Own house always presents many surprises and not always pleasant ones. One of such phenomena in a private home may be condensation on the ceiling. It can be very difficult to get rid of it, but this problem must be solved gradually. Moisture can not only destroy bearing structures made of wood, but also negatively affect the health of residents.
Causes of condensation
Unlike ordinary premises in apartment buildings, there are many more reasons for this unpleasant phenomenon in individual buildings. First of all, this is incorrectly performed or insufficient insulation various surfaces. Moreover, we are talking not only about floors, but also about walls.
Second and most common cause The formation of drops of moisture on different surfaces will result in poor ventilation of the premises. In an effort to insulate the house as best as possible, many do not pay attention to proper air exchange, which leads to the formation of a very humid atmosphere indoors. Naturally, moisture will settle even on not too cold walls and ceilings.
Another culprit for condensation will be a simple roof leak. At the same time, if you do not take care of solving this problem in time, you can not only get a problem with humidity, but also lose the insulation, since it will get wet over time and lose its properties.
Often installed in such houses. This is very nice option finishing and not too expensive. However, under suspended ceiling In a private house, condensation may form due to lack of air exchange, especially if the space between the main ceiling and the stretched fabric is large.
Problem solution
If all the difficulties arise due to a leaky or improperly installed roof, it will be easiest to resolve the issue. It is enough to inspect the roof and find out in which places water penetrates through it. Usually, if the finishing is not done very well, water penetrates into the holes near the screws securing roofing material or through the joints of its individual fragments. By eliminating the leak, you can get rid of excess moisture.
In cases where condensation in a private house forms on a suspended ceiling, the culprits for its appearance may be either excessively humid air or poor insulation of the floors. The solution to the problem lies in the very reason for its occurrence - you need to organize normal air exchange and additionally insulate the ceiling. You need to place the ventilation duct outlet in the ceiling space or install it directly into the tensioned covering ventilation grille which will allow air to circulate freely.
There is always moisture in the air and this is normal. However, its excess leads to negative consequences and they must be prevented. When the rooms are too humid, it is necessary to organize an influx fresh air. You can do this in two ways:
- Ventilate the premises regularly.
- Create a proper ventilation system.
At the same time, ventilation done without special calculations can do you a disservice - the house will become simply cold and warm air, which should remain in the rooms, will go outside. To avoid this, you shouldn’t do everything “at random” - it’s better to contact specialists who will carry out all the calculations and offer optimal solution. Even just incorrect placement of outputs ventilation ducts may lead to poor air exchange. Saving on the work of professionals in this case would be a bad idea.
The best option for solving problems with the formation of water droplets on the ceiling and other surfaces would be A complex approach– inspection of the roof with elimination of leaks, creation of normal insulation and organization of high-quality ventilation. This approach will allow you to permanently get rid of excess moisture in the house and all the negative consequences associated with it.
The fashion for decorating residential and office premises with stretch ceilings came to us a quarter of a century ago. However, these technologies were invented back in ancient Egypt, where they were used to decorate the chambers of pharaohs and noble nobles. Therefore, gentlemen who claim that they are already outdated are deeply mistaken - these are time-tested classics. And our days are not the peak of popularity of suspended ceilings, but only a continuation, especially since thanks to the latest materials and technology, with the help of exclusive stretch ceilings you can completely transform the most boring and disgusting home.
For the manufacture of suspended ceiling systems, two materials are used:
- Polyvinyl chloride film;
- T.N. “breathable” panels.
Tensioners ceiling structures have amazing artistic and design perspectives. They are incredibly beautiful, elegant, aesthetically pleasing and attractive, but there is one question that worries people who are planning to install suspended ceilings in their home or office: which of the two materials should be preferred so that it fogs up the least?
What causes the material of suspended ceiling systems to fog?
The moisture that forms on the surface of walls and ceilings is nothing more than condensation, the cause of which is the so-called. “dew point” is a term familiar to us from school. There is moisture in any air, even in the desert, the only question is its quantity. But when the air cools to a certain temperature, the water molecules it contains transform from a gas into a liquid substance. At average atm. pressure (762 mmHg), the dew point is determined by the following factors:
- Temperature environment;
- The degree of humidity.
In order not to overwhelm readers with analysis of physical processes, we will briefly explain a few nuances:
- When the ambient temperature is +20°C and the relative humidity is 80%, dew drops or a wet film (condensation) will form on any surfaces with a temperature 4-5°C below this value.
- When the average ambient temperature is 20°C and the humidity is above 95%, the dew point is the same as the temperature. Therefore, moisture will appear on the surface with a temperature lower than the air in the room.
From the above it follows that you can get rid of condensation only by balancing the air temperature and humidity level. Most effective way– organization proper ventilation premises.
Ceiling systems made of polyvinyl chloride and the appearance of condensation
The formation of dew droplets or a wet film on surfaces does not always depend on its structure: walls and ceilings in rooms fog up from high humidity. Consequently, the choice of material depends only on the design with which you want to decorate the interior of your office or home. For example, polyvinyl chloride film provides enormous opportunities for the exclusive design of ceiling surfaces.
Fabric ceilings are luxurious and aesthetically pleasing, but there is one problem: they allow moisture to pass through, which evaporates and penetrates the interfloor covering, where it reaches a critical point and turns into water. In the warm season, this is not dangerous, but with the onset of cold weather, the water that penetrates the ceiling will freeze and, expanding, will begin to destroy the structure of reinforced concrete and wood, the metal will begin to oxidize and rust.
The above can be supplemented by the fact that polyvinyl chloride performs a vapor barrier function, retaining excess humid air without letting it into the interfloor space. Thus, it is removed through the ventilation system, maintaining the strength of the structure for a long time.
We looked at the main reasons for the formation of condensation. In other cases, the humidity in the room depends on specific situations, which need to be considered on an individual basis.
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Did you know that suspended ceilings were invented at least in Ancient Egypt? According to archaeologists, at that time there was a habit of decorating vaults with tightly stretched fabric, which not only protected against leakage, but also created a neat appearance for the interior. Today, stretch ceilings are available in a huge variety of options, but they also have their own characteristics, which you can either put up with or adjust. It's about about the appearance of condensation on PVC film, which is most often used as a material for this design solution.
Why does condensation occur?
As a rule, this phenomenon does not imply any defective products. It can be explained by simple physics. According to the theory, there may be several reasons for the appearance of unfortunate droplets on the ceiling:
- Failure to comply with installation techniques and gross errors when positioning the film;
- High indoor humidity;
- Constantly low temperatures, which lead to the formation of steam from cold air during breathing, the operation of equipment and the life of plants.
You can name other reasons, but the conclusion is the same: condensation forms due to increased air humidity. First, it settles on surfaces in the form of vapor, and is in the same state in the air. Then, upon reaching the so-called dew point, it turns into drops. To get rid of it, you need to do one of two ways: either increase the temperature, which will happen naturally in the warm season, or reduce the humidity through proper device ventilation system.
Behavior of PVC ceiling
Let’s make a reservation right away: you shouldn’t limit yourself in the choice of material for interior decoration, since condensation does not depend on the type of surface. Whether glossy, matte or mirror film, it will still appear if there is one of the problems described above. The most dangerous thing is not even the surface condensation, but the following. PVC film has tiny pores and is considered to be a breathable material to a certain extent. So the steam will penetrate through the pores and go to the ceilings. There it will gradually accumulate, and if the temperature drops below zero, it will also crystallize.
Now imagine a load that gradually accumulates and puts pressure on the ceiling. With just a few similar freeze-thaw cycles, concrete or brick floors will suffer significant damage and destruction.
How to prevent such destruction?
Before starting the installation of suspended ceilings, any builder will analyze the situation and climatic conditions indoors and will suggest using a special vapor barrier membrane. This is a type of film that is stretched under suspended or suspended ceilings and protects floors from condensation.
Although PVC ceilings themselves are a vapor barrier, it would not hurt to lay additional and thermal insulation materials, and a second layer of film. Also, in parallel with the repair of ceilings, it is necessary to carefully think through the ventilation system, based on SNiP standards for premises of a specific purpose and area.
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One of the most unpleasant phenomena during the operation of housing is condensation. It can cause the appearance of fungus, dampness and negatively affect ventilation processes. Condensation on the ceiling in a private house appears when it passes the “dew point”. When there is a high difference in temperature inside and outside the room, the moisture-saturated air heats up sharply, pushing out water, which settles on the coldest surfaces, in the corners of buildings, on water supply pipes and windows.
Favorable conditions for condensation to occur
The manifestation of such a phenomenon as condensation can be a consequence of both the increased humidity of the room itself and an incorrectly designed building.
Among the most common mistakes made by architects are:
- improper finishing and violation of specifications and standards for working with certain materials;
- lack of ventilation or blockage of existing air ducts;
- lack of insulation and incorrect installation individual layers of insulating material;
- cracks in the walls, gaps between the roof and walls of the building.
In order to remove condensation from the ceiling once and for all, it is necessary to correctly identify the causes and nature of its occurrence. After this you can choose the most effective method eliminating moisture on the ceiling.
The presence of condensation in premises for various purposes
Let's look at the main reasons and ways to combat the appearance of water droplets on the ceiling and walls in various types of rooms.
Bathroom
Initially, the bathroom assumes high humidity air due to intensive use of water supply and sewerage, as well as small area this room. In addition, it does not play a huge role efficient heating- clogged radiators or lack of a heated towel rail can lead to a decrease in average temperature, as a result of which, when hot water is turned on, steam is formed, which subsequently settles on the walls. Properly organized supply and exhaust ventilation is also important.
Kitchen
It will not be possible to get rid of increased steam formation in the kitchen, so the main method of getting rid of condensation in this room is to optimize the air circulation processes in the room or design additional channels equipped with compulsory system ventilation.
Condensation in the living room or bedroom is the most a rare occurrence, but they are also the most difficult to deal with. In order to understand what to do about this problem, it is necessary to correctly determine the causes of this phenomenon. This can be either destruction of the foundation or freezing of walls and ceilings in case of poor-quality insulation.
The most commonly used method of combating moisture in rooms is proper insulation of the premises with popular insulating materials.
If the room has suspended ceilings, condensation may be the result of increased air humidity. Install a household dehumidifier that absorbs excess steam and moisture. This will neutralize this phenomenon in a matter of hours and ensure constant effectiveness.
Effectively eliminate condensation problems
The most radical way to eliminate condensation in residential premises is considered to be major insulation of the building, which includes additional insulation work:
- foundation;
- gender;
- walls;
- window and door openings;
- ceilings;
- roofs.
At the same time, it is worthwhile to increase the efficiency of the ventilation system. The presence of fresh air can significantly reduce humidity and eliminate condensation.
One of the most unpleasant construction miscalculations is condensation on the ceiling, which leads to mold and structural destruction.
There is one extremely unpleasant problem in the premises - condensation on the ceiling. It occurs quite often, especially on the top floors apartment buildings.
Dampness on the ceiling
- Revealing the essence of the problem
- Condensation in the bathroom
- Troubleshooting
Revealing the essence of the problem
The fact is that the appearance of drops on the ceiling and dampness in the corners of the room, smoothly passing to the surface of the ceiling - this is not the result of hard weather conditions or improper use of the premises.
Condensation is a consequence of too large a temperature difference in the room. There is such a thing - dew point. In fact, for any room there is no specific value for the difference at which condensation occurs. The dew point is a complex of circumstances, that is, reasons that result in the appearance of drops on the surface.
These reasons include: the rate of change in temperature outside the room, the rate of change in temperature inside the room, the saturation of the air with water vapor (that is, its humidity), the temperature in the room, air circulation and the speed of its flow. In general, this matter is complex and difficult to explain.
The main thing is for you to understand: it is impossible to specifically recreate such conditions. What do we mean? Typically, this phenomenon occurs at a time when the air temperature outside begins to drop, and intensive cooling of the building’s structural elements occurs.
But the temperature in the room does not change or becomes higher, because it is connected central heating, or you turn on the heaters. So, this temperature difference in itself does not cause anything, but air humidity does.
When water flows in your washbasin, when you water flowers, when there is a cup of tea on the table, when you wash dishes or do laundry, even when you breathe, you saturate the space around you with water vapor. A person is comfortable in a room with air humidity of 60%, but if it is higher, for example, 85–90%, then it is bad for the lungs, and you will have difficulty breathing, especially older people. If it is lower, for example, 30%, the air will be dry, and this is also harmful to health.
In general, excessively humid or dry air is very bad, especially for children. And in any case, it is very difficult to influence this parameter; you need to connect either dehumidifiers or humidifiers. In any case, this is not advisable.
So, now to the very essence. The problem needs to be fixed once and for all, and quickly. Otherwise the wall will begin to rot. If we're talking about panel house from reinforced concrete structures, then everything is a little simpler. Well, if we’re talking about the Koteltsovy, where the wall thickness is 60 cm, then everything is very bad there. If the wall and ceiling get wet (and usually they get wet together), then everything needs to be dried, and this has to be done for at least 60 days, and sometimes 90.
And now about how to solve the problem: there is only one way to do this - insulate the ceiling and wall. There is no other way out. But we are talking only about condensation caused by external influences. There is another case, which we will talk about now.
Condensation in the bathroom
Sometimes, of course, everything is not as scary as described above. But only if we are talking about the bathroom. The process of moisture formation there is completely different. This phenomenon occurs only in unheated rooms, that is, if you do not have a heated towel rail or radiator installed, which is not just standing there for the sake of appearance and does not heat - there are also those with a temperature of 40-45 o C - this, of course, is not suitable.
All modern houses equipped with batteries. There are, of course, options with a dead-end system, which is just as ineffective. We're talking about bathrooms where the hot water supply to the faucet comes out of the riser, runs into the towel, and then into the faucet, meaning it only heats when you're using it. hot water. In general, this is impractical, and such a system should either be embedded in the heating circuit or completely dismantled.
Well, enough about that, let's get to the point. The bathroom is usually tiled. It is beautiful, and water is not scary for it, but there is still a minus. Any tile is made from clay, regardless of what the manufacturer claims. So that you understand, baked clay is the best of building materials conductor of heat. It is completely incapable of accumulating it and any heat it receives is immediately given back, just like a brick. If you have encountered it, then you know that this is the coldest of building materials; it is not able to retain a drop of heat.
Well, not only is the clay itself very cold, but also when you take a shower, or you just have a leak hot water, then steam comes out. It settles on your tile, then the water begins to evaporate from the tile and cools it even more.
As a result, we get very cold walls in the room, which almost form a refrigerator. It cools your ceiling, and as soon as you start using hot water, the air heats up, creating a difference, a dew point. And drops begin to hang from the ceiling.
There is no point in fighting this by insulating the walls, the nature of the formation is completely different, but here are the methods that can really help you:
- correct installation of the hood - if the extreme point of the hood is more than 5 cm from the ceiling, you should redo it. This is quite easy to do using a hammer drill or sledgehammer. Punch a hole higher to the required size, buy a new grate large sizes and install;
- installation forced exhaust- will increase air circulation in the room, making cleaning much faster hot air and will not allow him to do his “wet work.” This option is a solution to the problem, but in this case it will always be cold in your bathroom. You need to use a powerful hood, preferably one with a timer. Or turn on the light switch, which is not so effective, because you need to ventilate for about 3 hours a day;
- installation of a heated towel rail in the heating circuit. If you don’t have one, then you will have to purchase an electric heated towel rail with a timer; it is inexpensive, does not consume much electricity, but solves the problem completely, since it does not allow the walls in the bathroom to cool down;
- decorate the walls in the bathroom not with tiles, but with another, non-cold material. Although this, of course, is not a way out of the situation. After painting a wall, for example, with alkyd paint, steam will also be deposited on it, which, evaporating, will turn the room into a refrigerator, and essentially nothing will change. Only specific ones are suitable for this Decoration Materials- for example, basalt insulation boards, natural wood.
That's all for how to remove condensation in the bathroom. And now on to the most interesting part.
Condensation in other areas of the apartment
We talked about the reason for its occurrence in the first paragraph. And now about what we should do about it.
As you already understand, it occurs because the walls and ceiling are not insulated enough. Moreover, when talking about ceilings, we mean either the top floors of apartment buildings, or ceilings that border unheated attic spaces.
If your apartment is not on the top floor, and your ceilings are not in contact with the external street environment, then, most likely, the matter is happening in the kitchen. But there the same process takes place as in the bathroom. Now your question is: why? After all, it is not as cold there as in the bathroom, but there is heating and the same temperature is maintained as in the entire apartment.
But no, it's not like that. While you are cooking, under the ceiling, even if you have a hood, the temperature is 10–15 o C higher than in the room at the level of your body. Don't believe me? Stand on a chair and see for yourself. And since the dew point is a matter of relationships between different temperatures, you create exactly all the conditions for it.
There is only one way to deal with such a problem in the kitchen - with the help of a good, powerful hood over the stove, there is no other way.
Now about what concerns the living room or bedroom. If such a problem occurs in these rooms, then you definitely have the last floor apartment building. Or some other one, but with a ceiling that is in contact with the street. The only way to eliminate the problem is to insulate the ceiling and walls.
There is a situation when the floor is not the last, but the ceiling becomes damp and moldy in places located next to load-bearing wall, which is in contact with the street. So, in this case, the problem is in the wall. The solution is exactly the same - insulation. Moreover, you will have to not only insulate the area of the wall from the street, that is, three meters high, but also 60-70 cm down and up, that is, the neighbors’ wall, otherwise yours will still freeze.
Insulation is, in any case, expensive and is done with the help of climbing equipment. You thought: why not insulate the inside? Oh, don’t listen to anyone, and forget to think. Under no circumstances should this be done, since the wall will freeze in any case, and inside, even though it is insulated, it will not be outside temperature to avoid dew point. Even on the other side of the insulation it will be warm there, and moisture will certainly appear.
Moreover, it will no longer dry out, and your wall will begin to rot, and not just mold will grow, but a huge mold with mushrooms. Well, here it’s not far from pneumonia, and with such “insulation” you will definitely get it, because not just a corner, but the whole wall will bloom. There is a persistent smell of rot in the apartment and you have to remove everything after a few years, knock out a piece of the wall, kill the fungus, dry it, and so on. In general, don’t try to do this.
Even if you place the insulation under a plasterboard or suspended ceiling, the problem will be the same. You think: well, let it rot there? Still, the tires won't let anything through? She won’t let it through, but in a few years all the walls will start to rot, and then you’ll have to remove the ceiling, and there’s horror. In general, remember: insulation should only be on the outside!
So we talked about moisture and whether it can collect under suspended ceilings. As you understand, in any case - yes. And now about what we should do.
Troubleshooting
As you understand, insulation will have to be done from the outside of the building. And it makes no difference whether you live on the first floor, on the fourth or on the ninth, or even in a private house.
In any case, work on external insulation walls are work at height, and to do them without professional equipment, insurance and experience are not allowed. No matter how much you want to do it yourself, no matter how confident you are in your abilities, don’t do it yourself.
Remember, according to safety regulations, work more than 1.3 meters above the floor level is considered work at height, which requires insurance and the like. Because falling even from such a small height can lead to death or disability. So don't take any risks.
Now let's talk about how this is done. Not so that you do it yourself, but so that you know what awaits you and what you will have to fork out for. So, there will be several stages of work.
- You need to start looking for a company that deals with insulation.
- When a surveyor comes to you, he will take measurements and make an estimate, which should include the following: polystyrene foam with a thickness of at least 50 mm, waterproof construction tile adhesive - for example, ceresit, plastic dowels - mushroom, serpyanka mesh to cover the entire area of the foam plastic, putty, dye.
- Then you should start insulating the roof; for this it is better to write an application to the organization that maintains your home. They are required to take care of the roof. You will need to provide them with evidence when writing your application, so take a detailed photo report on your phone. Write an application and wait for the commission. When they arrive and are convinced that there is a problem, they will draw up a report and set a time when the problem will be fixed.
- Now to the insulation of external walls. After the builders have calculated everything, the first thing they will do is tighten the safety lines and cradles for work.
- They then apply adhesive to the side of the building and glue the foam tightly together. If they are just nailing it down, remember to stop the builders and ask them to do everything right. It is necessary to glue the foam plastic, otherwise the work will be in vain. Not all of it, of course, but the effect will not be the same.
- Next, after gluing, they begin to nail down the “fungi”.
- Glue the reinforcing mesh.
- A layer of waterproofing is applied with the same glue, and the layer thickness is at least 3 mm.
- Putty.
- They paint.
That's all, dear friends. As you can see, we talked about the problem at length and in detail. We do this because the matter is very dangerous and difficult to solve. In any case, the work costs a pretty penny, but it must be done, because this is a matter of not only beauty, but also health. And remember, our article is only advisory in nature and is not a direct instruction to action. published
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