Vinyl Sweating, Condensation?

[Smokin Joe]

Earlier summer I laid some sheet vinyl on to of the existing vinyl tiles on the upstairs toilet floor. No problems during the hot months, but tonight I noticed the floor was damp and on pulling up the vinyl sheet I saw it was very wet underneath. I also pulled the tiles up to let the floor dry out, and thinking I had a leak I ran all the taps, flushed the loo a few times but no water is escaping from anywhere.

Could this have been condensation forming between the two layers of vinyl? Being a timber framed house the upstairs does get very warm when the heating is on in the evening, but obviously cools right down again overnight.

 

[Drago]

I had this in an olde house. Was a slow drip leak slowly permeating between the layers of tiles.

 

[raleighnut]

I had this in an olde house. Was a slow drip leak slowly permeating between the layers of tiles.

Prostate trouble?

 

[Cycleops]

Vinyl tiles can react in different ways to materials laid on top of them.
Seems like a good time to get rid of those old vinyl tiles and replace them with some 'green' old school lino
Still made in the UK in Kirckaldy.

 

[fossyant]

Toilet or bathroom. Water getting in from wet people, or even mopping the floor ?

 

[Smokin Joe]

Toilet or bathroom. Water getting in from wet people, or even mopping the floor ?

I think it is condensation forming between the two layers of vinyl. Pulled it all up yesterday and there is no sign of water forming anywhere and the floor is drying out. The problem only surfaced since the weather has become colder, two weeks ago I lifted the top layer to trim it a bit neater down one side and it was bone dry. It would have had to be a very visible leak to cover the area it did in that time.

I'll leave it a week just to make sure and then I'll lay some porcelain tiles instead. Or rather I'll get a man in to do it, laying the last lot of vinyl made me realise my creaking bones are no longer up to contorting themselves in confined spaces.

 

[bikingdad90]

Make sure when you buy the tiles they are not permeable and need sealing! We bought a house like this and couldn’t for the life of us work out why the hell it had a slow leak! Turned out the tiled let the water through and soaked the plaster and chipboard underneath!!!

 

[Cycleops]

You're probably right about the condensation. There could be a chemical reaction between the vinyl tiles and whatever is laid on top. This is generating heat and with the colder temperature you're getting condensation.

 

[CXRAndy]

What room is below? It might be interstitial condensation. moisture moving through the building, trapped. You've done the right thing lifting the flooring and monitor situation. If everything remains dry, then choose a more breathable flooring

 

[Smokin Joe]

What room is below? It might be interstitial condensation. moisture moving through the building, trapped. You've done the right thing lifting the flooring and monitor situation. If everything remains dry, then choose a more breathable flooring

Kitchen.

 

[raleighnut]

Vinyl tiles can react in different ways to materials laid on top of them.
Seems like a good time to get rid of those old vinyl tiles and replace them with some 'green' old school lino
Still made in the UK in Kirckaldy.

Quite expensive though and you've got to lay Plywood first on floorboards or you'll see the plank outlines, very hard wearing though I did our bathroom and loo about 10-11yrs ago and it still looks pristine.

 

[Dag Hammar]

My understanding is that you should not lay vinyl sheeting on top of vinyl tiles as they are both an oil based product and will react with each other. This reaction is more likely to cause discolouration and a ‘stickiness’ between the two.
This is of course a separate issue from the wetness that you are describing but nonetheless, having two layers of flooring opens up the risk of moisture between the two.

 

[CXRAndy]

Kitchen.

Kitchens have the capacity to produce extra moisture from kettles, sinks, washer/dryers and cooking.

It is likely this moisture migrating through the building, trapped between your vinyl.

My new build has a humidity controlled MVHR. It runs constantly and will vary fan speed on any detected increased humidity

 

[Smokin Joe]

Bollocks

Problem turns out to be a crack in the toilet bowl. Fortunately near the top so careful flushing with a bowl of water should be ok till I get a new one. Meanwhile I've smothered the outside of the crack with sealant.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Bollocks

Problem turns out to be a crack in the toilet bowl. Fortunately near the top so careful flushing with a bowl of water should be ok till I get a new one. Meanwhile I've smothered the outside of the crack with sealant.

Good spot.

Just don't go to the loo will fix the problem. You've got a garden or a neighbour/friend has? Don't forget to use those little plastic bags and hang it from a bush.