Condensation on the windows, what should I do?

Plastic windows have excellent characteristics, thanks to which they seriously pressed their wooden counterparts in the construction market. The structural features of the PVC block to a large extent determine the operational qualities of the windows: noise, dust, heat insulation. But under certain circumstances, tightness can play a negative role - because of it condensation appears on the windows. The fogging of the glass has a bad effect not only on the light transmission of the window. It promotes the formation of mold, which spoils the appearance of the frame and harms the health of people living in the apartment. And in the winter season, moisture turns into ice, which adversely affects the details of the structure, shortening its life.

Condensate: physics of the phenomenon

In the air of the apartment, water is contained in the form of tiny particles of steam. When cooled, it passes into a liquid state, and at a temperature below zero - into a solid state (ice). Thus, two things are involved in fogging and icing the windows:

• room humidity;
• window surface temperature.

If these parameters deviate from the norm, condensation forms on the plastic windows. For clarity, you can look at the bottle taken out of the refrigerator - its chilled sides instantly fog up in the heat of the apartment.

Why windows cry

To get rid of condensation on the glass, you need to remove the causes of its occurrence:

1. High humidity.
2. Excessive cooling of the window surface, due to which the dew point is shifted into the room.

Attention: before starting the fight against fogging, you need to make sure that the design characteristics of the product correspond to climate, since it’s unlikely that it will be possible to get rid of condensation on the windows if single-chamber double-glazed windows.

Reasons for high humidity

Humidity in the apartment can increase for various reasons, which in the process of combating condensate must be identified and eliminated.

Ventilation problems

Condensation on window panes is an occasion check ventilation. If it does not work even with the windows open, all exhaust openings (in the kitchen, in the bathroom, toilet) should be cleaned of dust and debris. If this does not help, you should inform the service company about the need to clean the ventilation shaft.

Moisture sources

In a residential building, the humidity rate is 40–50%. If the owner of the apartment is a lover of indoor flowers or an aquarist containing a huge aquarium, then it is natural that humidity increases and excess moisture settles on the glass in the form of condensate. The habit of drying clothes at home or frequent cooking in the kitchen contributes to fogging.

The reasons for the "cold window"

Condensation forms on the plastic windows if the dew point is shifted to the inner surface of the glass due to:

1. Wrong choice of double-glazed window. Due to the small distance between the glasses in a single-chamber double-glazed window at low outdoor temperatures, its inner surface is also cooled.
2. Poor installation of the window unit. The adjunction of the window frame may not be well done: a vapor barrier tape is not laid, slots around the perimeter are poorly foamy.
3. Discrepancies in frame size to opening. Normally, the gap should not be more than 2 cm, otherwise the cold will penetrate even through the foam and plaster.
4. Window sill too wide. By closing the heating battery, it prevents convection of warm air. Contribute to insufficient heating of the window glass and decorative boxes for batteries of the wrong design.

In order to find out why the windows are fogged up in each particular case, it is necessary to gradually remove all of the listed reasons for the appearance of condensate according to the principle “from simple to complex”.

What to do: recommendations and tips

Do not immediately open the perimeter of the window and see if there are voids in the foam. First you need to ensure a normal flow of warm air to the window: remove the grille or stop folding the curtains on the windowsill. If you make the window surface warmer by 1 - 2 ° C, condensation will not appear.

• If you conclude that the reason for the appearance of condensate is still in the insufficient number of glasses, there is only one way out - to replace a single-chamber double-glazed window with a two-chamber one.

Fortunately, when replacing a double-glazed window, there is no need to change the entire structure - the frame and accessories remain in place.

• The most unpleasant thing is the marriage allowed during the installation of the window unit. To fix the careless insulation of the perimeter, you will have to break the plaster, dismantle the slopes and window sill. In the case of a large distance between the frame and the opening, it will be necessary to replace the entire unit.

To protect yourself from negative consequences, you should trust the installation of new plastic windows only to reputable companies or to personally look after each stage of work, starting with measurement the opening.

• Changing a wide window sill to a narrow one improves convection, but is not always acceptable: it is impossible for some gardeners to refuse a flower oasis on a window. In such cases, a grill is mounted in the windowsill for accessing heat from the radiator or additional heating is provided by alternative sources: a thermal curtain, a lamp.

• Cleaning the ventilation system will improve the situation, and the installation of forced ventilation is guaranteed to accelerate the removal of excess moisture from the apartment and reduce condensation on plastic windows.

The easiest method is airing. All modern window models have a micro-ventilation function, it allows you to update the air even in cold weather without significant heat loss. Installing a supply valve on a window that automatically regulates the humidity in the room is another way to combat condensate.

Knowing the reasons for the formation of condensation on window frames and glasses will allow you to effectively combat fogging and prevent the formation of mold. If mold has already appeared, then processing it with special compounds and the subsequent implementation of recommendations to combat weeping glasses will allow get rid of a harmful fungus forever.