Galley SS Sink Condensation

[GarryH]

I recently discovered a significant amount of moisture and damp contents in the cabinet below the galley sink. Upon further research I discovered that there was constant dripping of water from the SS sink bottom, not from pipe/hose connections or the drain. My experience is that the exterior bottom of SS sinks used in residential locations are usually sprayed with a material to both deaden sound and mitigate condensation moisture. The sink in my 2021 R-29 had not been treated accordingly. Has anyone solved this issue, presumably by coating the sink with an anti-condensation material? If so, with what material? Thank you in advance for your response.

Garry Haas
Miss Starr
R-29CB
Tierra Verde, FL

 

[Hamster]

I found that my sinks were installed with just a simple gasket. They were also not tight to the drain. Fixed it like house plumbing with plumber’s putty. Simple to do and fixed the leak into the cabinet. You say it is condensation, but I suspect it is likely a leak.

 

[bob daily]

Mr. Garry, If it's just condensation as you suspect just leave the cabinet door open will decrease the condensation. Also any good spray coating (like bed liner on your truck) will reduce it too.
Good luck Bob

 

[GarryH]

I found that my sinks were installed with just a simple gasket. They were also not tight to the drain. Fixed it like house plumbing with plumber’s putty. Simple to do and fixed the leak into the cabinet. You say it is condensation, but I suspect it is likely a leak.

Thank you Hamster for the response. Initially, I also assumed that there was a leak at the connection or drain. However, during the process I left a glass in the sink which had ice in it. I immediately saw water dropping on the underside of the sink. Then I put ice in a vinyl bag and laid it in the sink. Many, many drops of water began to drop from the underside of the sink. This issue is due to condensation. Although increased air flow should help, it would be significantly inconvenient on a long term basis. I am going to try Rust Oleum's Anti-condensation spray first. If it doesn't work, then I will try PermaSeal Anti Condensation Paint. I will post the results.
Thank you.

 

[rpmerrill]

In order for there to be condensation on the exterior of the sink a couple conditions need to exist.
1.) There is something cold in the sink to make the sink colder than the environment in the cabinet area.
and
2.) The humidity in the cabinet area under the sink must be higher than the ambient cabin area.

Not sure why the sink would be cold, unless you put a bag of ice in it and use it as an ice bucket. Your tap water is not that cold, is it? (Just looked, you are in Florida, right? Your fresh water tank should be at a temperature pretty close to the ambient sea water.) I'm not sure what the R29 layout is, but do you have any A/C ductwork back under there? A cold duct, uninsulated, could collect condensation.

Humidity in the cabinet... Again, I'm not sure what the R29 layout is, but the cabinet doors are louvered for ventilation. On my R27 I had a "humidity" problem a couple years ago in my cabinet. On closer inspection I discovered a fine water spray coming from a pinhole leak in the fresh water line. It was getting stuff wet back there. On closer inspection it was from a hairline crack in the city water hook-up fitting. The city water hook-up had never been used, but I think the fitting might have been cracked due to freeze-up or just old age. It's plastic. When your fresh water system is pressurized, the back side of the hook-up fitting is pressurized. There is a check valve in there somewhere. I replaced it and the "humidity problem" went away.

You can buy aluminized, 1/4 thick automotive sound and heat insulation that can be cut and stuck to the sink, but before you do that, did a little deeper for the cause. Good luck.

 

[knotflying]

I see you are in Florida. Is your air conditioner on? As stated condensation is the fact that the humid air is hitting a cool surface and condensation results. Sounds like you have a lot of moisture in the air around the sink or your sink is cold for some reason. You could insulate it, but I never had that experience in my RT with 11 years of use in warm hot weather.

 

[GarryH]

After considerable research, it was discovered that the gasket attached to the inline strainer on the hot water supply line was leaking. It would spray water onto the bottom of the sink. Dealer found an “O” ring at the hardware store that fit. However, no strainer attached, but stopped leak. Thank you for all the responses.