Welcome! Here are the website rules, as well as some tips for using this forum.
Need to contact us? Visit https://heatinghelp.com/contact-us/.
Click here to Find a Contractor in your area.

From steam to humidity...

Options
Timco
Timco Member Posts: 3,040
in THE MAIN WALL
See pictures in new thread, today's mess. This should help. These replys really help. Thanks,

Tim
Just a guy running some pipes.

Comments

  • Timco
    Timco Member Posts: 3,040
    Options


    So I got the job to fix a broken steam return. Bad traps everywhere and steam shooting out of a totally broken return. Question is, after the 'vapor cloud' is gone, how long is the moisture still in the air? This leak is in a crawl space by a 'chase' that ends up in the attic. The apartment on the 3rd floor (4th including basement level) has a soaked ceiling and the attic area is like the inside of a rad with water dripping off (condensing against) the frozen roof. Does the air hold that much latent steam (moisture) to cause this much damage? Really hard to explain how a crawl space leak is ruining the ceiling of the 4th floor units.

    Thanks, Tim
    Just a guy running some pipes.
  • Mike T., Swampeast MO
    Mike T., Swampeast MO Member Posts: 6,928
    Options


    Remember that pure steam is invisible so the cloud you see is just that--a mix of saturated air and water vapor.

    The warm saturated air will naturally rise in that chase--cooling and condensing as it goes. As you've noticed however much of that saturated air makes it all the way to the top where it condenses on the cold roof and ceilings.

    Water vapor tends to distribute itself evenly and quite quickly in a structure, but in the case of a 40' or so vertical chase that's even fairly well sealed the chase itself will begin to act like its own structure. With frequent, large injections of steam/vapor the poor chase will stay extremly humid with lots and lots and lots of condensation occurring--particularly near the top.
  • don_185
    don_185 Member Posts: 312
    Options
    open

    Open all the windows and ventilation vents and lets some cold dry air get in.

    I once went to a person home when I walked in the walls and ceiling were sweating thru out the whole house.
    The system was forceair geo with aircleaners and, a steam humidifider.
    Found the humidistat wires shorted together bypassing the humidistat.






This discussion has been closed.

Categories