A sweating toilet is one that is damp or slightly wet all the time. In fact, like sweat, your toilet will have little beads of moisture on it. Why does this happen, and how can you prevent it?
The Reason Your Toilet Sweats
When the temperature inside your toilet tank is different from the temperature in your bathroom, condensation will form on your toilet. Summers in Mesquite, TX can get exceptionally hot, which can cause quite a big difference between your room temperature and the temperature in your toilet tank. When the condensation continues to build up, the moisture will move down the toilet and drop onto your floor.
Problems Caused by Sweating Toilets
If there is a constant damp spot next to the toilet where the drops are falling, you may have a problem with mold or mildew. Worse, if you don’t fix the problem of your sweating toilet, the constant drops on the floor could cause considerable floor damage. You may eventually have to replace your bathroom floor.
Ways to Prevent a Sweating Toilet
If you have a sweating toilet, contact Metroplex Leak & Line Locators for help. Our plumbers can install what is called an anti-sweat valve. This valve runs hot water into your toilet tank so that the temperature in the tank better matches the room temperature.
Until that happens, however, there are short-term solutions until our plumbers fix the problem. For one, you can insulate your tank to prevent the temperature from dipping too low. Insulation foam is readily available at hardware stores. You can line the inside of your tank with an insulating kit, or you can wrap the outside of the tank with insulation material.
Another way to prevent a sweating toilet is to ventilate your bathroom. This will reduce the humidity and lower the room temperature. You can install a fan in your bathroom, or you can ventilate the room simply by opening the door. Another solution is to use a portable dehumidifier to air out the room. In the hot Mesquite summers, opening up the windows may not help. Often, the outside temperature will be in the mid-90s, so keeping the windows closed and using an air conditioner instead is a better option.
If you’re looking to buy a new toilet altogether, consider purchasing a temperature-increasing tank. These toilets provide two tanks: a second tank heats the water and then pours it into the larger tank. You can also purchase a low-flow toilet. These toilets keep less water in your tank. The less water you have in your tank, the less sweating you’ll encounter.
Don’t forget to put a pan on the floor to catch the water drops. At least you can save your floor until you find a solution.
We Can Help
Are you having plumbing problems in your bathroom? Contact our team at Metroplex Leak & Line Locators. We can help with any leaks or plumbing issues you may have.
