WINDOW CONDENSATION AND HOW TO DEAL WITH

Whether it’s keeping a warm environment, picking up never-ending piles of leaves, or washing up after dirty boots, winter brings a whole host of problems for your house. For certain people, with these troublesome winter concerns, window condensation is up there. 

In this blog, we will look at what triggers window condensation and a few methods you can use to fully eliminate or avoid the issue.

Why Do Windows Collect Condensation?

Condensation starts to develop on the windows of homes across the UK as the weather grows cooler, making windows appear foggy from both inside and outside. It’s even more than just visually unappealing. Condensation slowly falls away from the walls, leaving the windowsill with ponds of sweat. But in the first place, what creates condensation?

It depends on two variables: temperature and humidity. Air naturally has moisture, carrying more water vapour when it’s hotter. As people warm their homes and proceed to accomplish daily tasks such as showering and preparing meals, the air becomes more humid in our houses and holds more moisture. Here are just a few other aspects from within your home that can contribute to making the air more humid: Kettle boiling, gas heaters, laundry drying, respiration, and growing damp moisture.

Although the hot air retains it, moisture is automatically drawn to the cold. This is why, when the house is ventilated, the humid, damp air goes out to the cold exterior. If the house still has cold surfaces, that is, glass, the issue starts. The warm, humid air would be drawn to cold windows. The water vapour compresses into a substance that remains on the windows as the hot air interacts with the cool side. We understand all this as condensation.

Avoid Or Eliminate Condensation?

You ought to fix one of those two variables, temperature or humidity, to eliminate or avoid condensation. Air circulation, which will pull humid, moist air from your house, is one alternative. Opening the windows every day for a couple of minutes will make a dramatic impact. The issue is that your house would now be cooler, charging you more in heating costs to warm it back up.

Without extracting warmth, a dehumidifier can reduce moisture from the air. However, the look and sound of the house will also be disrupted and more energy will be used. Not to mention the need to clean it occasionally. The biggest thing with this is that the dilemma is not really solved on a permanent basis by a dehumidifier. Permanent cooling, such as attic vents, whole-house ventilation, and ceiling fans, may also be considered. In the bathroom and kitchen, air conditioners can also suck out moisture that is produced when you cook, boil the kettle, bathe or wash

Can You Prevent Window Condensation?

The easiest method to stop window condensation is to address the core cause, the cool layer. Not all windows get a cold surface and it is easy to repair those that do. Having new windows built is one popular choice.

By removing the cool temperature on the interior of the windows, double glazing prevents condensation from happening. A slight difference, usually about 4-20mm, separates the two glass panes. This represents an essential additional isolation component between the two panes. Therefore, although the outer glass pane would inevitably become warmer, the inner pane will not become as cold. The hot air within your house will not induce it, and the condensation problem will be eliminated.