Im planning on painting my red cedar shingles in the spring. They are really flaking and I thought it was just the paint. It was painted just 4 years ago. I have noticed a fair amount of condensation on my windows on the inside and was wondering if humidity problems could cause paint to peel on outside. my question is,should I fix this issue before I paint exterior or are they 2 different issues. Thanks for all that reply.
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Very well could be related. If the RH inside is too high ( crawl space, leaky basement, excess cooking/showering, dryer not vented, propane heater not vented, etc)
That water will try to find it's way to a cold surface..the ext. wall is cold, and with out something to stop it, it will keep on pushing it's way out. And take the paint with it.
You need to stop the source and maybe de-humidify.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations
They kill Prophets, for Profits.
How do I find the source and stop it? Dryer vent and shower are vented to the outside. Cooking vent is outside vented. Noticed that tar paper behind shingles is falling apart. Noticed this while I was in attic getting ready for new insulation. Thanks for replying to my post.
Crawl space or damp basement is the next look see. Often roof runoff will seep into the perimeter around the foundation and wick into walls and floor.
Does you heating system have a humidifier? It may be adding too much moisture.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations
They kill Prophets, for Profits.
Yep, humidity on the inside can "force" paint off on the outside. You don't see it too much with latex, but it was commonly seen with oil.
How cold does it get where you are? Do you have double-glazed windows?
very cold lately. Im here in Rhode Island. My windows are single pain with storm windows that are old. Had 9in of blown in insulation added last year.
"Very cold" is what? How cold does it get in the typical winter?
The only function of economic forecasting is to make astrology look respectable. --John Kenneth Galbraith
Make sure that your fans are vented properly. All seams are treated with a latex sealant for vents, or foil tape at a minimum. You would be surprised how much air can leak with a standard install. Make sure all the trim and window joints are sealed with a good quality caulking. If the shingles are in that bad of shape, replacement might be your best bet, espicially if the tar paper is getting it.
Thanks for the reply but Im confused. Is the problem coming from the outside in or the inside out? I have a forced hot air system and was looking to put a humidifier in but dont know if that would do. If I vinyl side instead of paint and go over these shingle will there be a problem later on ? Thanks form everyones advice.
The first thing to do is to procure a decent humidity gauge. With single-pane windows your humidity inside (temp about 68) should be no greater than 40% at 50 degrees outside temp, dropping maybe 7% for each 10 degrees below 50 it is.
The only function of economic forecasting is to make astrology look respectable. --John Kenneth Galbraith
I second the humidity gauge. If there is condensation on the inside of the window, than the humidity is at least collecting there. It could be anything. The gauge will at least help you tell where to start looking. A moisture meter may not be a bad purchase either. You can stick the prongs in various building materials and that will also narrow your search. A humidifier is not needed, you already have plenty of humidity.
What ever you do just remember that your single pane windows are going to condense moisture no matter what you do to the rest of the house. A single pane window is acting as an unwanted dehumidifier in this case. With no air gap (as in double pane windows) their is absolutely 0 insulation here. A brand new house, built with todays tight standards but with single pane windows, would still have condensation on the windows when it is cool outside. You might want to think about changing the windows as an energy saver.
Or just install storm windows.
The only function of economic forecasting is to make astrology look respectable. --John Kenneth Galbraith
I have them on allready. They are old ones though. Would new ones help out just the same as getting ne w double pane window?
There's probably not a lot of difference in old vs new storms, so long as they fit reasonably tightly. Installing temporary weatherstripping around the old storms might help.
The only function of economic forecasting is to make astrology look respectable. --John Kenneth Galbraith
That works too. I'm not a big fan of storm windows for energy efficiency, but sometimes the architecture of the building and the curb appeal of the older windows almost dictates that you keep them.
If the house has a vapor barrier, it's a good bet that water is possibly penetrating the wall from outside as well. (Check flashing, Soffits & Facias, and the brick mold on your old single pane windows & doors.)
Was insulation ever added to the walls? It's pretty common to see paint peel on wood siding after insulation is added to older houses. It doesn't always mean that you have a moisture problem that's hurting the house, but there could be enough to make it difficult for exterior wood to hold paint. I would wager that the cedar shingles are only painted on the visible surfaces. If that's the case, they probably won't do a good job of holding any paint. The only option is to replace with prepainted shingles, preferably with a rainscreen detail. Don't discount the moisture issues regarding the rest of the house. Old uninsulated homes are generally very forgiving of interior moisture problems. Once you start adding insulation and tightening the building envelope with insulation, the interior moisture may start to cause problems. Where in RI are you? I'd be more than happy to take a look at the house for you. I'm located in Wakefield.