Condensation = Angry Wife

My wife is threatening me with bodily harm and no sex if I don't fix my brewing set up. Please Help!!!
So here's the readers digest version....
I brewed a batch a while back and overtightened my ported spigot and had some beer dribble out on our hardwood floors... I didn't catch it for a couple days and it ruined a small section. It was a slow leak so the damage was minimal, unless you ask my wife. I got it cleaned up just fine but you can see where the wood was swollen.
In an attempt to create a more stable temperature during ferment stages I decided to make a simple swamp cooler... Tin pan with a little water/starsan and a cotton towel...the towel will keep moist and allow for evaporative cooling. Temps were held 60-65f when doing this and I was pleased with the results...however, my wife thought differently. Condensation from the pan/water ect soaked into the floor in the same spot making the floors swell and increasing my soggy footprint.
Fast FWD to my current batch. After the condensation issue I placed a plastic backed picnic blanket under the pan and repeated the swamp cooler method thinking that any condensation would be held in the blanket and not get past the plastic lining. Wrong... bigger soggy footprint and the wife blew a gasket.
I don't have the space for a beer fridge(or money for that matter) hence having to brew on the hardwoods.
The couch is comfy and I do have my beer to drink!! BUT, I'd really like to figure out a solution so I can move back upstairs and maybe just maybe get laid again :rockin:

Go to the hardware store and get a polyethaline drip pan for a water heater.

aiptasia said:

Go to the hardware store and get a polyethaline drip pan for a water heater.

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Put blocks of 2x4 under the pan to create an airspace between it and the floor. I use resturant bussing trays for my swamp coolers. Two for $12.00 at Sams Club.

You need it off the ground. Otherwise, whatever your drip pan is on will be cold from the cold water. The other side will draw condensation. Just like you had with the picnic table cloth.

Or else something thick enough to insulate the opposite side. Cold surface = condensation.

Pretty radical design solution but hit the link below and check for some replacement parts. You should be able to find something that will work. G'Luck!

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/w4m/

And keep the fermenter out of her closet. One little blow off incident and I was banned to the couch for a very long time

https://cool-brewing.com/ done and done.................

Insulate any surface which is collecting condensation...

Exposed metal surfaces or even thin plastic ones will allow the surface to hit dewpoint in a moist environment. An insulated surface will be closer to ambient temperature (above dewpoint).

haha. Thanks for the humorous read. Sounds like my wife's over-reactions having to do with (her) hardwood floors but fortunately I have a full basement for my brewing.

Craigslist freezer < $100, ranco temp controller about $40. Put in the garage convert to keezer later on. Also its out of site unless your wife spends a lot of time in the garage. Win win

Thanks for the feed back everyone... I'm glad I could provide some comic relief today.
I really like the cool brew idea. I looked at fishing coolers/ fish bags ect that were large enough to fit my fermenter in but they were a couple hundred bucks each. No way. This is small enough and flexible enough to store when I'm not brewing. I think a combo of using some blocks and the bag....and some flowers for the wife... should put me in good standing again.
D3
Thank you!

Jayhem said:

haha. Thanks for the humorous read. Sounds like my wife's over-reactions having to do with (her) hardwood floors but fortunately I have a full basement for my brewing.

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I don't think it's unreasonable of his wife to react this way, especially since it seems to have happened several times. Not only does this damage the flooring it provides an opportunity for mold to infest the wood.

I'd be mad too if someone was damaging my hardwood floors.

Well heck the damage is done and you can only try to make the best of a bad situation. I tried the humor with my wife when the fermenter exploded in her closet and it took 2 or 3 months before she stopped glaring at me. Now a year later she will kind of chuckle about it and lets me look in the bedroom now so I am that much closer to getting back into bed and all because of humor

This thread makes me very happy I have an unfinished basement to make messes in. Good luck to the OP and the rest of you..

A batch of wine I had going on the kitchen counter shot through the airlock and hit the ceiling and all the counters and everything. That was my fault. Another time I had a full keg of beer on the kitchen counter. The wife was in the dining room. For some reason I HAVE NO IDEA WHY I poked a car key into the pop it valve on the "out" on the keg and it sprayed her right in the face. Now I have a garage.

BxBrewer said:

https://cool-brewing.com/ done and done.................

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+1, and controls your temps much better than a swamp tub.

This all seems strange to me. I've never had a problem with condensation before and I have stored beers in fairly extreme temps. Did you have condensation problems before adding the water pan?

Also, did I read correctly that your primary carboy has a spigot? If so, I would buy a new brewing bucket as a first step. Any additional seals or openings add more variables to the equation, which in this case only have the potential to cause problems (e.g. contamination, leaks).

Good luck with the boss!

Yes... my wife is rightfully mad. I'm mad at myself too but she controls the extra curriculars.
Yes, both fermenters are ported 6g buckets. I like them. It's super easy to clean is the most important part. That and transfers/bottling ect is so much easier than siphoning.
Thanks again for all the responses and ideas.
D3

I second the freezer/fridge thing with the STC-1000. I picked up my 7cu ft chest freezer from craigslist for about 60 bucks, and wired the STC-1000 up.

I picked up my fridge that is now my kegerator off craigslist for free.

Guess where they both came from? Wake Forest. You're in the right place to score some appliance deals.

I picked up a 7.1 cuft freezer, brand new GE energystar, delivered and moved to the basement for 145 on cyber Monday from home depot, +35 dollars for an stc-1000 and parts, +12 for a waterproof seed germination heating mat, +20 for a mini dehumidifier. So about 200, and I have a safe, clean, temp controlled fermentation chamber.

The best part I think is just having a consistent place to put my fermenting beers.

And it can probably be done a lot cheaper with a used freezer.

I've heard that the inside of fermentation chambers can get pretty dank. It makes sense to me though, all of the water molecules that turn into ice crystals in a normal freezer don't freeze, so if you open and close it a few times, you'll end up with lots of moisture in there

I've heard that any fridge or freezer is basically the perfect place to grow mold if not running. If you are at fridge temps or below, you will be fine. If you are holding in the high 50s, you may do better with the dehumidifier. Note: I have no personal experience with ferm chambers, just with disgusting stored refrigerators.

Why not fix the floor too(when she is not home in order to get brownie points and avoid questioning)? I have read where you can use an iron and towels to fix them. Just do some searching and make sure you know what type of wood and finish you have, maybe find the manufacturers website and ask them.

Hmmm, on second thought, it could go from bad to worse!