The Condensed Guide to Eliminating Window Condensation


You wake up one morning to the sight of condensation covering your bedroom window. Yet, it’s not just the bedroom that experiences an increase of moisture on the windows. Your bathroom windows invariably fog up, regardless of the climate outside.

Condensation accumulates whenever warm, humid air collides with much drier, cooler air. Think about how the bathroom mirror fogs up after you take a steamy hot shower. The stark difference in humidity and temperature levels cause window condensation. Despite what many window sales representatives claim, poorly designed windows don’t produce window pane condensation.

Some simple tips alleviate the nuisance called window condensation.

The Science of Condensation

Humidity represents the primary reason why condensation develops on the windows of your home. During the warmer months of the year, your home acts as a sponge soaking in moisture. Condensation typically forms on window exteriors. In the winter, condensation builds up on the interior of or between double glazed windows. The heating of your home creates a contrast between dry, cold air outside and the increase of heat and humidity inside.

How to Eliminate Window Condensation

At its worst, window condensation produces enough moisture to cause the gradual deterioration of wooden materials that comprise window frames. Window condensation also obscures your view of the property that surrounds your home.

Let’s tackle the problem of condensation by addressing the issue in each room of your house.

In the Kitchen

The kitchen represents a prime area for window condensation to develop, especially during winter when hot, moist air from the stove runs into the dry, cold air enveloping the exterior of the kitchen windows. Open the window closest to the stove a few centimetres to reduce the contrast between interior and exterior temperatures. You should also cover all cooking pots and pans with a lid to decrease the humidity in the kitchen. A hood extractor moves moist air caused by cooking outside to eliminate interior kitchen window condensation.

In the Bathroom

Steamy hot showers fog up windows on any day during the year. You first notice condensation on the bathroom mirror, before seeing it form on one or more of the bathroom windows. Most bathrooms come equipped with an extractor fan that decreases humidity levels. Turn the fan on during baths and showers, as well as open one of the bathroom windows a bit for allowing cooler, drier air to enter your bathroom.

General Condensation Removal Tips

By opening some of your windows throughout your home for about an hour per day, you invite drier air into your home to expunge excess warm, humid air. Another time-tested condensation removal method involves keeping your heating system at a constant temperature to warm window surfaces. Turn on extractor fans for an hour or so, even if you don’t plan to cook or shower. This is especially important for windows located in the laundry room.

Opening drapes and blinds encourages the circulation of air around windows, which hampers the development of condensation. Do it yourself homeowners should consider operating dehumidifiers in rooms most susceptible to window condensation. Above all, whenever condensation forms on a window, immediately use a cloth to decrease the chance of the moisture redeveloping in the surrounding air.

Double Glazed Equals Double Condensation Trouble

Double glazed windows offer the best way to reduce window condensation. The dual pane windows prevent dry, cool air from interacting with warm, humid air. However, even double glazed windows succumb to condensation on external glazed faces, internal glazed faces, and/or between the two glazed window panes.

The key to eliminating condensation that forms on double glazed windows involves invoking the same principles applied to single pane windows. Top eliminate moisture that forms inside of double glazed windows, you open doors and windows to reduce humidity levels. Condensation that builds up on the external side of double glazed windows is actually a positive sign that the windows are performing optimally. You can wipe the condensation away to enhance your view.

How to Remove Condensation between Double Glazed Windows

The degradation of the seals that surround both double glazed window panes represents the most likely cause of window pane condensation. High moisture content from freshly applied paint might cause the internal window pane to fog up and humid air outdoors can create condensation on the exterior side of the exterior double glazed window. You have two options to address degraded double glazed window sealing: Remove the degraded seal and replace it with new seal or purchase a new double glazed window. The second option costs more and moreover, resealing a double glazed window doesn’t require much do it yourself expertise. Simply scrape off the old seal, wait a few minutes, and then apply the new seal to ensure cold and warm air don’t interact.

 

 

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