Condensation On Ductwork In Attic

Condensation forms when warm moist air comes into contact with cool surfaces.

Condensation on ductwork in attic.

When the hot humid attic air contacts the cold duct or the cold duct boot the moisture in the air condenses on the cold surface just like the condensation that happens on a cold can of beer. It s a natural process and similar to the way a chilled soda begins to sweat once you take it out of the refrigerator on a hot day. The last usual cause for condensation on a duct system is if the ducts are not properly hung or they are touching each other. I called out the original hvac company and they took a look and said they saw no water.

When ductwork is touching it forms a very cold spot where they are touching thus condensation begins. Vapor barrier on the attic side of the duct s insulation is compromised. The same thing may be happening on the inside of your attic. Condensation will begin to drip onto your attic insulation making it less effective at regulating temperatures inside your home.

It was new when the ac was put in 7 years ago. The 1 746 square foot house has r 19 insulation between the rafters and between r 15 and r 20 of rigid foam above the roof sheathing. The warm moist air trapped inside of your home is coming into contact with the cold wooden surfaces in your attic forming large damaging water droplets. There are two main ways to solve this problem.

The attic ductwork is flex duct work. As the humidity level rises outdoors condensation will gradually begin to form on the surface of your air conditioning ducts. Recently i had another hvac company come out and put in a new bathroom vent and they told me they believed the duct work was full of water. Dripping condensation may also lead to a ceiling leak which not only looks bad but also rots drywall and can cause your ceiling to collapse over time.

First water dripping off of your ducts and onto your insulation can cause the insulation to compress which decreases it s r value or ability to insulate. When water condenses and drips into your attic or home it can cause a some serious secondary problems. The air in your vented attic is hot and humid just like all outdoor air in florida. Condensation forms on the outside of the glass where the cold glass is coming into contact with the warm humid air.

Let s say your ductwork is in your attic. During periods of high humidity and high temperatures the conditions are ideal for condensation to form on improperly insulated ductwork in your home s attic. Even though the air conditioning equipment appears to be operating normally humidity inside the house is between 60 and 65 and return ducts located in the attic show significant condensation.