I'm struggling with a persistent issue: one of my air ducts keeps sweating, no matter how much I try to reduce humidity in my house or reinsulate the attic. I've had a few general contractors, two HVAC companies, and even a leak specialist check it out, but no one can pinpoint the problem. They've opened walls and had a look at the ducts, yet the condensation continues. I'm at a loss for who to reach out to next. In commercial buildings, I'd call a company that specializes in building envelope remediation, but it seems like there's not much available for residential issues. Any suggestions?
4 Answers
You’ve got to check your air sealing, especially if that area isn’t conditioned properly. Any moist air getting to the duct could definitely be causing those condensation issues. Have you looked into bringing in an energy auditor for a deep dive?
It sounds like you definitely need to insulate that duct! It’s a common fix for ducts in unconditioned spaces. Without proper insulation, you’re just going to keep having condensation issues.
I hear you on that! Insulating is just a band-aid though. The real problem is figuring out where the hot air is coming from. We should focus on that instead!
You might also want to consider using a duct sleeve to really help with that condensation issue. Just a thought!
It might be worth running a dehumidifier in the space. I know that helps my ducts in the basement when they start sweating. Have you tried that?
Yeah, air sealing isn't great in the rest of my house, and I'm sure that contributes to the problem. Just hard to find a contractor who knows what to do about it!