Condensation In Winter

Condensation in winter can wreak havoc on your home. Check out The Window Man's guide to preventing condensation problems on our website. We explain how and why condensation develops and easy ways to prevent it.

Condensation & Windows

If you have trouble with window condensation it is probably because you live in a "thermally tight" modern home which you can heat for a fraction of the cost it took to heat the house your parents lived in… Condensation problems may also arise from several common household appliances.

What is Condensation?

Condensation occurs anytime moist warm air comes into contact with a cold surface. For example, the beads of water that drip down the outside of a cold glass of iced tea in the summertime are a product of condensation.

The Cause is Excess Humidity

Condensation may be freeze in the insulation in your attic where it can then melt when the warm weather comes and damage your plaster exactly like a roof leak. Or it may be force its way out through the siding to form blisters under your paint exterior. (That means the most expensive kind of paint job.)

Humidity, water vapor, moisture, steam: they're all water in the form of invisible gas in the air. And they can be present in varying quantities.

Only Part of the Story

A score or more of entirely different conditions may affect the way condensation appears in different homes.

Conditions that may affect condensation problems include:

- Your home’s size
- Ventilation
- The heating system: hot air or water; perimeter or interior wall heating
- The type of insulation and vapor barrier
- Even the type of soil and quality of drainage

For more information on how to combat condensation problems, stop by one of The Window Man's three area showrooms to speak to one of our representatives.

Controlling Condensation & Humidity

Many homeowners who visit The Window Man worry about excess humidity and even condensation--particular problems in the DC metro area. Excess humidity can damage wallpaper and furnishings and even increase the risk of unhealthy molds developing in your home’s interior. Take the following simple steps to decrease the humidity in your home.

1. The first step to controlling condensation and humidity is to replace your old windows with newer windows that have insulated glass.

2. Next, make sure that the louvers in your attic or basement crawlspaces are open and that they are large enough to provide proper circulation.

3. Third, run any ventilating fans that you have in your home for much longer than you usually do. (Kitchen fans in particular should run for longer than you think!)

4. Fourth, turn off the furnace humidifier and or any other humidifier you have in your home. (This seems like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how many people overlook this simple step.)

5. Fifth, make sure your fireplace damper is open so moisture can easily escape.

6. Sixth, consider buying a dehumidifier. If you don't have a dehumidifier and don’t wat to purchase one, try to air out the home for a few minutes every day if feasible.

If you'd like to talk to a representative from The Window Man about which windows and doors are best for moisture and condensation-prone homes, stop by one of our three Northern Virginia showrooms today.

Window Condensation?

Window condensation can be a problem for many area homeowners. Here are The Window Man's six steps to controlling condensation and excess humidity:

1. Replace old worn out windows with insulated glass. This will better insulate your windows from the outside air. This won't prevent excess humidity in the air—but it will make looking out your windows easier.

2. Be sure that louvers in the attic or basement crawl spaces are open and that they are large enough.

3. Run your kitchen or other ventilating fans longer and more often than you have in the past.

4. Shut off your furnace humidifier and any other humidifying devices in your home.

5. Open your fireplace damper to allow moisture to escape easier.

6. A dehumidifier can help reduce interior condensation. If you don't have a dehumidifier, air out your house for a few minutes each day.

If these common remedies don't work, the condensation problem should be looked at by a qualified heating contractor. He may suggest an outside air intake for your furnace or installation of venting fans. These inexpensive options will be less costly than a major painting job or plaster work caused by excess water vapor.

For more information about how to control excess humidity and therefore window condensation stop by one of The Window Man's three Northern Virginia showrooms today!

Six Practical Steps to Controlling Condensation and Excess Humidity

Have problems with condensation along your windows? Here are some easy steps The Window Man for controlling humidity--and therefore condensation:

1. Replace old worn out windows with insulated glass. This will better insulate your windows from the outside air. This won't prevent excess humidity in the air, but it will make looking out your windows a lot easier!

2. Be sure that louvers in the attic or basement crawl spaces are open and that they are large enough.

3. Run your kitchen or other ventilating fans longer and more often than you usually do.

4. Shut off your furnace humidifier and any other humidifying devices in your home.

5. Open your fireplace damper so moisture can escape more easily.

6. Use a dehumidifier to reduce interior condensation. If you don't have a dehumidifier, air out your house for a few minutes each day.

If these common remedies don't work, the condensation problem should be looked at by a qualified heating contractor. He may suggest an outside air intake for your furnace or installation of venting fans. These inexpensive options will be less costly than a major painting job or plaster work caused by excess water vapor.

For more information, visit one of The Window Man's three Northern Virginia showrooms.