QUESTION FROM Martin

What causes condensation on windows in the winter. This ruined the finish on my window frame.

ANSWER FROM HOME-WIZARD

Dear Martin:

In the winter, condensation can form on the inside of windows when humid air inside of your house comes in contact with the cold surface of your windows. Technically, this is because the window surface is below the "dew point" of the air near the window. The "dew point" is the temperature at which the water vapor in the air becomes saturated and condensation begins.

Basically there are two ways to prevent condensation on your windows from happening in the winter. The first is to reduce the relative humidity in the house, and the second is to increase the temperature of the window glass.

Reducing the relative humidity is usually the most effective way of reducing window condensation. To reduce the relative humidity of your home, make sure that exhaust fans, such as in your bathroom, kitchen and clothes dryers are vented properly and in good working condition. You may even need to run them longer than you ordinarily would, so as to more completely drying out these areas. Proper venting is important because today's homes have been insulated so well that without the use of these exhaust vents, there is no way for excess moisture to escape your house. In addition, you can reduce the relative humidity of your home in the winter by controlling other sources of humidity, such as from fish tanks or from having numerous house plants. To be effective, the relative humidity needs to be dropped to a minimum of 40%.

Increasing the temperature of your windows is another potential way of solving winter window condensation problems. For example, make sure window curtains and blinds are opened during the day to let in sun and to also allow air movement to help dry out the area around your windows. By opening curtains and blinds you're also allowing the warmer air from the room to warm up the window.

If you take these steps and have good quality windows, you should be able to eliminate your winter window condensation problems.

For additional information about , here are some good webpages:

http://www.uwex.edu/news/2002/12/solving-winter-window-condensation-problems

http://www.madisonvinyl.com/vinyl-window-condensation.php


Hope this is helpful.
Home-Wizard.com