Have you noticed your home’s pipes dripping? It’s a common problem that is often caused by high temperatures combined with excessive moisture in the air. And yes, this can even happen after the official end of our yearly monsoon thunderstorm season. This phenomenon is commonly known as “sweating pipes.”
When you examine the sweating pipe closely, you’ll quickly discover that it’s not leaking. The dripping water is actually caused by condensation. Pipes can collect moisture when the warm, moist air surrounding cold water pipes interact with one another. The result is condensation. Specifically, cold water in your pipes will cool the air surrounding your home’s pipes, and condensation will form on the outside of exposed pipes. In layman’s terms, this moist air is water vapor wanting to become water once again.
The primary concern of pipe sweating is that it can create damage over time. Furniture, carpet, flooring, ceilings, home furnishings, and walls can be damaged from pooling water, mildew and mold that grows unabated. The leaking water may even increase the likelihood of an exterior or interior termite invasion.
Drip Dry It
So, what should you do if you’re seeing sweating pipes in your home? Insulation! Similar to how your hot water tank is insulated with a blanket, foam insulating pipes work the same way. If you’re a DIYer, there are self-adhesive or “drip tape” types of insulation at your local hardware store that adhere to pipes to prevent moisture. Make certain to wipe down the pipe and thoroughly dry it before applying the tape. Wind the pipe tape until it covers both fittings and pipe. Of course, beforehand turn off the water supply to the affected areas. Cutting water at the main source outside your home may be the easiest.
If you need to further reduce humidity created by sweating pipes, you can use a portable dehumidifier. Depending on your HVAC system, you can also turn on the thermostat setting to take care of this issue.
Don’t Sweat It
If you’re not the DIY-type, or your home plumbing skills can’t cut it, call your locally-owned plumbing professionals at Cool Blew today at 623-872-2900. Our certified plumbing experts can repair all your plumbing issues. We’ll fix it right the first time and take pride in being there for you 365 days a year, 24/7 servicing satisfied customers in the Valley of the Sun since 2002.
