Ways to Eliminate Winter Condensation
Condensation. That pesky, irritating, chilly and sometimes damaging water on your windows. Water or frost on windows is condensation and is formed when warm, moist air comes in contact with cool, dry air. The inside or outside of your window can sweat or fog because of the difference in temperature.
Unfortunately for you, it can cause mould or rot in both the wood and the plaster of your window sills and frames and excess moisture can even damage your entire home. However, there are an array of things that you can do to avoid or prevent condensation in your home.
Certain elements of your home don’t need a lot of attention. For example, hopefully your HVAC system doesn’t require much attention on a regular basis. Whether you have recently installed a tankless water heater, upgraded new washer/dryer or have a house that uses rads, there are few elements of the home that matter as much as your windows!
Keep The Air Moving
Keeping air flow in your home may seem like a simple solution but it’s not just one and done. You need to figure out what is causing the condensation in your home in the first place. The likely answer is that your home is too humid. Do you notice that some rooms such as the bedrooms, bathrooms and kitchen are the rooms with the most condensation on the windows? This could be caused by too much humidity. This problem might be fixed by simply turning down your humidifier.
The humidifier is supposed to release moisture into the air but turning it down or off will minimize the moisture in the air. If this does not work, there are products that you can buy such as a moisture eliminator or a dehumidifier, which are both easy ways to better control the moisture in your home and even help control allergies. Using fans in your bathrooms, kitchen, and bedrooms will also help the airflow throughout your home. Ensure that you keep fans on for at least 20 minutes after you shower or cook and also keep those fans on in various rooms, even in the winter. This will help keep the air moving and ultimately help reduce the humidity in your home.
Install Weather Stripping
If you live in Canada, you know summers can be hot and humid and winters can be cold and dry. With the cold weather approaching, it’s important to reduce the amount of air infiltration in your home. Weather stripping not only helps reduce cold air from coming inside, but it also has the added benefit of helping stop dust, dirt, and condensation from collecting on your windows. Adding weather stripping to your windows also prevents the warm air from leaving your home and ultimately reduces condensation on energy efficient windows.
Energy Efficient Windows
If you have tried a variety of things to reduce condensation on your windows and feel like you’ve exhausted all resources, it might be time for new windows. Installing new windows can be expensive but should be considered a long-term investment, especially if your windows’ poor performance affects many areas in your home. Contact an experienced window company to learn the many benefits to installing new energy efficient windows beyond merely improving energy costs,preventing cold air from entering your home and reduce condensation. New windows also help in improving the curb appeal and value of your home.
If you are considering replacement windows for your home, choose a professional that understands the importance of quality and care, and that can answer any of your condensation questions and help with your window replacement needs.
