Sugar House roof question

[Maplewalnut]

I am currently planning a combo garage/sugar shack. I plan on separating the two areas by a floating wall (to allow for expansion in the future). I have come to the roof and need some input. The garage section will have a loft area and in order to get that height I am planning a 12/12 pitch roof. My problem is that I don’t want to have a 20 foot ceiling over my evaporator since I don’t have a hood. I am thinking that is too much distance for the warm steam to travel before it gets to the cupola and exits. Probably will have condensation problems and a lot of dripping. Does anyone see a problem in say a 4/12 pitch roof over the sugaring operation and joining it to the 12/12 roof line?

Does anyone run their stack up through the cupola? I am thinking the warm stack temp may help direct the steam to the exit a little faster

[royalmaple]

I have an 8/12 pitch and it is about 16 feet off the ground to the top of the cupola and no problems with steam exiting. I think you'll be fine. It will find a way out.

[Russell Lampron]

I have a 13/12 pitch and had problems with condensation on the inside of the metal roofing. The metal is exposed so there wasn't any wood to soak up the condensation. It is better to have a steep pitch to your roof so that you won't have problems with the room filling with steam because it can't exit fast enough. The steam will find it's way out. I solved my problem by putting a steamhood on my flue pan. I have my steam stack exit into the cupola and the wind blowing through it creates a good draft. If you board your roof and put metal on top of that the condensation won't be a problem either.

Russ

[John Burton]

If you are talking about smoke stack through the coupla I would say its a bad idea to many sparks and alot of heat there steam stack would be fine

[Breezy Lane Sugarworks]

I would run 12/12 pitch over it all. I don't see too many problems with the steam. with it being fairly steep and a correct sized coupla, it will kinda make its own draft. if the steam was ever to be a problem, you can make/buy used hoods pretty reasonably. for me it does. and you also said you'd have a floating wall for possible expansions. well, then when/if you ever move that wall, the ceiling will be the same everywhere.

[ennismaple]

I agree with the general consensus - the steam will condense and drip when it comes in contact with the cold steel roof and not because it's cooled on the way up. Go with whatever slope you need to make the roof work best for your needs and the steam will find it's way out.

[Maplewalnut]

As always, I appreciate the comments. Looks like a 12/12 pitch all the way across. May even cantalever a viewing platform from the loft for a birds eye view of the boiling. (not directly over of course)

[royalmaple]

I boarded my entire roof and also use ice and water shield on top, then put the metal roofing on, so I have no metal exposed to allow the steam to condense on. I barely get any drops from the roof, some may collect on some of the rafters and run down and drip along the wall but really only on the rainy nights when it is hard to get rid of the steam anyway.