You wake up one morning and see condensation on your bedroom window. However, it is not only the bedroom that experiences an increase in humidity at the windows. Your bathroom windows are always fogged up, no matter what the weather is outside.
Condensation forms when warm, moist air collides with much drier, cooler air. Think about how your bathroom mirror fogs up after taking a hot, steamy shower. The large difference in humidity and temperature causes condensation on the windows. Despite what many window vendors claim, poorly designed windows do not produce condensation on the glass.
A few simple tips will reduce the nuisance called window condensation.
The Science of Condensation
Humidity is the number one reason condensation forms on the windows in your home. During the hottest months of the year, your home acts like a damp sponge. Condensation usually forms on the outside of windows. In winter, condensation forms inside or between double glazing. Heating your home creates a contrast between the cold, dry outside air and the increased heat and humidity inside.
How to remove condensation on the window?
In the worst case, condensation on windows produces enough moisture to cause gradual deterioration of the wood materials that contain the window frames. Window condensation also obscures the view of the property surrounding your home.
Let’s tackle the problem of condensation by tackling the problem in every room of your home.
In the kitchen
The kitchen is a great place for window condensation to form, especially in the winter when the warm, moist air from the stove drains into the cool, dry air that envelopes the outside of the kitchen windows. Open the window closest to the stove a few inches to reduce the contrast between indoor and outdoor temperatures. You should also cover all pots and pans with a lid to reduce humidity in the kitchen. A range hood moves moist air caused by outdoor cooking to remove condensation from the kitchen window into the kitchen.
In the bath
Steamy hot showers fog up the windows every day of the year. You first notice condensation on the bathroom mirror, before seeing it form on one or more bathroom panes. Most bathrooms are equipped with an extractor hood which lowers the humidity. Turn on the fan while bathing and showering, and open one of the bathroom windows slightly to let in cooler, drier air.
General tips for removing condensation
By opening some of the windows in your home for about an hour a day, you invite drier air into your home to remove excess warm, moist air. Another tried-and-true method of eliminating condensation is to keep your heating system at a constant temperature to warm window surfaces. Turn on the hood for about an hour, even if you don’t plan to cook or shower. This is especially important for laundry room windows.
Opening curtains and blinds promotes air circulation around windows, making it difficult for condensation to form. Do-it-yourselfers should consider using dehumidifiers in rooms most prone to window condensation. Especially when condensation forms on a window, immediately use a cloth to reduce the possibility of moisture accumulating in the surrounding air.
Double glazing equals double condensation problems
Double glazing is the best way to reduce condensation on the window. Double glazing prevents cool, dry air from interacting with warm, moist air. However, even double-glazed windows succumb to condensation on the exterior glass surfaces, interior glass surfaces and/or between the two panes.
The key to eliminating condensation that forms on double glazing is to apply the same principles that apply to single-glazed windows. Top removes moisture that accumulates in double glazing, opens doors and windows to lower humidity. Condensation accumulating on the outside of the double glazing is actually a positive sign that the windows are working optimally. You can wipe off the condensation to improve your vision.
How to eliminate condensation between double glazing
Degradation of the seals surrounding the two double-glazed windows is the most likely cause of glass condensation. The high moisture content of freshly applied paint can cause the interior glass to fog up and the moist outside air can cause condensation on the outside of the exterior double-glazed window. You have two options for dealing with a damaged double glazing seal: remove the damaged seal and replace it with a new seal, or buy new double glazing. The second option is more expensive, and besides, closing double glazing does not require much DIY experience. Simply scrape off the old sealant, wait a few minutes, then apply the new sealant to ensure hot and cold air don’t interact.