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Yurt Dome Insulation Install and Condensation

L

lizsteve

New member
We have the factory insulation for our dome, but we have 2 issues -

1. The metal crank rod that enables the dome to open and close gets in the way from sealing the insulation onto the velcro completely. Is this supposed to be removed to use the insulation on the dome, or should we cut a hole in the insulation so the rod can poke through?

2. We are heating with a wood stove and just this AM there was dripping from the dome (insulation mostly on except where the rod prevents it). I pulled the insulation off and there's so much condensation up there it is starting to drip. How can we avoid this happening?
 
I am going to ping Melissa from Yurts of Hawaii on this as I am betting she has run into this before. I have yet to have an issue, but I do not insulate the dome. Just from thinking about it, I know that when I used to work construction many years ago, when we insulated an attic, we had to leave the soffit open because otherwise moisture would accumulate in the attic. In other words, the attic has to be able to breath.

I am guessing that you have the insulation under the dome, so perhaps you may want to leave the dome open just a crack to let the moisture out? That is just a educated guess on my part. I have no idea how that might affect heating or if it will allow snow to drift in.

I will ping Melissa now, though I know she has been quite busy lately.
 
This happened to me last winter until I put on the insulated cover
,yes I cut a hole to let the pole come thru
This year when I was up on a ladder I noticed a small gap that allowed air to leak in causing moisture. When I sealed that off the moisture stopped and that's without using the insulated cover
Some people I have talked with just open their dome which seems to reduce the moisture, I prefer to keep it close and sealed

Corina
 
Condensation is typically a ventilation issue if the exterior coverings of the yurt are architectural fabrics. It sounds like lots of water vapor is being introduced into the yurt (showers, cooking, hanging of wet clothes, breathing, etc...) and not being vented back outside. A dehumidifier can help reduce the moisture content of the air inside the yurt, but the easiest way to reduce moisture is by opening the dome once in a while when the interior is warm. The warm moist air will rise up and out. The length of time the dome is opened and the frequency it needs to be opened to eliminate condensation will depend on how much water vapor is being introduced into the yurt.

I hope this helps!
 
Since I have no running water in my yurt and do not cook in there the only moisture was coming from breathing .
Once I fixed the gap the condensation stopped do I think in my situation it was from cold air leaking in and hitting the warm air in the dome
Also once I created an insulation barrier that allowed me to still see out the dome I could see that the moisture problem had been fixed

Perhaps if one is cooking, showering etcetera -adding moisture to the environment- then venting is a critical part of the environment

Corina
 
thanks all. yes, cook, have a sink and soon to be hot shower, plus hang clothes. Can't run a dehumidifier on solar electric but have a wood stove, which dries things out well too. We're just cracking dome on a warmer day for now letting out some moisture. Guess that'll due.
Thanks!
 
Sorry for the delay! Good advice from others though. It's the nature of things, even glass... When heat meets cold, condensation occurs. It's increased with the humidity, but even without, you can get quite a bit of moisture going on. Think of how an icy glass of water will sweat on the outside...

So, in this case, yes, cut a slit for the crank. Not a hole, just a slit, to minimize how much heat can escape to the dome area. Leave the dome slightly cracked unless the weather doesn't allow for it, especially when raising the heat and humidity a lot inside. Venting a cooking area is ideal, though not always practical, as in your case with solar. Keep us posted!
 
Re: Dome Insulation Install and Condensation

I am having a similar issue and could use some help. We insulated with rigid foam in the ceiling and are now having moisture issues.

Water is dripping down around the bottom edges of the ceiling - where the roof meets the wall. Do we need to increase air movement and reduce the insulation top and bottom, or seal it tightly with a moisture barrier that tucks into the top of the walls? (Our walls are insulated with drywall covering) Or something else? We really want a tighly insulated yurt since we live in it year round.

Help! We are really worried about water damage and mold if we don't take care of it quickly.
 
Re: Dome Insulation Install and Condensation

What are you heating your yurt with?
 
Re: Dome Insulation Install and Condensation

Interesting. we are getting ready to insulate our ceiling next weekend with rigid foam.
How long did it take you? Cutting the foam to fit the triangles seems like a big hassle but hopefully worth it.

Did you find it to much warmer? Given the walls and dome aren't well insulated, I'm worried it won't make a difference since heat manages to find the weakest point.

When you say your walls are insulated with drywall covering, what's that?

When we have condensation issues, we just crack the dome some. But dripping down in between the side wall insulation and cover would be a problem. I wonder if something like Tyvec should be put on when we insulate the roof...

We are heating with wood.
 
Re: Dome Insulation Install and Condensation

If the issue is condensation ventilation is key, but what you describe could be leakage. If your top cover has a valance (part of the top cover that overlaps the wall) that is sewn on you may have water infiltrating through the stitching. If this is the case you can apply seam sealer to stop the water from wicking through. You should also do a visual inspection of the top cover on that side of the yurt to be sure there is no puncture or tear.
 
Re: Dome Insulation Install and Condensation

These are good questions as I am getting ready to do the same
~insulate walls and roof
I notice condensation on the dome when there is air coming in meeting the cold. so I put extra rubber gaskets in and the condensation stopped.
I do know of someone who actually replaced their cloth fabric with wood siding and same for roof after deciding that a well insulated place was a priority.
If there are any builders who are in cold climates I would love to hear the answers to these questions.
A fan at or near the dome also helps to deflect heat and keep air moving.

Moisture builds up between the insulated walls and the exterior walls (same for ceiling)
but if the bottom of the wall where it is screwed in allows for some air it seem to help with reducing mold. Of course the interior insulated waal should be on the outside of the lip of the bender board~ learned that one the hard way, with mold growing along the interior of the bender board.
Not sure if that was clear, but the more we can share what works and what doesnt work the better all our lives are.
Happy living in the round
Corina
 
Re: Dome Insulation Install and Condensation

I know some people who heat with gas and it contains a LOT of moisture. A wood stove provides a nice dry heat. I agree, ventilation sounds like the issue if it is not leakage.
 
Re: Dome Insulation Install and Condensation

We are heating with wood, but have a propane water heater and fridge.

It is definitely a condensation, not leakage, problem. I think we need to seal it up better so the inside air is not reaching the yurt cover above the insulation. It is much worse when the temps are extreme from inside to outside. We have a lot of cracks between the insulation and the rafters where air is reaching the roof cover, I am planning on gap sealing those over the next week or so and hope that fixes the problem.

The rigid foam was a big improvement! It was 20 outside this morning and 51 inside without a fire (we had let the fire go out earlier in the day). The only mistake we made cutting and installing the rigid foam was that we attached the snow kit first, so the rafters where stuck in place. We had to measure each section and cut to fit, rather than cutting a bunch from a template and wiggling the rafters to make it work.

And our walls are denim insulation, so they absorb water like crazy. Then are covered with drywall. So we want to keep them very dry!
 
Re: Dome Insulation Install and Condensation

I think you need to vent out the condensation somehow, I would imagine with the dome.
 
Re: Dome Insulation Install and Condensation

So if ventilation is a problem with the architectural fabrics most if not all of us are using,
Then how does one ventilate the roof and walls while insulating (cellulose, denim, Roxul)
To gain a better R factor
Most I know who are currently living in yurts heat with wood stove with some having backup heat of some sort.
The biggest complaint of those of us in cold climates is the lack of insulation
 
Re: Dome Insulation Install and Condensation

Homesweetyurt
What type of rigid foam did you use and how is it staying in place?
Yes sealing all gaps makes sense.
Somehow a fan seems like it might help
I am getting ready to take this on and all the issues you are confronting are exactly what I have wondered about
Corina
 
Re: Dome Insulation Install and Condensation

The only thing I can think of is to have another layer of plexiglass covering the ring, UNDER the dome, but on top of the rafters, if that makes sense. Then you could open the dome to vent out what made it past the insulation. I think the plexiglass would have to have a thick foam rubber gasket around the perimeter to keep air loss from happening inside the yurt.

The one downside I see is that you would not be able to open/close the dome while the glass was installed. You would have to open it before you installed (for the winter).

Most homes have a vent in the attic and/or eves to vent out moisture. This isn't an issue solely for yurts.
 
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