ReplyIs the unit still working within specs? Have you tried a large dehumidfier?
Regular Guest
Hi, so I live in Honduras (That's in Central America) on a small island. Where I work we have a walk in cooler and freezer. All of the insulation is water logged. There are no technicians around here that have any knowledge in this sort of thing... Is there any way I can fix this myself without spending a ton of money?
Do I have any options besides basically building a whole new cooler/freezer with new insulated panels? Getting them here would be tough and expensive.
I'm not sure what the specs of the compressors are and all that. (hopefully that's irrelevant for this issue)
Thanks for any insight.
Professional Member*
Is the unit still working within specs? Have you tried a large dehumidfier?
Regular Guest
It's working, but there are wet spots on the floors and outside walls. It seems like they put the insulation between the building walls or something, not really sure what they did.
I'm just trying to save some electricity because it's very expensive here, and keep the walls dry.
I have not tried a dehumidifier, how would that work?
Regular Guest
I think the inside of the cooler and freezer are fiberglass.
Professional Member*
A dehumidifier pulls in ambiant saturated air from the surrounding space through an evaparater coil causeing the water to condensate, which is collected in a container or removed through a drain hose. the dryer air passes across the condensor coil which cools the compressor and allows dryer, hotter air back into the space. The dryer, hotter air picks up more saturated air and restarts the process.Originally Posted by VanW
Regular Guest
So I would only need to put this in the same room as the compressor, or is it something that installs on/with the compressor? When you say dehumidifier, I'm think of what my grandparents had in their basement. I am probably way off base.
Professional Member*
what size are the boxes?
is spray foam available down there?
Regular Guest
The kind in an aerosol can. I have never inquired about the big ones they use for houses, but I kind of doubt it.
Something I was thinking about was that foam sheet type of insulation and then just build a second wall on the inside. Or tearing it out and then using that, but I don't know if that is good enough for this sort of thing. I haven't measured but I think they are like 8x8 cubes.
Professional Member*
Put it in the same room that has the water. and yes, it might be just like the one your g-parents had. The newer ones are alot more efficeint and can remove 10 gals. or more of water in a 24 hr period depending on the size of the unit.
Regular Guest
I can't do that, plus I don't think it would work as the rooms that are getting wet are all open to the ocean.
Professional Member*
Maybe thats why the're wet? Additional insulation probably the best solution.
Regular Guest
No, that's not why they are wet. It is inside, there is just a large area that's screened in.
So what do you guys think about the foam sheet type insulation, would that work? Seems like it would be the simplest solution if it would work...
SDC/Educational/Membership Committee*
I remember some of the old fiberglass insulated panels which were common about 50-60 years ago and many of those suffered a fate similar to what you have described. The insulation became saturated to the point where it was ineffective as an insulator, often falling down inside the wall panels from its own weight.
The old fiberglass must be removed and if the remaining structure is sound it may be feasible to reinsulate them. The primary concern here...aside from the insulation itself...is the need for a proper vapor barrier on the outside of the insulation.
A minimum of 4 mil polyethylene sheeting all around, tightly sealed will work but you may want to look into a more old-fashioned way of doing it using hot tar as a vapor sealer. Many years ago nearly all freezers and coolers were constructed of double layers of sheet cork sealed with hot tar. Here's a link to a book published in 1909 describing how it was done back then:
http://books.google.com/books?id=W8w...uction&f=false
Cork insulation is still available too:
http://www.marylandcork.com/Insulation-Corkboard.aspx
I would also suggest using a closed cell type urethane insulation which also would help inhibit moisture penetration.
Regular Guest
Thinking on trying to go with something like this. http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...atalogId=10053 It has a "r" value of 5 I guess.
Professional Member*
You need to peel off inside walls to get to insulation... take out all of the insulation and install atleast 4 inches thick of styrene like the above guy showed you. That stuff shown is 1 inch... you need 4 inches of it.
A building supply house willl have it , or can tell you where to get it cheaper.
After you cover insulation back up , seal all cracks with silicone.
Regular Guest
4 inches? Yikes!
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