Do You Get Condensation on Your Double Glazed Windows?
Sorry for the silence, we’ve had a few technical problems with the blog. I hope the following post makes up for our absence.
If your windows sometimes drip with condensation, don’t run away with the idea that its because your windows are dodgy; even the best quality double glazing will suffer from condensation if the air in your home is moisture laden.
The first thing to look at is ventilation. If your home isn’t well-ventilated, you are bound to get condensation. If the trickle vents on your windows are closed - open them. However in a house that has exceptionally moist air, even opening the trickle vents won’t be enough. To find out if insufficient ventilation is the problem, open the windows in each room, just a crack will be sufficient. If the condensation disappears, you have your answer - you either need to produce less moisture, or you need to ensure you have enough ventilation. Here are some suggestions:
To reduce your moisture output:
- Cover pans when you’re cooking.
- Don’t let the kettle boil for long periods of time.
- Don’t use paraffin heaters or portable bottled-gas heaters.
- Dry washing out of doors as often as possible. When that is not possible, put it in the bathroom with the door closed and the window open. If you can manage it, it is best to fit a fan that can be switched on to run continuously for clothes drying.
- If you have a tumble dryer, unless it is the self-condensing type, vent it to outside of the house.
To increase your ventilation:
- Keep a small window ajar or a trickle vent open all the time if possible, especially when the room is occupied
- In the kitchen and bathroom when you’re cooking, washing up, bathing, or drying clothes, you will obviously need even greater ventilation. Either open the windows wider or use a humidistat-controlled electric fan. These are cheap to run because they only come on when they’re needed, that is when the air becomes humid. Xpelair make one; take a look at these online stores: Screwfix, LIttlewoods, and TLC Electrical
- Even if you have extractor fans, close the kitchen and bathroom doors when these rooms are in use.
About insulation* and draughtproofing:
* Double glazing is one method of draughtproofing and insulation. If you haven’t got double glazing yet, your house will probably be draughty. The best advice is that you get double glazing fitted - you should be eligible for government help with this. However, in the meantime:
- Do not block permanent ventilators.
- Do not completely block chimneys- a hole two bricks wide should be left; you can cover it with a louvre grille.
- Do not draughtproof rooms where there is a fuel burning heater or cooker.
- Do not draughtproof windows in the bathroom or kitchen.
Turn up the Heat:
When the weather is cold you should, in the best of all worlds, keep low background heating on all day, even when there is no one at home. This is even more important in flats and bungalows where the bedrooms don’t benefit from rising warmth from the living room below. Central heating thermostats should be set to provide background warmth in all rooms including unused rooms.
Of course, we understand that with energy costs as they are, this might not be possible for everybody. In this instance, you should install suitable thermostatically-controlled heaters in the rooms you use. Do not use paraffin or bottled gas heaters, which overload the air with moisture. By using this method, the thermostats will help control your heating costs. Do remember, though, to provide background ventilation.
I do hope this information is useful if you have damp and condensation problems. However, you know what I’m going to say next; you really do need to install double glazing. Getting double glazing will not only help to resolve your problems with damp, it will also noticeably reduce your heating bills.
For more information about double glazing and other energy efficiency grants, visit the Government Advice Guide on Energy Efficiency and Saving Money.
Tags: Energy Efficiency