Condensation is generally a nuisance and can even cause damage to your building. It occurs most frequently in winter, because of the cold exterior temperatures. Not only does condensation make it difficult to see outside of your windows, but it also often results in water damage to the building. When left alone, condensation can cause wood molding around the window to rot and can damage the plaster. Condensation is a sign that there is too much moisture within the air of the building, which can lead to more issues within the building. A few of these problems include buckling floors, deterioration of the insulation, growth of mold and mildew, peeling paint, and rotting wood.
What is Condensation?
Condensation is essentially when water and fog droplets accumulate on the surface of a window. It occurs most frequently in cold weather. Condensation can make it difficult to see outside of your home, which can be annoying. In addition, it can actually do damage to the interior of the building and the area surrounding the windowsill.
The Cause of Condensation
Ultimately, condensation is caused when warm and cooler temperatures interact. Warm air is capable of holding more moisture than cold air. When warm air inside of a home comes into contact with a cooler surface, like a window pane, it will become cooled. This lowers the amount of moisture that the air is able to hold, which causes condensation to accumulate on the surface of the window. Though windows often don’t cause the condensation, they often serve as a sign that the moisture level within your building is too high.
Stop Condensation by Stopping Moisture
There will likely always be some amount of moisture inside of a building. Breathing and perspiring inside of a building will increase the level of moisture in the building. Other activities that work with water, such as cooking, doing laundry, baths, and showers all add to the level of moisture within the building. Lowering the overall moisture level within the building can reduce the presence of condensation on your windows.
Consider Double-Paned Windows
Double-paned windows can reduce condensation on the windows. It may also help you to determine what kind of condensation is present within your building. Though exterior condensation generally doesn’t cause many issues, interior condensation is more capable of creating damage. Condensation that is located between the panes of the window tends to indicate that the seal is broken on the window, which needs to be resolved quickly.
Use Exhaust Fans
Exhaust fans help to circulate air throughout your home. There are often exhaust fans in many different locations of the building. They may be present near the stove or in the bathroom. Using exhaust fans can add to circulation and reduce total amounts of moisture.
Ventilate your Home
Ensure that your home is well-ventilated, especially during the winter. This will help to circulate air both in and outside of your home. In general, the air outside tends to be drier than the air inside of your building. Ensuring that this can circulate will help to lower moisture levels inside of the building.
Turn Down the Humidifier
There are many benefits from using a humidifier, especially when you’re sick. However, keeping a humidifier on when you have condensation on your windows will simply exacerbate the problem. Condensation essentially indicates that the moisture level within your home is too high. Ultimately, a humidifier is simply adding more moisture to the already saturated air of the building.
Alternatively, a dehumidifier can be incredibly valuable when condensation is present in your home. It can help to remove the moisture that is present in your air and reduce the total humidity level.
Use the Ceiling Fans
Turning the ceiling fans on in your home is often the last thing on your mind in the dead of winter. However, using the ceiling fans can actually reduce the amount of condensation present in your home. Ensure that the ceiling fans rotate clockwise during the winter. This will help to push warm air off of the ceiling and warm the rest of the building.
Storm Windows
Adding storm windows outside of your windows can minimize condensation on your windows. This is because it will essentially add a layer of insulation over your windows, which will keep the window panes warmer. The warmer the window panes are, the less they will cool the interior air of the building, preventing the condensation on the windows.
Raise the Interior Temperature
Increasing the temperature inside of the building will raise the temperature of the window panes. This will prevent the warm air from becoming cooled through contact with the window panes. Increasing the temperature can decrease the condensation.
Add Weather Stripping
Weather stripping helps to increase the insulation factor of the windows. This will prevent warm air from escaping from the building and will keep the window much warmer. Adding weather stripping can help to reduce condensation, as well as reduce your overall energy expenses.
Relocate Plants
Plants will release moisture into the air. This contributes more to the condensation on a window if the plants are located directly next to the window. Moving your plants further away from the windows can help to reduce condensation.
Insulate Windows
Insulated windows provide most of the same benefits to the interior of a building as weather stripping. In fact, weather stripping is generally one method for improving the insulation of the window. Insulated windows can help create a much more comfortable environment inside of your building. Ensure that you prepare your windows for winter and replace them when it becomes necessary.
Condensation in Between Window Panes
If condensation is located in between the panes of your window, it is likely that the condensation is being caused due to a broken seal that is allowing air to penetrate into this area. It is important to have these fixed to protect the interior of your building.
Here at Moyes Glass, we strive to provide you with all of the services that you need to enhance the windows of your building, whether you need new windows or replacement windows. To learn more about the methods for protecting your windows and creating a comfortable environment within your home, contact our experts today!