To be clear, I don’t have moisture or mold problems. Just an observation after I had washed the dome. There is often a frost/condensation layer on the dome, but it always just evaporated. It never ran together enough to drop off. And occasionally still does “sprinkle” since my last post. But not always. And we are talking maybe 100-200 drips on the floor. Not hours and hours. The whole thing was an observation of a possible issues with yurts being too clean and/or too smooth. I’m sure the dome had a film of smoke, dirt, sweat, cat hair, bug poop, etc on it. That’s why I washed it. Lol.
And yes. I understand how condensation forms. Different temperatures colliding. Made worse if the air (usually the warmer air) has a lot of moisture in it. Here are answers to your questions - (it IS an excellent list to consider!), but more for others looking for real world, yurt living details. I have a 24’ White Mountain Yurt. Heat only with a wood stove with no outside venting. I did consider adding outside venting - more to lessen the yurt’s natural draftiness*. Never followed through. Cook and heat water with a Colman 2-burner propane stove. No special venting for that. Do cover any pots though more for efficiency than to lessen condensation. A few times each winter, I’ll make bone broth for 3-5 days on the wood stove and that is probably when I get the most condensation in the yurt. I also bring my laundry home from the laundromat and hang it inside to dry by the wood stove. Mostly dries overnight and the yurt might be a bit damper the next morning. I do hang it outside year round - if I get home in time to actually do that before the sun goes down. No bathroom or running water. Just use gallons of water one at a time, which I can refill at a local, awesome, year round Spring about 20 minutes away. I do have a Shewee (feminine funnel) I use all the time in the yurt, night and day. Both for convenience and because one doesn’t want a lot of urine in one’s composting toilet. (When I need to dump the urine, I walk to where I ended the day before and continuously mark about a half acre around the yurt to hopefully let the local wildlife know this is my territory and don’t mess with the cat). Each fall on the first cold, windy day I’m home and in the mood, I circle the yurt looking for drafts and plug those. Prior to that, I go under the platform and make sure there are no new holes or gaps to plug. During the coldest part of winter, I will often shove fleece jackets or blankets or whatever around the windows. Sometimes first sliding a 5’ by 5’ square of Reflexics between the window vinyl and lattice. Especially at night or when it’s below zero. Then slide it aside on warmer sunny days. My yurt is out in the open enough to get a good amount of passive solar heat. I considered attempting to cinch down around the bottom of the yurt outside, but never followed through with that either. Sometimes in the dead of winter, I will close up the door to the west, pushing strips of foam or whatever to seal up the frame and only use the other door. (Though not sealed enough I couldn’t easily get out quickly if need be). And all this is obviously more about staying warmer than condensation issues, though the two are related). Other than that sort of temporary insulation, I’ve never tried to add more insulation than what came with the winter package. I NEVER open the dome in the winter. That is just asking for problems, IMO. The
is insulated. Though guessing after 10 years, the mice have move and/or removed and/or fouled some amount of that. I’m considering pulling down the bottom panels next summer and redoing if needed. Though what a nasty job. Bleck.
Hope this info is helpful. I’d love to read success stories/tips from others!!
And honestly. I’ve said it a dozen times on this forum. HOT WATER BOTTLES. Heat the bed, heat the cat, heat me while I’m sitting and reading, eating, or on my iphone. They are AWESOME. Especially when off grid. Otherwise I’d probably just use an electric blanket. Also closed cell camping sleeping pads. Can use those ANY time or situation you need to insulate yourself from something sucking your heat. Maybe a couch on a Friday night (that has been in a 20 degrees frozen yurt all week, your feet insulated from the cold floor, your coffee mug, your bum insulated from a cold toilet seat. Closed cell foam is amazing, super useful stuff in cold climates. Cheap, light weight. Awesome. Hope everyone is happy and healthy! Happy holidays! - Cindy
*Before Covid. Yurts are drafty. After Covid. Yurts have excellent air exchange. Haha
Re: Yurt vapor barriers to combat mould
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