat preservation and noise reduction of TEARSTOP felt.

If you want to know more about keeping your metal building in top shape, Contact us today. We can give you a money saving & durability and easy to clean solution.