Water is leaking into my walk in commercial freezer! Need help!

[atadi]

I have a 30 year old custom made walk-in freezer (40ft X 24ftX12ft) in a warehouse and I am currently having water leaking into the box from all around the ceiling

Here is some background information:

The freezer is built as follows-The freezer was built inside an old stock room where the outer wall is made of cement blocks, the middle section is insulated and the inner wall made of plywood and finished with galvanized sheets. On the top-outside of the box, made of plywood, (not cement), there appears to be condensation due to the fact that lots of heat is released from equipment surrounding the box (i. the compressor unit of the freezer), which causes water particles to condense in the summer and enter through the ceiling of the box, accumulate in the inner walls and leak into the freezer.

Do you think we need to remove the insulation to resolve this problem? What are your recommendations?

I can provide you further clarification upon request.

Your help is well appreciated.

[mikeref]

Hi Atadi, sounds to me like your insulation has given out. What is the insulation thickness?

[licencetochill]

For starters, The room should be made with Refrigeration Panel and not ply wood or anything else. For a low temp application it should be 150mm(6 inch) thick all round.It sounds very much like you dont have a vapour seal and are pulling moisture into the room.
Your insulation sounds like its soaked with moisture, and with out reinsulating/rebuilding with the correct materials and creating a vapour tight seal, you will never have a good reliable room.

[acnerd]

I agree, sounds like you have lost the vapour seal, it's done well being 30 years old!! Probably find the insulation inside is very wet in places.

[lee0030]

Sounds alot like the insulation/ vapor seal. My only other thought would be if it is just around the evaperator could be a bad defrost termination switch. Torns the fan on to soon and blows water off the coil.

[paul thompson]

insulation has failed , need a new coldroom ,is my guess