I'm dealing with a condensation issue in my apartment's living room. The AC duct, which is exposed and runs along the ceiling, has started dripping water ever since the weather got super hot and humid a few days ago. Our landlord sent someone to check it out, and the advice was to keep all the vents open downstairs to avoid cold air pooling on the duct. We tried that, but it's still leaking about half a cup of water daily. The thermostat is set to a moderately cool 68-70°F. I'm wondering if there's anything else I can do to fix this. Would getting a dehumidifier help?
3 Answers
Do you have a photo of the duct? Adding insulation, especially if it's open, can really help. The condensation happens when humid air hits the cold metal surface of the duct. If the duct goes through your attic and condensation happens in the unconditioned area, more insulation in that section might be needed too.
To tackle the condensation issue, you might want to either bring down the humidity in the room or warm up the duct surface. Sealing air leaks to the outside can help reduce humidity, and running ceiling fans can improve air circulation. A dehumidifier could definitely be a good solution too!
You could try placing a small pan under the vent with a slope to gather the dripping water—think of it like a little gutter! Using some vent tape can help hang it without causing any damage. Might not fix the problem completely, but it'll make the dripping more manageable.
Fortunately, it’s only dripping from that one point where the duct comes down, so it's already somewhat controlled!