Condensation can be a real problem for your home windows. While it can often appear like nothing but a bit of harmless fogging up, it can be a warning sign that you need to take action in order to avoid damage. If left unaddressed, condensation can cause mold to grow, or even cause moisture damage to window frames. Before you get alarmed, though, let us tell you about the different kinds of condensation, and what you can do about it.
Interior condensation
Condensation on the inside of windows is caused when the humidity inside the house is too high. This is quite a common occurrence in winter, especially in newer houses. Since newer homes are insulated better than older ones, they tend to trap moisture along with heat.
Some of the biggest causes of excess interior moisture are fireplaces, cooking, showering, indoor plants, house pets, washing machines, and tumble dryers. If it’s a new house, the building materials probably need another year or so to dry.
To combat condensation, taking care of the things above will already help a lot. Keep the kitchen and bathroom doors closed while cooking and showering, and use extractor fans. Turn off humidifiers, and consider using a dehumidifier instead. Move your indoor plants outside. Open some doors and windows for a few minutes in order to allow some of the excess moisture to escape. If you need to dry your clothes on a line, hang them outside, or in a room with the windows open, or in a closed bathroom.
If the simple tricks don’t take care of the problem completely, you need to get a little bit scientific by using a hygrometer to measure the relative humidity. Make sure that you keep the humidity inside at the proper range relative to the outside temperature.
Exterior condensation
Condensation on the outside of your windows is usually not a problem, apart from blocking your view. You can keep the condensation away by applying an anti-fog spray product. Alternatively, you just need to wait patiently for the sun to come out.
Condensation between window panes
One of the worst kinds of window condensation happens when your double glazed windows fog up between the panes of glass. This is usually a sign that the seal has deteriorated, or that the desiccant in between the panes is no longer functional.
Before you reach the conclusion that your double pane windows are faulty, give them a good cleaning first. Once you are sure that they are not, in fact, just dirty, you will have to face the bad news that you may have to replace the window panes. Since double glazed windows come as sealed units, there is usually no easy or cheap fix when they fog up permanently. But if you catch the problem in time, you may be able to fix it cheaply with a DIY repair kit. Alternatively, some foggy window repair companies can also install new seals, and recondition the unit as good as new, for a fraction of the cost of a new one.