Pole barn sweating

[Wood87]

I am having a sweating issue in a new barn. Construction on the building finished Dec 2nd and it was a mud mess inside so I ran heaters and fan to dry it out. On the 7th it was dry enough to start putting down the base rock and setting grade. We poured the concrete floor on the 12th. Pretty much the whole time it has been sweating inside anytime it's closed up. It has 1/2" thermal RT double sided foil backed board between the metal and framing on the roof and walls, roof joints all taped with foil tape. Is his normal given the circumstances and will continue until the floor cures good and it dries out or should I expect this all the time? Pictures attached to show. Thanks in advance for any help!

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[Slowgsr]

Looks like your heating with open flame..... That's only going to add a ton of moisture to your air. Then when that air hits the building . Condensating

Moisture in the floor as well

 

[famous187]

im in southern, IN and had a pole barn built in January. I had the same problem with my concrete but, I dont remember my walls sweating at all. Here is the thread I started:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=275020

It doesn't do that anymore, concrete stays pretty dry. The other day when it got up to like 70 i had all the doors and windows open and a little bit of condensation started on the top of the concrete in a few spots, not dripping wet, the concrete was just darker.

 

[Wood87]

I read your thread Famous, did DC build yours? I'm in Mt.Vernon. I have the same insulation as you I believe, just 1/2" instead of 3/4"
We did have hot water and additive added to help cure the concrete do to cold temps coming, also has 6mil vapor barrier over compacted 53 base. The floor is 5-6" fiber reinforced. I am using an open flame propane heater, should I try a radiant heater instead of the open flame?

 

[famous187]

yeah DC Metal did my building. yours?

 

[Wood87]

Same here, DC metal. I was really pleased with the building and the crew. So your insulation doesn't sweat? Makes me think maybe it is just due to the drying of the mud and the new concrete combined with the open flame heat. How do you heat yours?

 

[famous187]

Yeah i was pleased with the work as well.

No, I don't remember it sweating then and it doesn't sweat now. My barn is 30x50x12 , for now I'm just using a 80k kerosene heater when Im working out there. Im in the process of framing out a 15x17 room in the back corner that will be heated and cooled.

 

[ripperd]

propane produces about a gallon of water per gallon of propane burned. I'm sure this is contributing to your problem. Try not heating it and leaving a door open for a while? Assuming its not too cold outside for the concrete to cure properly.

 

[jkwilson]

On top of the previous issues, we've had weather here lately that has been conducive to sweating. Warm, wet air moving in after it's been cold. Probably happen again in the next day or so.

 

[manwithtools]

Your new concrete is contributing a ton of water vapor to the air inside that shop. If the temperature of the walls is cooler than other surfaces then water is going to condense there. Your propane heater is contributing to the moisture issue. If there is any way you can open doors and windows to get rid of the water vapor this situation will improve. I would not be surprised to see this continue until the concrete is substantially cured - 30 days or more. Air movement will help as well but you have got to get that moisture out of the building.

 

[Showkey]

You got your self a "giant ice tea glass"........."cold glass" (Aka metal building).......warm moist air ..........it's going to sweat no getting around it u til one or more of the variable changes. Colder air, drier air, warmer building, isolate the cold parts for the moist warm parts. I have a cold concrete slab that sweats like no other under the right conditions spring being the worst time.

 

[Wood87]

Wow thanks for all the responses and suggestions guys. Really appreciate it! I killed the heater last night and in less than 24hrs it has made a huge difference, just opened the overhead door and the window to let the air draft through. Supposed to be warmer but rainy this week. May move my fans back in the keep the air moving inside


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[manwithtools]

Fans are a good idea. Keep us posted on the results.

 

[Wood87]

Will certainly do, thanks guys!


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[Shiftless]

propane produces about a gallon of water per gallon of propane burned. I'm sure this is contributing to your problem. Try not heating it and leaving a door open for a while? Assuming its not too cold outside for the concrete to cure properly.

As many have already said, non vented propane heaters add huge amounts of moisture to the air inside your building.
One pound of propane yields about 6.5 pounds of water so it is worse than ripperd stated. One gallon of propane weighs less than a gallon of water but correcting for that, one gallon of propane yields THREE gallons of water! The air inside your building can only evaporate so much water so it changes from a vapor to a liquid when it hits a cold surface.

 

[Wood87]

Thank you, I definitely didn't know that about the open flame propane heaters. Makes sense, just wasn't thinking about that aspect of it.

 

[BadgerBoilerMN]

https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081226062215AA5J1xM

 

[Dragfluid]

Yup,,,,,,,,, lots of moisture producing items here. New lumber, concrete, open flame propane. You need to get rid of the last item to fix the first two.

And a propane heater isn't the only thing that makes it "rain" inside. I had a kerosene salamander running in mine for a bit just to take some of the chill off while I was working in it, before I got the furnace running. Every time I shut it off, I could hear the "rain" falling on the poly in the ceiling. (attic hadn't been blown yet)

 

[Nch209]

Great info all!

 

[strada12]

Had the same problem and realized pole barns are like big pop cans and sweat at the slightest temperature differential between inside and out, once i completed insulating the ceilings and walls it stopped.

 

[Wood87]

Thanks for all the help and advice guys, I quit using the propane heater, turned on my big fans and opened it up on a nice day, all dry now. Just gotta figure out which to go with the heat now.


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[dwysywd]

Had the same problem and realized pole barns are like big pop cans and sweat at the slightest temperature differential between inside and out, once i completed insulating the ceilings and walls it stopped.

Speaking of pop cans, I am liking this thread can as you can see from my picture, I have half a pop can sticking out of the ground. I don't want to thread jack, so I will start my own. My circumstances are a bit diff.

Heating my beer can for the winter - thoughts http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=314891




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