Metal roof and condensation on the ceiling in winter.

Any suggestions? Gets cold at night in the winter. Former owner just stuck up R36 rools but they get wet too. Exposed metal is even worse.

I looked at metal foil and bubble foil. It seems like spray foam may be the only way. Any suggestions?

Colo MMJ said:

Any suggestions? Gets cold at night in the winter. Former owner just stuck up R36 rools but they get wet too. Exposed metal is even worse.

I looked at metal foil and bubble foil. It seems like spray foam may be the only way. Any suggestions?

Click to expand...

can you look up and see the metal roof or do you have a ceiling between?

natureboygrower said:

can you look up and see the metal roof or do you have a ceiling between?

Click to expand...

Exposed metal roof - pole barn. Part of it has R36 sheets between the wood trusses. The other half is exposed. Thanks for any help.

Colo MMJ said:

Exposed metal roof - pole barn. Part of it has R36 sheets between the wood trusses. The other half is exposed. Thanks for any help.

Click to expand...

yeah,thats a tough one.when that warm air from your grow meets the underside of that cold roof,youve got condensation.without being able to separate your grow area with a ceiling,i would think spray foam would be your only possible fix.not to mention,damn,cold air is just coming right through that roof
now i see why you wanted heat from your lights.
are the trusses down the whole building? if so,id run more of that insulation.you need to stop that warm air meeting the roof.any type of venting up there? gable end vents? im assuming no

install sheathing and tar paper under steel roofing. dammit
spray foam will rot your wood frame up there. I saw a guy use those big plastic filled balloon insulation bags up there and he did stop it from happening.
if you exchange the air with outside it will help, I use a full time fan and a solar powered gable vent on the other side. my steel covered porch does the same, so does my barn when I open the grow room door inside.

chemphlegm said:

install sheathing and tar paper under steel roofing. dammit
spray foam will rot your wood frame up there. I saw a guy use those big plastic filled balloon insulation bags up there and he did stop it from happening.
if you exchange the air with outside it will help, I use a full time fan and a solar powered gable vent on the other side. my steel covered porch does the same, so does my barn when I open the grow room door inside.

Click to expand...

yeah,he needs to find a way to get sheathing up there to create a ceiling.if he doesnt have trusses on that half,might be tricky?

edit
if a ceiling is installed,you either need a ridgevent(probably not possible with an already installed metal roof) or gable end vents to exchange air up there.warm air is going to get up there no matter how well you insulate

spray foam has become very popular where i am.i have an unfinished barn on the property i was thinking about having the walls sprayed.i'll have to ask around,they spray directly to studs all the time here.what have you seen @chemphlegm?

There are good DIY sites for insulating steel shipping containers and they definitely had condensation specific solutions. I'll try and find a link.

chemphlegm said:

install sheathing and tar paper under steel roofing. dammit
spray foam will rot your wood frame up there. I saw a guy use those big plastic filled balloon insulation bags up there and he did stop it from happening.
if you exchange the air with outside it will help, I use a full time fan and a solar powered gable vent on the other side. my steel covered porch does the same, so does my barn when I open the grow room door inside.

Click to expand...

Sheething? I know what tar paper is obviously. Like thin 4x8 wood below metal roof and the tar paper below the wood? I need to get the venting too. Thanks.

natureboygrower said:

yeah,he needs to find a way to get sheathing up there to create a ceiling.if he doesnt have trusses on that half,might be tricky?

edit
if a ceiling is installed,you either need a ridgevent(probably not possible with an already installed metal roof) or gable end vents to exchange air up there.warm air is going to get up there no matter how well you insulate

Click to expand...

I am trying to think of thinnest 4x8 sheets of wood to keep the weight down that will not flex. 1/2"

more steel panels drop ceiling, etc.

is that spray foam on the rafters? why for?
I have open soffets, gable vents at both ends, still rains when I open the grow room door. I could give 2 chits now.

Colo MMJ said:

Any suggestions? Gets cold at night in the winter. Former owner just stuck up R36 rools but they get wet too. Exposed metal is even worse.

I looked at metal foil and bubble foil. It seems like spray foam may be the only way. Any suggestions?

Click to expand...

Insulate it then cover that with a proper vapor barrier. That should solve the problem.

Colo MMJ said:

Any suggestions? Gets cold at night in the winter. Former owner just stuck up R36 rools but they get wet too. Exposed metal is even worse.

I looked at metal foil and bubble foil. It seems like spray foam may be the only way. Any suggestions?

Click to expand...

get some 1 x2s few sheets of 1in foam board build a room an vent that room out of building,lot easier than fucking around with roof or ceiling, room nice an warm rest of barn COLD! no more dripping

Colo MMJ said:

I am trying to think of thinnest 4x8 sheets of wood to keep the weight down that will not flex. 1/2"

Click to expand...

You could install 1x4s perpetual to the rafters 16" on center. Then attach your finished ceiling to them. Do this after insulation and vapor barrier has been installed. That would make for a nice finished ceiling. You could even use green board for the ceiling. A quick tape and mud job. Some white paint and you now have a proper ceiling.