Excessive condensation on water main - too much? or normal?

[Joe Rubberneck]

Bought my first home just recently and had to shut of mater main to fix a leaking bathtub tap. Main shutoff is in the crawlspace and I noticed a lot of water droplets all along the pipe (almost side by side drops) While it isn't 'raining' drops from the pipe I'm concerned enough to ask you guys!

I had previously noticed the same large amount of water drops along the pipe leading into my water heater but I had assumed that was because the heater was under load at the time and may have been just new cold water running through a warm pipe.

Actually now, with the dishwasher running, the pipe to the heater doesn't have visible drops forming but it is wet to the touch.

Sooooo, my question is - Is this something I should be concerned about or is it normal ? There doesn't _appear_ to have been any damage from this moisture but I would assume any moisture _can_ be damaging.

Would insulating the pipe be the smart thing to do? I could do that in the crawlspace easy enough but once it punches through the floor it is hidden behind the drywall in a very tight area for several feet before entering the water heater.

details : - 40 yr old rancher - Vancouver Island, BC - temp stays above freezing mostly but for some cold nights occasionally - crawlspace with 1/2 dirt 1/2 cement floor isn't directly heated but stays fairly warm through ambient heat - 10-15yr old water heater (near end of life I know but not rusted out, might need to be drained though)

TIA

[jim]

wbat you are seeing is humidity.... depends on how moist the air is in the area where the pipe is located... the more humid, the more moisture you gonna get... like a cold glass of water on a hot summer day......

[AJScott]

This is indeed natural and normal. Plain old science of condensation, which is why your toilet tank might feel wet during the summer when you're not running the AC. Home Depot/Menards sells bags of this convenient foamy sleeve that's pre-slit and slips right over the pipe to insulate it. Problem solved.

The foamy sleeves come in different diameters, so know the diameter of your water pipe before you buy it. If yours is anything like mine, it'll the 3/4".

AJS

[Joseph Meehan]

It may be normal. It is normal for some condensation because the water is usually cooler (at least the last half of winter and first half of summer, than the air. However, it could also be a sign of insufficient venting of the craw space. If your craw space is not vented or if the vents have been blocked, that needs to be changed.

Craw spaces need to be vented year around (including the winter) to prevent moisture damage.

[Stormin Mormonn]

And if you wish, you can get pipe insulation from the hardware store, and wrap the pipes. This will cut down on the condensation.

[Joe Rubberneck]

On Wed, 24 Dec 2003 08:42:23 -0500, "Stormin Mormonn" warbled tunelessly:

I had covered the crawlspace vents as one was missing the cover so it was just a big hole into the crawlspace that was big enough for a large cat to get in easily (actually while down there I found what appears to be a 6 inch leg bone of some creature...). I'll replace the styrofoam I put there with some mesh. I'll also get some of those foam tubes and cover the exposed pipes.

Thanks to everyone for the replies.