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Need help with FA ductwork condensation

Ericjeeper
Ericjeeper Member Posts: 179
Hello I have a new home with in floor radiant. and my central ac is in my attic.. Well I am sure some of you know what my issues are.. It has condensated.. and the insulation is dripping onto my ceilings now.. What can I do to stop this ? I have shut most of the registers before winter.. and I even taped cardboard over the return air grilles.I would hate to think I would have to run my fan all year long???? I am going to run it for a few days.. maybe dry some of the ducts up..even though the condensation is on the outside of the ducts.. It can not hurt.. I have already ruined a ceiling in my hall bathroom..Thanks

Comments

  • Dof3
    Dof3 Member Posts: 120
    Duct

    Somehow air from the attic{cold air} is getting into your duct and mixing with the warm air from the house. Is the ductwork sheetmetal? Is wrapped good? Is it ductboard? Are the joints all taped and sealed?
  • Mike T., Swampeast MO
    Mike T., Swampeast MO Member Posts: 6,928


    New homes typically have tons of excess water that must be expelled before they reach equilibrium. Much of this typically happens in the first heating season. Keep some windows open an inch or so except in hideously cold/windy weather. Don't run any humidification equipment.

    Use your exhaust fans when doing any cooking or bathing--hopefully they vent to the outdoors instead of the attic...
  • Ericjeeper
    Ericjeeper Member Posts: 179


    The main trunk line is sheetmetal and wrapped pretty well..wrapped tight enough that it is holding water .and it finally found a way out.. and is now dripping onto my insulation and sheetrock.. I guess next winter I will take off all of the grills and stuff fiberglass insulation in the boot.That is going to be a pain in the caboose
  • Dof3
    Dof3 Member Posts: 120
    air handler?

    Is this a furnace or an air handler? You must have some air leaks in it. Like the other post says about new houses,they are wetter than older ones. Just the new drying out. Your house may have a negative pressure on it. Do you have an air to air exchanger? It may be so tight it cannot breath and cannot rid the moistur properly. I saw a house that they put plastic on the ceiling before they dry walled it. It was almost raining in there.
  • toearly_2
    toearly_2 Member Posts: 78


    > The main trunk line is sheetmetal and wrapped

    > pretty well..wrapped tight enough that it is

    > holding water .and it finally found a way out..

    > and is now dripping onto my insulation and

    > sheetrock.. I guess next winter I will take off

    > all of the grills and stuff fiberglass insulation

    > in the boot.That is going to be a pain in the

    > caboose



  • Ericjeeper
    Ericjeeper Member Posts: 179


    This is an air conditioning air handler.. The condensate is on the outside of the ducts.. not necasarily on the inside. You can feel the cold air falling out of the grills when the air handler is not even blowing..
  • Weezbo
    Weezbo Member Posts: 6,232
    hmmm....

    now you are into reactionary run here do this run there do that...as stupid as this is going to sound ...open all the windows and doors and in 15 mins go close them all down and leave one "cracked" a bit it is going to rain awhile ...thats the truth of it.
  • Mark Hunt
    Mark Hunt Member Posts: 4,908
    Eric


    What you are experiencing is the movement of warm,moist air from your home into the ducts through the ceiling registers. Even though they may be closed, they are not air tight.

    This warm, moist air is condensing on the cold ducting in the attic and dripping back into your home.

    You have two options. Option one is to increase the r-value of the duct insulation. Option two is to seal the registers during the heating months with shrink wrap.

    Cheapest/easiest is option two. More expensive is option one.

    Mark H

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