Prevent condensation sash windows

Therefore, condensation is more common in winter, when windows are often left closed and your central heating comes on in the cooler hours of the day.

In addition, numerous household activities, such as cooking, showering and drying clothes can increase the moisture inside of your home. When this moisture-packed air encounters a cold surface, such as your window, it causes condensation to form.

If you have discovered condensation on your windows, there are numerous ways you can limit the effects by following a few simple steps. Below are my top tips for reducing condensation in your home, read on to find out more. When trying to rid your home of condensation, ventilation is key. Aim to open the windows throughout your home for a minimum of 20 minutes every day even in winter. This is important as it allows damp air to escape and dry air to replace it. You can also keep windows open while you are cooking, taking a shower or drying clothes to allow for extra ventilation without spending a penny.

Extractor fans are there for a reason, they help reduce excessive condensation that is produced while cooking or showering. An extractor fan will remove damp air before it has the chance to settle on surfaces and cause further problems. When cooking, avoid excess steam being released into the air by keeping lids on your saucepans and employing extractor fans. Whenever you use the kitchen or bathroom, it is important to keep the doors closed.

You may think this seems counterproductive but keeping doors shut allows rooms to release any moisture through open windows and prevents humidity spreading around your home. I would suggest using a dehumidifier to reduce the humidity in your home.

Dehumidifiers work by sucking air through a fan and removing the moisture, keeping your home dry and condensation-free. Another great way to contain moisture when you're cooking is to use lids that will keep liquids inside the pans and pots.

This is especially important when you're steaming and boiling food. When you do remove the lid from your dishes, do so in front of an open window, and make sure the exhaust vent is running. Turn off any humidifiers. Humidifiers are designed to add more moisture to the air in your house, so they will cause more condensation to form on your windows. When you're experiencing moisture problems, turn off all the humidifiers in your house, including ones that are attached to the furnace.

Use a dehumidifier. On the other hand, dehumidifiers are designed to remove moisture from the air, so these are ideal devices if your home is prone to condensation. You can either install a whole-home dehumidifier, or invest in a portable one that you can move around the house. Part 2. Keep your house at the right temperature. Managing the temperature inside your house is an important part of controlling condensation. Condensation can only form if there's a cold surface where the moisture can pool, so keeping windows and walls warm is essential.

During the cooler months, use your furnace to increase the temperature, especially if humidity levels start to get too high. If the humidity levels start to exceed 50 percent, take steps to lower the humidity and increase the temperature until the humidity drops below 50 percent. Install weather stripping. This will prevent cold air from blowing in from outside and cooling walls and windows.

Not only will weather stripping save you money on energy bills, but it will also stop condensation. You might also want to install a storm window, especially if your windows are made of a single pane of glass. That will create a barrier between the outside of your house and the inside, which will help lessen moisture on the window.

Seal cracks around windows and doors. Cracks and openings are another place where cold air can steal into your house. Around doors and windows, you can seal these with caulk to prevent walls and windows from cooling.

After you apply the bead, smooth it down with a small knife or your finger to press the caulk into the hole. Install a heat recovery ventilator. This is a heat exchanger with a built-in ventilation fan. These devices are expensive a couple thousand dollars , but they will help reduce your energy costs by preventing energy loss.

And because this device will increase the temperature of your house, it will help you fight condensation. Install storm windows. Another way to prevent condensation is to stop the windows from getting cold, and you can do this by installing storm windows, or by replacing older single-pane windows with double or triple glazing.

Part 3. Open doors and windows. The final piece of the puzzle when it comes to reducing humidity in your home is improving ventilation and circulation. The easiest and cheapest way to improve the ventilation in your home is to open doors and windows when the weather permits. Open the drapes. Opening drapes and curtains will allow air to circulate against the windows, and this will dry out moisture on the windows and stop condensation from forming.

Use fans to move air around. Stand-up, oscillating, and ceiling fans are all great for circulating the air in your home. In summer, ceiling fans should rotate in a counterclockwise direction. In winter, switch the fans so they rotate in a clockwise direction, and circulate heat more efficiently. Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Energy focused on educating consumers about energy efficiency Go to source. Did you know you can get premium answers for this article?

Unlock premium answers by supporting wikiHow. Michael Fox Window Repair Specialist. Michael Fox. Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer. Not Helpful 0 Helpful 0.

Not Helpful 1 Helpful 0. Not Helpful 4 Helpful 5. Not Helpful 3 Helpful 2. It's a function of the inside humidity and the temperature of the storm window glass. Is your double glazing misted up? This is a different thing entirely. The double glazed unit has broken down and is no longer functioning correctly. A hole or crack has developed in the material used to bind both pieces of glass and allowed air to flow in. Different air temperatures cause the gas inside a double glazed unit to expand and contract.

I think this is much better explained in the form of a diagram:. Condensation on double glazed sash windows is also a direct result of heavy moisture saturation and the room must be vented.

This much moisture is not healthy and will result in mould growth. The improvement will be dramatic. There are quite a few ways of handling double glazing without entire replacement. So by this I mean your sash windows are dripping wet. Sash window double glazing will reduce this to a minimum. Just take a look at what out clients say about our sash windows.