Photo: BiroZsolt (Shutterstock)
In addition to all the fun in the sun and taking advantage of the extensive evening light, summer also means sweating. Sure, sweating isn’t limited to June, July, and August, but as temperatures rise, so too does the tendency to turn into a sweaty mess.
And just because it’s natural doesn’t make it any less embarrassing. When people see excessive sweating, they may wonder if there are any underlying problems that can later re-emerge as more serious problems. Plus, it’s not fun to be wet all the time. We are of course talking about toilet tanks. Here’s what to do if you sweat a lot.
Why do toilet tanks sweat?
Before we dive into solutions, let’s first talk about what causes condensation to form on the outside of toilet tanks. This is how Merle Henkenius explains it in an article for ThisOldHouse.com:
When the weather gets hot and humid, there is a lot of moisture in the air. At the same time, the water flowing into the toilet tank is comparatively cold – around 50 to 60 ° F. When the warm, moist air hits the cool porcelain toilet surfaces, the air condenses, becomes water and soon drips onto the floor.
Although a toilet only sweats on warm, humid days, it can drop a surprising amount of water in no time.
Several manufacturers make insulators for toilet tanks that they claim will cure sweaty toilets, but most of them don’t work very well.
How to stop a toilet tank from sweating
According to Henkenius, there are two possible solutions to your toilet tank’s welding problem.
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Keep your bathroom dry and cool
Before investing the time and energy on an entire plumbing project, the first thing you can do is try using a dehumidifier and air conditioner to control the humidity and temperature in your bathroom. Henkenius says. But not everyone has these devices lying around, and even if they do, they can be expensive to run all summer.
Install an anti-sweat valve
For a more permanent and sustainable solution, Henkenius suggests installing an anti-sweat valve in the water pipe to the toilet. And what will that do? For Henekenius:
An anti-sweat valve adds a little hot water to the toilet water line, raising the water temperature in the toilet enough to warm the tank and bowl. Nothing more is needed to prevent condensation from forming, even in humid weather.
Installation can be a small process. So if you choose to do this yourself, Henkenius will guide you through every step here.
