How to get rid of condensation in the dressing room in winter?

Nowadays, the bath is one of the obligatory attributes of the rest of many Russians. The owners of summer cottages and residents of the private sector who have built a bathhouse on their site are often faced with such a phenomenon as condensation in the dressing room. Water drips from the ceiling, walls get wet, mold and mildew form, which, in turn, damages not only the structure itself and the things stored there, but also human health.

Condensate is the moisture that settles on walls and ceilings due to temperature differences. Under the influence of the heat from the stove, the water evaporates and is converted into steam, which, due to the circulation of air in the room, collects at the edge of the room. Walls, ceiling and windows are at the junction of two temperatures. On the one hand, this is the warmth of the interior, on the other, it is cold from the outside. Steam settles on a colder surface, creating dampness.

A number of factors can influence the formation of moisture:

• Violations when performing thermal insulation work. A heat insulator, for example, foam, does not "breathe" simply because it does not allow steam to pass through itself, as a result of which moisture is formed. Sometimes the reason is in the dew point, which is not outside, but inside the room, which makes the walls damp and wet. Recall that the dew point is the temperature at which steam turns into water.
• Violations when installing ventilation. The temperature in the steam room and the dressing room varies considerably, and when the doors are opened, steam settles in the room and flows down the walls.
• High humidity in the room. Water evaporates as steam, collects against walls and ceilings and forms condensation.
• High air temperature, especially in winter. The temperature in the bath (dressing room) is always higher than the temperature outside, and in winter this value can be tens of degrees. Steam settles on colder surfaces, windows sweat, moisture collects on walls and ceilings.

Dampness and high humidity are, first of all, a favorable environment for the development of various microorganisms, fungi, and mold. Wet walls and ceilings often lead to the formation of rot, due to which the bathhouse can be in disrepair. Just as mentioned above, all this can adversely affect human health.

One of the easiest ways to remove condensation is to coat surfaces exposed to hot steam with insulating paint. When the bath warms up, the upper part of the walls and the ceiling will heat up faster, which will significantly reduce the amount of moisture generated on them. It is also required to insulate the room from the outside by moving the dew point closer to the outer layer of the load-bearing walls.

If you're willing to spend a lump sum, you can purchase an air dehumidifier.who will do all the work for you. It will eliminate excess moisture, which is the cause of condensation, which means that the windows will no longer sweat, the walls will not get wet, and the ceiling will not drip.

To get rid of condensation in the dressing room in winter, modernization of the ventilation system will help.One of the easiest ways is to create ventilation holes in the ceiling - strictly opposite each other at opposite ends of the room. Thus, excess steam and moisture will escape from the room, and you do not have to worry about the draft.

Low-power fans can be installed in ready-made ventilation openingsto help cope with dampness. Do not forget that during the procedures in the steam room, all ventilation openings must be closed with a thick cloth or special valves, until the end of the session.

Many craftsmen advise installing vaults for water outflow. If you have a so-called leaking floor - gaps are left between the floorboards, then the vault is installed directly under the floor itself and should have a slope towards the drain hole.

In the case of floorboards that are tightly fitted to each other, the drain is installed at the lowest point. It is imperative to insulate the floor with waterproofing and periodically check its integrity. Masters advise installing valves in the drain to prevent the appearance of an unpleasant odor.

Installation of heating devices in the dressing room also helps to reduce humidity and eliminate the factors of condensation. A stove or fireplace, melted with wood or heated by electricity, will dry the air from steam and prevent condensation from forming.

Do not forget about safety precautions. Any heating devices must be installed strictly according to the rules, because their presence increases the risk of ignition. Do not leave stoves and fireplaces unattended, extinguish the coals before leaving and turn off the power from the mains.

For more details on the installation of heating devices and ventilation in the dressing room, see below.