Window Condensation & Window Replacement
Condensation is visible evidence of excessive moisture in the air. It may appear as water, frost, or ice on the surface of windows and doors. This occurs more frequently in the winter months, due to the extreme difference between the inside and outside temperatures. Excessive condensation on the windows in a home is not only a bother, but it can also cause damage to your windows, trim, and even the wall below it when the condensation builds up and begins to run down.
Exterior Condensation on Your Windows
This type of condensation appears for two reasons. First, if the outside of your glass is fogging up, it may be because the exterior surface of the glass has been worn away by the natural elements. The other reason is when the dew point in the air outside is higher than the temperature of the glass.
Interior Condensation on Your Windows
This type of condensation occurs whenever there is excess humidity in a home. When the air in your home comes in contact with the colder glass surface, it’s then cooled and moisture is released in the form of condensation on the glass.
Inside Double Pane Windows
Condensation inside a double pane window is due to a broken or worn seal. Replacing the window is the only solution to fix this problem.
CONDENSATION
Condensation is the visible evidence of excessive moisture in the air. Poor quality windows and doors can ruin your windows, trim, and even the walls and floor below.
Reducing the condensation on your windows in your home
If you have determined that your windows are in good shape and have been properly installed but are still seeing condensation developing, there are a few things you can do to reduce the condensation. The condensation developing on the window typically means that there is too much moisture in the air and not enough air flow. Below are a few things you can do to reduce this moisture.
Get a de-humidifyer
De-humidifyers are designed to remove moisture from the air. They are commonly placed in high moisture areas such as basements to ensure that the room is dry and does not promote the growth of mold and algae. If you have too much moisture in the house, you can use a de-humidifyer to control the amount of moisture in the air. It will continue to remove moisture until a desired level is reached at which point it will turn off.
Air out the home
If there is an excess amount of moisture in the air of the home in the wintertime, opening windows and doors to air out the house will allow the dry air from the outside into the home and the moist air to leave. You can do this during a time when no one is home as the air coming into the home will typically be cold.
Move plants to another location
Plants tend to give off a lot of moisture. Since plants do need a lot of sunshine, people tend to put them near windows. They don’t realize that these plants give off moisture and may cause the windows near them to have condensation develop. Fixing this is fairly simple by strategically moving the plants around to still receive sunlight but be far away enough to stop the condensation from forming on the window.
Utilize fans throughout the home
Turning on the fans while cooking in the kitchen and bathroom fans when showering will greatly reduce the amount of moisture that remains in the air. It will also allow the air to circulate through the house. You can even turn on ceiling fans in the rooms during the winter to help with air circulation. Having them on will actually take the air that has risen to the top and push it downward towards the floor.
Add weather stripping
Adding weather strips to your windows and doors will not only help reduce your condensation problem but decrease the amount of heat loss in your home which can result in monthly energy savings.
Condensation in new homes
If your home is fairly new, it is possible that the materials used to build your home are still drying out. It may take 1-2 years for materials like wood and concrete to dry out. One way to reduce this type of condensation is to periodically open up windows or doors and allow for air circulation from the outside.
Other window related links: New Window Installation / Air Drafts / Window Appearance / Window Operation / Old Windows
