How to Stop Concrete Sweating
Have you ever experienced the phenomena of concrete sweating? Concrete sweating is often times mistaken for a water problem since it is common to see a condensation effect on the surface of the slab. Concrete sweating usually occurs when warm air comes into contact with a cooler concrete slab and it causes the concrete floor to sweat. Continue reading to learn how to prevent and reduce concrete sweating.
After a humid night, water vapor in the air will come into contact with the cooler concrete floor and will condense into morning dew.
What causes concrete to sweat?
SSS or sweating slab syndrome is a phenomenon where moisture intermittently develops on the surface of an interior concrete slab. When warm air comes into contact with a colder temperature concrete slab, the condensation will build up on the surface and can commonly be defined as concrete sweating. The combination of temperature swings and humidity build up cause the concrete to sweat.
Why is concrete sweating problematic?
Concrete sweating make concrete slippery and can be dangerous on larger concrete slabs with a lot of traffic.
How to stop concrete sweating
Dry out the room by air movement: a high volume low speed fan works well.
Turn down the air conditioning/turn up the heat to keep the concrete floor temperature and the air temperature at similiar levels.
Use a dehumidifier to remove moisture from the air and reduce the condensation.
Use a penetrating sealer to seal the concrete and keep out moisture. We recommend using a concrete densifier first as a primer followed up by a penetrating concrete sealer.
One of the best solutions to combat concrete sweating is to use a chemically reactive concrete densifier followed by an impregnating, penetrating sealer.
The Lithi-Tek 4500 is first used as a primer to reduce the porosity of the concrete.
By using a penetrating, water repellent sealer, the Siloxa-Tek 8510 impregnates the concrete making it less susceptible to concrete sweating.
Why Ghostshield?
Lithi-Tek 4500 - Primer & Siloxa-Tek 8510 - Sealer
STEP 1: Lithi-Tek 4500 - Penetrating Concrete Densifier & Hardener: Buy Now
First used as a primer to fill in pores and voids making concrete stronger, harder, less porous and less susceptible to concrete sweating
Leaves a clear, natural finish that will never yellow, peel, flake or delaminate
Lifespan: +100 years - once concrete has been treated with a densifier you do not need to retreat
STEP 2: Siloxa-Tek 8510 - Penetrating Water Repellent Concrete Sealer: Buy Now
Used as a top coat sealer to reduce sweating and water penetration
Resists mold & mildew reducing cleaning frequency
Makes future oil and grease stains easier to clean
Leaves a clear, natural finish that will never yellow, peel, flake or delaminate
Lifespan: +10 Years
