toilet sweating

[Anonymous-0]

Redid the bathroom this past month, new tile and such, notice behind the toilet always seems to be damp. no leaks I can find, but there is sweat on the outside of the toilet, anyone know any solutions? thanks Dave

 

[rustyfarmall]

You can either connect the supply to the hot water instead of the cold, or you can install a mixer valve that allows partial hot along with the cold. I have no experience with doing that, but I watched it being done on the TV show, "This old house".

 

[Christopher S.]

Rusty Farmall is right on the money

 

[David - Alabama]

Sweating will usually abate once toilet and water acclimate to room temperature. I would keep close eye out for small, seeping type leak. I have seen hairline cracks in tanks cause similar problems.

 

[DownSouth]

Dave,
You say you remodeled this past month, but you don't say when you actually turned the water on to the toilet, and or began using it. If it was within the last day or two sweating is a good possibility due to the temperature difference. BUT, if it's been longer than a day or two I would be looking for a leak somwehere. Easy and cheap way to learn something about what's going on, pour some food coloring in the tank. Be sure it's a contrasting color to your tile so you can easily see it. Leave it in the tank for 24 hours or so and don't use the toilet, then look for colored water on the floor. If nothing, then flush the toilet (with the food color water) and watch for color water around the base, it's possible your wax ring isn't seated and your getting a small amount of weepage when using it. If you still have dampness but the water is clear, then it is sweating because it won't sweat the color water. Make sense?

 

[Anonymous-0]

don't use hot water only--use a mixer valve

 

[Anonymous-0]

Had that problem until I replaced the toilet with one that had an insulated liner in the tank.

 

[bc]

To me a sweating toilet is a humidity and air flow problem. Did you do anything with insulation, the walls, or exhaust fan during the remodel? Is this a new toilet?

 

[willie in mn]

Rustyfarmall wins the kewpie doll. Best cure is a mixing valve. Adjust so tank water is around 70°, costs 15 bucks or so.
Also be sure to use exhaust fan when showering to keep humidity down.
Willie

 

[showcrop]

You can sign up for higher utility bills forever, and help the arabs out by adding hot water, or you could just buy the one time kit to add insulation to the inside of the tank. That's what I did about twenty years ago. No sweat since

 

[jackinok]

dont mess with the temp difference crap --you cant stop it!! your toilet is running slowly,, either flush valve is slowly leaking through,or fill valve is not shutting off.its sweating simply because water stays cold and gets colder as it runs.stop the water from running and it will stop sweating!all toilets fill with cold water ,none sweat unless water is running constantly.sometimes you cannot even hear it run, but I guarantee it is.pour some food coloring in tank,to check flush valve.if flush valve is holding water will be running over over flow.

 

[jackinok]

if you dont believe that water is running,simply shut water off,and watch it stop sweating.leave it off come back later.mark inside tank with a marker,wait a couple of hours without flushing and re-check level.

 

[Dave Sherburne NY]

Put a mixer valve on it. My daughter had a bad problem in the summer, moist air and cold water in the toilet. 5 kids and 2 adults. it will eliminate the problem. Got mine at Fleet Farm in Marshfield Wi.
mixer valve

 

[Mike (WA)]

Exhaust fan in bathroom is annoying. So tenants never turn it on when bathing, then complain because of the humidity and mold. I advise landlords to wire the ceiling fan to the light switch, so it comes on whenever the light is turned on.

Tenants invariably complain. Too much noise, cools the bathroom, etc. Correct answer to the whining is, "You don't like the ceiling fan. But I'll bet you like black mold even less. Light and ceiling fan come on together, that's the way it is. If you can't live with it, I'll let you out of the remainder of your lease, and you can move on to mold up another place."

 

[Gary from Muleshoe]

If you are in an area with extremely hard water you will be changing that mixing valve out at least twice a year. We have them where I work and I do the monthly maintenance on them, we usually have to replace the whole valve at least twice a year. I have never heard of putting one on a toilet tank. Seems to me a couple ball valves in this case would do the trick, use the ball valve to adjust till you have room temp water flowing in the tank. Less maintenance hassle.

 

[55joe55]

jakinot has it right. food coloring in tank this color should transfer to bowl thru leak.Check 2 things 1 fill tube should only insert into overflow in tank at most 1/2 inch. 2 flapper in tank should have slack in chain if not it will leak. Water level in tank should be appox. 3/4 in. below overflow tube.

 

[36 Coupe]

The only real fix is an outhouse.

 

[lDalton]

If You have Gas Heat, Especially if it not vented..will cause sweating, know from exp! Larry KF4LKU

 

[David - Alabama]

Hey Larry, you a ham? My dad is WA4IEN.

 

[Chris in SK]

You can get a tank insulation kit for about $20 at HD. Bit of a pain to fit, but they worked for me. Tank needs to be clean and dry, so its best to pull it off, wash it out and change the flapper and the valve at the same time, as either could be seaping, making the condensation problem worse.
Chris

 

[RayP(MI)]

Too much hot water will melt the wax ring at the base of the toilet - ask how I know!
My dad had a mixing valve crossover plumbed in his house, somehow it got misadjusted, and hot water starrted circulating. Add that to a leaky ball valve in the tank, and things got so hot the wax seal melted.

If you want to use warm water, get a thermostat controlled valve installed.