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condensation on floor

Talpa

By Talpa
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Talpa Gongoozler

Talpa

Posted
Posted

Hello

 

We've recently bought a boat and this is our first winter on board but are having a few problems with condensation forming on our floors. The main areas where it forms is under our furniture and bed. The floor is not the best surface, its old office flooring very shiny laminate floor boards. We have tried putting some carpet under the furniture and bed to insulate however condensation just forms under the carpet :-(

If anyone would be able to offer any suggestions or has had a similar problem please let me know.

 

Thanks for reading

 

Stuart

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DeanS Veteran II

DeanS

Posted
Posted

Hello

 

We've recently bought a boat and this is our first winter on board but are having a few problems with condensation forming on our floors. The main areas where it forms is under our furniture and bed. The floor is not the best surface, its old office flooring very shiny laminate floor boards. We have tried putting some carpet under the furniture and bed to insulate however condensation just forms under the carpet :-(

If anyone would be able to offer any suggestions or has had a similar problem please let me know.

 

Thanks for reading

 

Stuart

 

 

Hi Stuart.

 

In these cold winter months, condensation is "going to happen." . I have a brand new boat...and in the mornings, the windows are dripping with droplets.... The parts of the boat which have air flowing over them....seem to stay dry, but I put a grey plastic container in the passage this week...the flooring next to it was bone dry, but when I moved the plastic container, the floor under it, was full of water. (simply because there was no air flow underneath it. Likewise we have an area underneath our double bed...where we store stuff....and again...because no air moves through that area, it's got wet, whereas just through the wall...in the bathroom, where air moves around...it's dry. The reason condensation forms, is because hot air meets a cold surface. (or cold air meets a warm surface). The secret is to try and keep air flowing around... . The floor is probably the coldest part...because it's under water level......and you'll battle to prevent condensation. Some people use humidifiers to remove moisture in the air...which can help.

 

I think what I'm trying to say is.......what you are experiencing is what we all experience :)

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Grace and Favour Veteran II

Grace and Favour

Posted
Posted (edited)

Hello

 

We've recently bought a boat and this is our first winter on board but are having a few problems with condensation forming on our floors. The main areas where it forms is under our furniture and bed. The floor is not the best surface, its old office flooring very shiny laminate floor boards. We have tried putting some carpet under the furniture and bed to insulate however condensation just forms under the carpet :-(

If anyone would be able to offer any suggestions or has had a similar problem please let me know.

 

Thanks for reading

 

Stuart

 

The ways to minimise condensation are:

 

Maximise ventilation

Optimise air circulation (even using little 12v computer fans to keep air moving inside the boat)

Minimise 'free water' inside the boat, (remove all obvious condensation regularly, don't have standing water in the sink/pots'n'pans etc)

Ensure heating is properly vented, (and DON'T use paraffin or unfllued gas heaters to warm your bote)

Insulate effectively.

 

If you're on shorepower for the winter, seriously consider a dehumidifier

We have ours running 20+ hours a day, costs us between 2 and 3 units (Kwh of 'leccy) per day.

Edited by Grace & Favour
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Grace and Favour Veteran II

Grace and Favour

Posted
Posted

condensation should not be coming up from the floor, have you checked the bilges to see if thats where the water is coming from.

 

If moisture is coming up from or through the floor, I'd call it flooding in the bilge' . . . . .

 

Condensation will settle on any cool surface that's at any angle, whether it be ceiling, floor, wall or window

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blackrose Veteran II

blackrose

Posted
Posted

Hi Stuart.

 

In these cold winter months, condensation is "going to happen." . I have a brand new boat...and in the mornings, the windows are dripping with droplets.... The parts of the boat which have air flowing over them....seem to stay dry, but I put a grey plastic container in the passage this week...the flooring next to it was bone dry, but when I moved the plastic container, the floor under it, was full of water. (simply because there was no air flow underneath it. Likewise we have an area underneath our double bed...where we store stuff....and again...because no air moves through that area, it's got wet, whereas just through the wall...in the bathroom, where air moves around...it's dry. The reason condensation forms, is because hot air meets a cold surface. (or cold air meets a warm surface). The secret is to try and keep air flowing around... . The floor is probably the coldest part...because it's under water level......and you'll battle to prevent condensation. Some people use humidifiers to remove moisture in the air...which can help.

 

I think what I'm trying to say is.......what you are experiencing is what we all experience :)

 

I don't.

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Biggles Veteran

Biggles

Posted
Posted

The ways to minimise condensation are:

 

Maximise ventilation

Optimise air circulation (even using little 12v computer fans to keep air moving inside the boat)

Minimise 'free water' inside the boat, (remove all obvious condensation regularly, don't have standing water in the sink/pots'n'pans etc)

Ensure heating is properly vented, (and DON'T use paraffin or unfllued gas heaters to warm your bote)

Insulate effectively.

 

If you're on shorepower for the winter, seriously consider a dehumidifier

We have ours running 20+ hours a day, costs us between 2 and 3 units (Kwh of 'leccy) per day.

 

 

Hmm and free distilled water for you batteries and steam irons.

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GUMPY Veteran II

GUMPYDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted (edited)

Condensation is not something we suffer from.

Ventialion, air movement , heating that changes tne air, double glazing and no cold surfaces is the secret.

The only place we get condensation is on the rear hatch and that is because its bare steel and that part of the boat is shut off breaking all the above rules.

Been living aboard for 20 years and only on the first boat that was not spray foamed has condensation ever been a problem.

Edited by idleness
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Talpa Gongoozler

Talpa

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Thanks all for your responses, Im glad this is just a problem with living on a boat (well for some) and not a underlying problem with ours. Just one more question, I was going to carpet with under carpet insulation the entire floor of the boat however Im worried that condensation will form under it and I'll have to replace a moldy carpet once a year? Any recommendations?

 

Thanks again

 

Stuart

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Naughty Cal Veteran II

Naughty Cal

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We don't suffer from condensation in the cabin if NC but then again we keep it well ventilated and well heated.

 

The cockpit windows are usually misted up in the morning unless it has been really windy but these are just pieces of plastic left outside so that is what you expect. They soon clear with the heater outlet opened. Even in the cockpit we don't suffer condensation on the grp floor or the vinyl seating so I wouldn't say condensation on the floor is normal!

 

Thanks all for your responses, Im glad this is just a problem with living on a boat (well for some) and not a underlying problem with ours. Just one more question, I was going to carpet with under carpet insulation the entire floor of the boat however Im worried that condensation will form under it and I'll have to replace a moldy carpet once a year? Any recommendations?

 

Thanks again

 

Stuart

 

Ventilate the boat properly.

 

What you are describing is certainly not the norm.

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dor Veteran II

dor

Posted
Posted
Just one more question, I was going to carpet with under carpet insulation the entire floor of the boat however Im worried that condensation will form under it and I'll have to replace a moldy carpet once a year?

 

I would expect the condensation on the floor to be coming from the room, not from underneath. Your floor is cold, the air in the boat is warm so you will get condensation. I get it under the table when we first come to the boat where it stays a bit colder while the cabin warms up. It's ok once everything has warmed up though. Are you living on your boat, or is this a problem when you first come to a cold boat?

 

Putting carpet and underlay down will insulate the floor, so as long as one or the other is impervious then you shouldn't get a problem.

 

I would however review your ventilation. Also, condensation under a bed is quite common when moisture comes from the steamy bodies in the bed. Is the under-bed area ventilated?

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