Yurt Dome Insulation Install and Condensation

[lizsteve]

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?

[Jafo]

What type of yurt do you have (brand, size, options)?

[lizsteve]

Ours is Colorado, 27', with basically all options - 7 windows, full winter support package, open/closing dome.

[Jafo]

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.

[Corinarose]

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

[Pacific Yurts]

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!

[Corinarose]

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

[lizsteve]

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!

[HawaiiYurts]

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!

[homesweetyurt]

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.