Commercial & Industrial — Condensation Control
Industrial Condensation Control Ireland
Spray-applied natural cork anti-condensation thermal treatment for steel buildings, metal roofs, factory walls and warehouse structures. By raising the internal surface temperature above the dew point, an appropriate VIPEQ thermal coating helps prevent surface condensation at its source.
Why Industrial Buildings Suffer Condensation
Condensation is one of the most common and damaging problems in industrial buildings. When warm, moisture-laden air inside a factory, warehouse or processing facility meets a cold surface — an uninsulated metal roof, a steel wall, a concrete column or a cold bridge — moisture condenses onto that surface if its temperature has fallen below the dew point.
The result is dripping water, damp surfaces, mould growth, corrosion of steelwork, spoiled stock and unhealthy working conditions. In food production, pharmaceutical and cold-store environments, condensation can also create serious hygiene and compliance risks.
The root cause is not humidity alone — it is the relationship between surface temperature and dew point. Traditional insulation boards are often impractical on irregular steelwork, existing roof structures and congested plant rooms. A spray-applied natural cork thermal treatment can raise the surface temperature of the substrate directly, reducing the conditions that lead to condensation.
The Key Principle
Condensation is controlled by managing surface temperature, not just ventilation. By improving the thermal behaviour of a cold surface, an appropriate thermal coating can help raise its internal surface temperature above the dew point — preventing condensation from forming in the first place.
Surface Temperature, Dew Point & Condensation
Condensation forms when warm, moisture-laden air meets a surface whose temperature has fallen below the dew point. By improving the thermal behaviour of a cold surface, an appropriate thermal coating can help raise the internal surface temperature and reduce the conditions that lead to surface condensation.
Humidity
Surface Temp
Dew Point
Key Benefits
Common Industrial Condensation Problems
Condensation on Steel Buildings
Single-skin steel cladding cools rapidly overnight, dropping below the dew point and producing persistent dripping and surface damp.
Condensation on Metal Roofs
Metal roofing is a primary condensation surface — water droplets form on the underside and drip onto production areas, stock and machinery.
Condensation on Factory Walls
Cold internal wall surfaces in unheated or intermittently heated factories attract condensation, leading to mould and coating breakdown.
Condensation on Warehouse Roofs
Large roof areas with low thermal mass condense moisture overnight, damaging goods and creating slip hazards on floors below.
Condensation from Thermal Bridging
Concrete columns, steelwork and junctions act as thermal bridges, creating localised cold spots that condense moisture even in otherwise warm buildings.
Cold Surface Condensation
Any surface whose temperature falls below the dew point — tanks, ducts, pipes, plant room walls — will condense moisture from the surrounding air.
A Natural Cork Thermal Coating — Not a Paint
VIPEQ's cork-enhanced thermal coating systems are spray- or trowel-applied directly to the substrate, forming a thin, flexible, vapour-permeable thermal layer that conforms to irregular surfaces — steel, concrete, masonry and timber — without rigid boards, battens or significant loss of internal space.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Solutions
Not sure which system applies?
Send us photographs, drawings or details of the substrate and application and we can assess whether a VIPEQ system is suitable — free, no obligation.
Have a Condensation, Cold-Surface or Thermal-Bridging Problem?
Send us photographs, drawings or details of the substrate and application and we can assess whether a VIPEQ system is suitable for your project.