Top 5 Tips To Control Window Condensation

Have you ever felt extreme discomfort due to your windows “sweating” in the winter?

The majority of Canadian homeowners are incredibly annoyed about window condensation during low temperatures, especially in winter. This blog is mainly focused on understanding the damage that window condensation can cause as well as some effective tips that can help you handle or prevent it.

What Is Window Condensation?

When humid air comes into touch with a cold surface, condensation occurs, causing water droplets to gather on the surface. Because windows have colder surfaces than walls with insulation, condensation frequently forms on them. Finding the main source of the condensation is essential before trying to eliminate it from the windows.

Which Are the Main Causes of Window Condensation?

Window condensation can be an obvious sign that your home windows are forming a possible airtight seal, keeping the moisture inside your home or reducing air leakage.

Most of the time, temperature and humidity play a role in moisture on your windows. Condensation is prone to develop on the window’s outer glass during the summer when there is hot, humid air on one side of the glass and cool air from the air conditioner cooling the other. Due to the chilly outside temperatures cooling window glass below the dewpoint of the warm and humid interior air, condensation is more likely to collect on the interior of your windows during the winter.

Which Are the Dangers of Window Condensation?

Condensation becomes more annoying especially when we wake up in the morning and we cannot see outside because the curtains get wet and there is plenty of water on the window bottoms. All this humidity can directly affect the walls and windows and cause severe mold and mildew growth in both drywall and furniture.

Condensation is problematic for a number of reasons, including the fact that it shows where a home’s insulated envelope has weak areas or thermal bridges and that it signals issues with the home’s excessive humidity levels, which may be caused by undiscovered issues with the walls, crawlspaces, basement, or ventilation systems. When windows in a house have condensation flowing down them, several things are guaranteed:

• Condensation won’t just go away by itself
• Condensation can be unhealthy because it promotes the growth of mold and mildew
• Homes may sustain damage from condensation, necessitating expensive restorations and repairs

Mold can grow on any organic material where humidity, moisture and oxygen exist. Mold -prone materials are:

• Food
• Wood
• Paper
• Insulation
• Carpet

Mold can harm a structure and its furnishings because it consumes or digests the materials it is growing on. Unchecked mold eventually can lead to rotting wood, crumbling drywall, structural damage to building components, cost the homeowner money for repair work, and possibly lower the value of your home.

If there is condensation, there is highly likely that mold can become a serious problem because certain types of molds may begin to develop and flourish in homes with humidity levels exceeding 60% in less than 12 hours.

Which Are the Health Effects that Window Condensation Cause?

Various health problems may result from exposure to moldy and wet conditions. Simply said, some people are allergic to mold. These symptoms may be sneezing, throat discomfort, coughing or wheezing, eye irritation, or, in rare instances, skin irritation as a result of mold exposure. When exposed to mold, immune-compromised individuals and those with chronic lung diseases like obstructive lung disease may experience more severe reactions and develop life-threatening lung infections. These individuals ought to avoid places that could harbor mold, including a residence with a high humidity level.

How to Eliminate Condensation in Homes?

But you may wonder how you can get rid of window condensation and in what ways you can prevent it in your homes. Once you have identified that your home has high humidity levels that overcome 60%, then you have to identify the moisture source that causes this condensation.

In case you are seeing a lot of condensation inside your property and you are worried that it will be developed into damp then you can considerate the following tips:

Dry Clothes Outdoors

To avoid extra moisture accumulating inside your home, try to dry your items outdoors whenever you can. Keep your garments in a bathroom with the door closed and the windows open until they are completely dry if you are unable to dry them outside.

Your Extractor Fan Should Be Turned On While Taking a Shower

To eliminate the steam and moisture produced by running warm water in a chilly environment, put on your extractor fan before you take a shower or a bath, just like you would when cooking in the kitchen. This will decrease the amount of condensation that forms on the walls and windows of your bathroom.

Closed Kitchen and Bathroom Doors

Be sure to use pan lids when cooking to reduce moisture created from the water boiling, to speed up the time it takes to heat pans, and to have a cooker hood that’s set to extract and use it all the while cooking and for a little while after. Kitchens are the second biggest source of indoor humidity. As a result, cooking, kettles, and appliances all release steam and increase condensation.

When the Weather Outside is Warmer, Open the Windows

If you frequently use a room, such as a living room, and it’s not too chilly outdoors, you can improve the ventilation in the space by modestly opening a window. As one of the primary causes of condensation, breathing, will aid your property’s ventilation.

Hire Professionals

In case you suspect overwhelming window condensation that has started to develop into increased mold and mildew growth and has started affecting your health and your property’s building code then consider hiring professionals. CPR24 Restoration professionals can responsibly assist you immediately, offer you high-quality mold removal services and help you overcome this stressful situation. You can simply call (416) 551-8287 or send a detailed description of your mold and mildew growth emergency to  info@cpr24restoration.ca. 

Our professionals are 24/7 available to assist you with mold removal and water damage emergencies.