sweaty toilet tank (hitting the brick wall)

ok so here is the deal

Hi my name is Eric..... and i have a sweaty tank. HA!
There really wasnt any way i can start this thread without it sounding like it needs to be an AA meeting.

Moving on.

Like most here in the North Easy US, my tank sweats a couple times a year.

I just bought the house and im sure its been happening for some time now. I want to eliminate or control this problem before it ruins the flooring in the bathroom.(Not to mention directly around the base of the toilet)

(I can just see it now. My wife goes to sit down and the toilet starts to lean over, then i hear a scream)

There are a couple methods to eleviate this, both of which i found here on the family handyman but neither of which is going to work in this case.

Method # 1 - Wrap the tank in a fabric designed to pull moister away like a terrycloth or.... other cloth it goes on.

I have to say, this is something would NEVER do. Fabric made to absorb fluids, resting against a tank?
1st lets not get into the fact that "guys splash" its just a fact and theres no way around it.

2nd - as the fabric sits there, how long until you got some funky smell coming off the bottom area of this thing, because it stays moist, right over that bowl of "things we like to leave behind us and never speak of" ?
Catch my drift everyone?

ok then.....

Method #2 is to pipe in a bit of hot water using a valve tied to the hot and cold line before the toilet.
This allows a scaleable amount of hot water from the hot water line to enter and mix with the cold water coming into the toilet which rasies the water temp just a bit closer to room temp. And in that case, no more sweat on the tank..........See now that would be AWESOME and i would start on that tonight....but...

Keep in mind i need to run the water for quite a while before i get any hot water coming out of the hot water tap of the sink.

This is currently with a 5gallon flush toilet and ill be going to a 1.5 soon.
That amount of water is going to leave and enter the toilet really quickly.
Im afraind it wouldnt be running anywhere near long enough, to get the hot water, all the way from the water heater, to the toilet.... so ill still be using the cold water that is in the hot water line.

Ok.... so now what?

an AC in the room?
How about if i just take a wire, connect it from the outlet GFCI and touch the hot line to the toilet tank.... would that warm it? Just kidding but i am looking for ideas

ae3d...

First let me tell you that I have no answers.   I too, being in N.E. (MA) am enjoying the same problem as you.  I did , however, find a product which is not quite an easy solution after all.  Harvey's Toilet Tank Liner Kit #090910.  you can see it here  (   http://www.amazon.com/Toilet-Tank-Liner-Kit-Adhesive/dp/B000HE6DMI )  ..but the instructions (inside the sealed package are very detailed and not worth my time or efforts.  

It entails that you:

(1) Drain the tank (hahaha).

(2) Remove the tank.

(3) Wipe out  and clean/scrub all of the discolored crap that has accumulated over the years to a degree where all sides look brand new.

(4) Wait 2-3 days so it is completely void of any moisture. (sounds like 40 days and 40 nights roaming in the desert to find a working toilet!)  You can use a hair-dryer to speed the process... ah yeah....  I have only 1 bathroom/toilet in the house, so you can imagine how this would all go... hahaha! 

(4) Attach styrofoam panels (~ 1 inch thick) on all sides w/ enclosed adhesive.

NOTE:   I bought the product, THEN i read the instructions... stupid move, huh? 

On another note, you are a riot... I love your sense of humor as it hits my funny bone (errr, well not MY funny bone, but you get the point, ahhh... eerrrr... nevermind.).  You gave me a smile today and I thank you for that.  I have seen he hot-water solution, but it's weird if your (junk) hits the water, haha!   

Please let me know if you find a solution that makes all of the solutions we have described, pale in comparison, if such a thing exists.

I did find drip trays on Amazon.com, but I personally have no experience with them.  I do, however, plan on trying based on the low price... maybe I can find local and avoid the ~$7 shipping....  you can find this product here (http://www.amazon.com/Service-Toilet-Ps2097-Tankballs-Accessories/dp/B000BRM53W/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top ).

There are many on the internet to investigate.  Let me know if you have fixed your problem and what you did...  I will do same and give results.  We're +90 degrees here today in 02056.

Thanks again,

Don

I think your answer is adding hot water to the tank.  They make mixing valves that will mix the hot and cold water.  One down side to this system, as you mentioned, is that you need to run water to get the hot water to the mixing valve.  You could just plumb the system straight hot.  You will not get "hot" water in your tank, but you should get room temp water incoming, which is what you need.  Good Luck.

well Don

it seems you and i should put our heads together and try to figure out this no muss, no fuss, easy solution that even a caveman  + an old lady with a "HELP IVE FALLEN!....." button on her neck and install.

This is just appalling that nothing exists and what does exist, just doesn't work as we would hope.

in Theory, yes using a liner to the tank would work just great but

hey.... doesnt it take up room in the tank?

doesnt it reduce the amount of water doing it job in the bowl that the GRAVITY toilet is designed for?

ok the answer is yes.I know its gotta be late for you so i wont make you try to answer question in your currently tired state.

Im sure you are beat after spending each night in the "CATCH A DROP OF WATER FROM THE TOILET TANK BEFORE IT HITS THE FLOOR" olympics around your area.

God i know i am.

i do have a perfect idea and it works just like a window.

Email me directly at antifmradio@antifmradio.com

ill tell ya what that is........ in the subject, drop in "special toilet tank idea"

itll job my memory. ANd you tell me what you think about it.

Ok im off for now. Just spent the weekend in Atlantic City and  i did gamble one penny.

Although i did get to watch a *** girl, try to get notice but about 7 hot girls that walked into an Elks Lodge.

Sounds like an interesting story? no. Becaus this all happened in the daylight.

You know all the goodies would have happened in the dark anyway.

Ok.... Eric Out

Until we speak again..... keep that floor dry

I wouldn't get rid of the old toilet ( water closet) until you're sure you are satisfied with the new one....