Raining inside the sugar shack?

[Mike N RI]

What is the solution for the constant rain inside a metal-roofed sugar shack?

The bottom edge of the 1x6 nailers drip when we get the evaporator roaring.

After 3 years of water torture we installed plastic gutters inside the sugar shack.

Are there any other answers?

[3rdgen.maple]

hood. I have wanted to put a hood on but the family says the steam laden room and the drips from the ceiling are all part of the attraction to making syrup and for me just to leave it like it is.

[peacemaker]

solid wood under the rafters

[stoweski]

I've seen people put plastic sheets up on slight angles so the condensation doesn't drip back down into the evaporator. It also helps guide the steam up and out the cupola thus reducing the amount of condensation collected on the plastic - or metal - or wood.

I don't know if this works but I had my hood up while boiling this past weekend... It was getting old, fast. I think I have some in my basement. I'll be putting it up when I get around to it.

[KenWP]

Dry water works well also. Some kind of fan to suck moisture out of the shack would help. If you can get a draft going up wards out the roof would help also. Do you have enough make up air in order to get a draft going up wards also.

[maple flats]

I had the same thing on my 2x6 until I made a hood. Now on my 3x8 with hood I still get no rain with the same cupola needed for 2x6.

[Haynes Forest Products]

I would really like to see the fan that will pull steam from a open room without sucking the window out of there frames.

[JuniperHillSugar]

I've got a steam problem as well, which becomes a water problem after a while.

I'm thinking about installing a second floor on the sugar house and renting it out by the hour. I could probably make quite a few bucks at my Maine Maple Steam House.:lol:

[ebourassa]

i put a hood on my flue pan but it still rains in there I have tried plastic and it woeked ok, i took it down this year, i guess i can deal with alittle water, but the hood did help quite a bit, my biggest problem is my evap. is off cetered withe the coopla, i was thinkin on buy the 1/4 stryofam and run it between the rafters to see if that would work.

[KenWP]

I would really like to see the fan that will pull steam from a open room without sucking the window out of there frames.

I am used to useing them all the time. We pressure wash in un heated barns with hot water and I have to have the fan on so I can see for more then 10 seconds at a time with my glasses.

[Haynes Forest Products]

Ken I think the amount of steam that a pressure washer puts out is peanuts compared to a evap that is boiling off 150 gallons per hr. I had a big squirl cage blower mounted in the end of my evap room when that was all I had and it didnt do squat with the windows open and the door cracked. I have seen others try and use fans and all they did was spend alot of time for nothing. We are talking about a 3x10....4x12 so maybe the smaller rigs wont over power the fan

[Mike N RI]

We have 4 lines of drips about 8'-12' long so we installed plastic gutters under them with a small downspout into an old sap bucket...I will try to post pictures.

[Amber Gold]

I have problems with raining after I've been boiling for about 6 hrs. No hood, but I have plywood sheathing. It drips off the collar ties and rafters. The steam tends to hang above the collar ties and doesn't evacuate well. Cupola is 3x10 with two 8'x2' doors...should be big enough. I can't wait for a hood.

[red maples]

I get rain only on one side because evap is off set a little. so what I did so far is put up some 4 mil plastic on the roof. good for today. so it runs down the plastic and makes a huge puddle the floor...here is my solution.

cut a 4 inch PVC pipe in 1/2 lengthwise LIke a gutter and put it on the bottom of the plastic and put a T at one end and attach something at the bottom maybe another piece of 4 inch PVC and put a faucet on the bottom and a bucket below for a sink. ITs clean and good for a quick hand wash!!!:)

[Mike N RI]

Here are some photos of the Maple Rain Gutter system. It works very well; no more water torture or wet wood.

[matthew gedeon]

In many old sugarhouses they put boarding on the rafters

[THCPrecision]

Many of the old school sugar houses also full sheeth the roof with 1 by rough sawn stock but the good ones laid it on on a 45 deg angle to the rafters starting in the middle which helps any dripps durring prolonged boils on cold nights to channel down the enges of the boards to the out side of the building and not on the occupants. but if the roof is already on thats a little tuffer. Mine is sheethed with rough cut 1X pine but not at 45deg and once in a blue moon it drips used to boil with friends on a 5x16 that had the roof sheathing on in the 45 deg angle and it did work. just start in the middle and work out also adds strength.