Initially, condensation may seem like a harmless nuisance that can be easily solved with a paper towel. Over time however, it can result in damage to your home and health problems for its occupants. Although condensation can never be fully eliminated, tools such as double-glazed windows can significantly reduce its occurrence.
In this article, we’ll explore how to remove condensation from double-glazed windows and how to tell if your double-glazed windows are effectively preventing condensation.
What Is Condensation?
Tackling the issue of how to remove condensation from double-glazed windows first requires that we answer the question ‘what is condensation?’ Condensation is the natural process whereby water vapour becomes liquid, due to falling temperatures. Given that water’s boiling point is 100℃, once the temperature drops below that point, water vapour can start to become liquid.
What Causes Condensation on Windows?
In the comfort of our own homes, we tend to do activities such as cooking, showering, and washing and drying clothes. Unfortunately, these activities are a source of excess humidity, as they release water vapour into the air. This phenomenon is further exacerbated during winter, when we use more heat. It also occurs when a building is poorly ventilated and excess water vapour cannot escape.
Condensation occurs when water vapour cools and becomes liquid. Therefore, when water vapour in the air makes contact with the cool surface of a window, the vapour will condense. This results in water droplets falling from the surface of the glass and forming pools on or around window frames.
Given that condensation is a natural occurrence and typical human activities generate excess water vapour, it’s easy to conclude that condensation is not a problem. However, condensation can settle on the surface of your home’s fixtures and cause serious damage in the form of rot or mould. Although the expense of replacement or repair can be significant, these are not the only concern. Mould spores can become airborne and exacerbate breathing problems such as asthma in your home’s occupants. Therefore, it is a problem that requires a solution. And double-glazing may be one of the most effective solutions.
Where Does Condensation Appear on Double-Glazed Windows?
Double-glazed windows are two panes of glass that have been mounted in a frame. The space between the two panes of glass is usually filled with argan gas, which is meant to serve as an insulator. The purpose of double glazing is to ensure that the temperature outside the building does not affect the temperature inside the building. It’s an effective way to improve your home’s energy efficiency, as it prevents heat and cool air from escaping. In the case of preventing condensation, double glazing helps to stabilise your home’s indoor temperature. Therefore, the water vapour and the window will be the same or near the same temperature, and condensation is less likely to occur.
Once you’ve installed double-glazed windows, you have to pay attention to where condensation appears, as this will indicate whether the double-glazing is working. With double-glazed windows, condensation is meant to appear solely on the outer pane, i.e. the pane that is facing outside of your home. In this scenario, the double-glazing is working. The gas in between the two panes serves as an insulator that prevents heat transfer between them. The seals around the windows are meant to keep out air and water from entering between the panes and into your house.
However, if condensation appears elsewhere, it’s indicative of a problem. Where condensation starts to form between the two glass panes, it means that one of the seals is likely damaged. Therefore, insulating gas is escaping, and air and water are filling the space. If left unresolved, it can affect the appearance of your windows, raising the question of how to remove condensation from double-glazed windows. This problem can deteriorate and compromise the inner glass pane. Once condensation begins to form on the inner glass, it may be a sign that the double glazing is no longer effective at preventing heat transfer. However, one must note that condensation on interior windows can also be a sign of excess humidity and poor ventilation, in addition to a broken seal. Therefore, you should employ a specialist to diagnose the true source of the problem.
Should You Replace Your Windows?
As previously mentioned, excess humidity in a house is a result of normal human activity. Therefore, condensation is nearly unavoidable. However, there are solutions as simple as opening windows during or after cooking and showering, and using a dehumidifier. If your condensation problem decreases after those measures, there is no need to replace your windows. Yet if the problem persists, you may be interested in more invasive measures such as improving your home’s ventilation system or replacing your single-glazed windows with double-glazed windows.
However, if your home already has double-glazed windows and condensation is forming in the space between the glass panes, it’s advised that you consider replacing your windows. The seals on the window are likely damaged due to age or exposure to the elements. If left unrepaired, water and air can seep in and cloud the window, rendering it translucent. Although there are various home remedies on how to remove condensation from double-glazed windows, bear in mind that you risk exacerbating the problem and damaging your window. If the frames of your windows are wooden, the excess water can rot the wood. For double-glazed windows that still experience condensation issues on the interior glass, it may be indicative of another issue. Therefore, in addition to replacing your windows, it’s important to consider other factors causing the problem.
Contact Atlantis Property Preservation
Condensation starts as a harmless nuisance but can gradually become a noticeable problem. The source and severity of the issue will determine the best measure to treat it. Before you rush into the time-consuming and expensive process of replacing all your windows, you should seek the evaluation of an expert who can diagnose the problem and guide you on the best course of action. Contact our experts today for a damp survey, where we can help you find and treat the source of condensation and other structural damp issues.
Although mild in appearance, condensation can wreak as much havoc on a home as other forms of damp, if left untreated. This is especially the case when found in and around windows. In this article, we’ll examine how condensation occurs and how to get rid of condensation inside windows.
What Is Condensation?
Before delving into how to get rid of condensation inside windows, it’s helpful to explain what condensation is and why it poses a serious threat to your property. Condensation is the process whereby water vapour makes contact with a cold surface and becomes liquid. This can appear as water droplets, pools of liquid water or a layer of dew on or around those surfaces. Aside from being a frustrating task to wipe away, condensation can have serious consequences in the form of mildew and black mould. These can bring damage to walls and furnishings, and spark breathing problems from inhaling mould spores.
Why Does Condensation Happen?
Day-to-day activities such as cooking, drying clothes indoors, and bathing increase the amount of water vapour inside a building. When that moisture cannot escape and temperatures decrease, the vapour will condense to liquid water on cold surfaces. This occurrence is especially prevalent during winter when activities are primarily done inside. At the same time, temperatures fluctuate due to heating going on and off, and plummeting temperatures outside.
How to Get Rid of Condensation Inside Your Windows
If your home suffers from condensation, it has likely made an appearance inside your windows. Typically, condensed water found inside double-glazed windows suggests that the seals around the window are damaged. Hiring a professional to replace the damaged seals will prevent further harm by condensation. However, when researching how to get rid of condensation inside your windows, ventilation and dehumidification are also useful methods. Opening windows, using ceiling fans or installing air vents to help moist air circulate can all help with ventilation. Investing in a dehumidifier will also remove water vapour, so that condensation can’t happen.
How to Prevent Condensation on Your Windows
Condensation is the result of simple daily actions. Similarly, preventing condensation can be achieved by simple actions. Solutions such as opening windows and rearranging houseplants seem small, yet demonstrate significant results when considering how to get rid of
condensation inside windows
Much like ceiling fans, extractor fans are useful in reducing moist air and preventing condensation. When installed in rooms that produce the most water vapour, for example kitchens and bathrooms, fans will siphon the moist air outside. Dehumidifiers are excellent tools to reduce moisture, although a certain amount of humidity is required in a property, generally around 30–50%. If you want to reduce condensation yet retain a healthy level of humidity, consider putting your dehumidifier on a lower setting. As unconventional as it sounds, the houseplants placed around your home can help to prevent condensation; the key is to use plants that absorb moist air. Aside from preventing condensation this can also improve overall air quality. Condensation is not only a consequence of moist air indoors, but also temperature fluctuations. Therefore, maintaining a low and consistent temperature for longer rather than changing the temperature for short periods of time will ensure a constant heat where condensation cannot form on surfaces.
Contact Atlantis Property Preservation
At Atlantis Property Preservation, our team of experts are on standby to help you to find the most suitable treatment for how to get rid of condensation inside windows.
Have you noticed a pungent, mushroomy smell wafting through your home? Are mould or stains forming on your walls or ceilings?
If the answer is yes, then you’re likely to be witnessing the first signs of condensation in your home.
Homeowners should be aware of the damage that condensation and damp can cause, and act fast to have it removed.
In this article, we identify the main signs of condensation and damp to watch out for, before explaining how you can treat damp in your home.
What Are the Main Signs of Damp?
Musty smells, visible moisture staining, rotting timbers and growths of mould are all visible signs of Condensation in your home.
But there are many more signs that may go unnoticed and only become apparent after a thorough inspection of the premises.
If you’ve noticed any of the following signs of damp or condensation, it’s time to call in a professional for a closer look:
Pungent, mushroom-like smells
Mouldy patches
Damp patches
Rotting timbers and woodwork
Salty tide marks on the walls
Cold or wet ceilings, walls or floors
Peeling plasterboard or wallpaper
Water droplets clinging to walls
Damaged or crumbling masonry
Leaks, broken pipes or damaged drains
What Problems Can Damp Leave You With?
Damp can damage your home, cause health problems, and lead to serious structural issues if left untreated. Major problems caused by damp include:
Damaged decoration and furnishings
Health issues, such as coughing, asthma and other respiratory problems
Rotten timbers and weakened structural supports
Weakened brickwork and masonry
The need for costly repairs
How Can You Treat Damp and condensation in Your Home?
If you spot any of the main signs of damp and condensation in your home, it’s important to schedule a professional damp survey immediately. A survey is the first step towards treating damp, and the surveyor will identify the cause, source and type of damp afflicting your home before recommending the best fix.
The exact treatment will depend on the type of damp, the extent of the damp problem and where it’s located, but common fixes include:
Repairing or replacing damaged brickwork and rotten timbers
Replastering walls with damp-proof materials
Lowering the external ground level of a building so it’s below the damp-proof course
How Can You Protect Your Home From Damp and condensation?
There are several ways to protect your home from damp in the future, the majority of which involve removing opportunities for moisture to enter your home and allowing moisture laden air to escape your home too. Common methods include:
Ensuring all pipes and gutters are fixed and clear of debris
Keeping your home well ventilated
installing ventilation systems
Injecting a damp-proof course into the walls
Contact Atlantis Property Preservation is to Find Out More about the Main Signs of Damp and Condensation
If you’re worried about damp in your home, Atlantis Property Preservation is here to help. Our highly qualified team of experts can advise you on the main signs of damp and carry out a professional survey to identify its source.
In this installment of The A-Z of Damp from Atlantis Property Preservation, C is for…… Condensation.
Condensation is a type of damp and is by far the most common cause of dampness in buildings. Furthermore, it probably accounting for the majority of damp problems reported. At Atlantis Property Preservation we pride ourselves in ensuring a correct diagnosis for your damp issue. (more…)
In this episode of The A-Z of Damp from Atlantis Property Preservation, I is for Interstitial Condensation.
Dampness problems associated with condensation and mould growths occur in many buildings yet they are not always fully understood. Particularly by the general builder or unqualified damp ‘expert’.
Condensation results from a series of relatively simple and well established physical factors. It is directly related to standards and methods of heating, ventilating and insulating buildings.
Condensation is often confused with rising damp and we are committed to getting you the correct diagnosis. Dampness in buildings can arise from a number of causes and the majority tend to be physical defects such as rising damp, penetrating damp or lack of maintenance. In the case of condensation, the problem is generally self-imposed. The emphasis on improving insulation and the way in which properties are now heated and ventilated has created exactly the right conditions for increasing condensation and mould growth.
Local authorities and, indeed, any landlord receive large numbers of complaints about condensation and mould growth. Atlantis Property Preservation are committed to helping you resolve your condensation issue in an efficient and cost effective manner.
What is condensation?
Condensation as the name implies is water which has “condensed” from air on contact with a cold surface and it occurs when warm air cools down and releases the water vapour it was ‘holding’ into the air.
Air normally contains water vapour in varying quantities. Its capacity to ‘hold’ moisture is related to temperature; basically, warm air holds more water than cold air. When the air is saturated and it cannot contain any more water vapour at the existing temperature it is said to have a relative humidity (RH) of 100%. If the temperature of the air falls until saturation point occurs the air is at a critical temperature at which it cannot hold any more water – this temperature is known as the dew point. Any further fall in temperature will result in water vapour being forced to condense out as liquid water.
Condensation in a building usually occurs when warm air comes into contact with a cold surface; the air is cooled below its saturation point causing its excess water vapour to change into liquid water. Typically, you will actually see moisture on your windows, reveals, external walls, concrete lintels… in fact anywhere that can be seen as a ‘cold spot’ in relation to the normal room temperate. This surface condensation is often found on bay windows that are in their nature more exposed to the elements, low down corners of rooms (as we all know hot air rises) and behind furniture and curtains where air flow is restricted.
In addition to this surface condensation, air inside a heated building usually contains more moisture than does the external air (its normally warmer inside that outside in the UK!). This means it is a higher pressure which tends to force the warm air through the structure taking the moisture with it. Most building materials except glass, metals, plastics and certain lined elements, are to some extent permeable and do not obstruct the movement of moist air through the structure. the warm moist air will eventually cool below its due point within the fabric of the building resulting in condensation. This form of condensation is interstitial condensation.
What is Interstitial Condensation?
Interstitial condensation is rather more complex than the surface phenomenon and presents a greater hazard. The resulting high moisture content can often go undetected for long periods until serious structural damage has developed such as timber decay. It can also render ineffective any insulation within the component where it occurs.
How can Atlantis Property Preservation help resolve your Interstitial Condensation Issue?
There are many factors to consider when protecting your property from interstitial condensation. Key considerations should be given to improving ventilation, controlling moisture generation and using an impervious moisture barrier, known as a vapour check, for example a foil backed plasterboard during the internal construction of the property.
If you’re concerned that your property is suffering from the signs of condensation, we are committed to helping you resolve your properties damp issue. Simply contact us now at Atlantis Property Preservation Ltd for an informal chat to agree a way forward.
The A-Z of Damp & Timber from Atlantis Property Preservation… O is for Owners can Help Themselves
In this episode of The A-Z of Damp from Atlantis Property Preservation, O is for Owners can Help Themselves.
With the long weekend ahead of us, we know it should be the perfect opportunity to bring out the patio furniture and stock up on charcoal for the BBQ – but, it’s also the perfect time to give your property the “quick once over” to tackle any issues that may have come apparent during the winter months. Let’s take a look at some of the main problems you should look out for. (more…)
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