Any windows in the house, whether modern plastic or “Soviet” wooden, installed in a room, kitchen, balcony or loggia, under certain conditions become covered with condensation (fog up). It is a mistake to think that drops of water running down glass are harmless. If condensation is detected on the windows, you need to immediately look for and fix the problem, otherwise the consequences will be disastrous.
The physical essence of the process. Water leaks on the glass do not appear without reason. To understand why windows fog up, let's remember the basics of physics. Air saturated with water vapor is unable to retain moisture, especially when low temperature(less than +20°C). As a result, excess moisture condenses onto the coolest surface, which most often in a living room is wooden or plastic windows, since one part of the glass is outside, the other is inside.
Moment of dew point appearance Consequences. Firstly, the microclimate in the room is disrupted: (and for comfortable stay humidity should be within 40-60%), which is not better side affects the health of household members.
Secondly, excess water is favorable conditions for the development of mold and other microorganisms that affect wallpaper, tiles, carpets, upholstered furniture, textiles, food. And finally, moisture collects in the cracks of the window sill and frames, reducing the service life of the window structure.
Reasons for fogging of windows in the house
1. Poor air circulation: thick curtains or solid screens covering heating radiators, a wide window sill that prevents normal movement warm air and window heating. As a result, condensation collects on the glass.
A wide window sill is not always good 2. Insufficient ventilation of the room: tightly closed windows, not working ventilation shaft, lack of hood and deflectors.
3. Violation temperature regime: heating is turned off (for example, during repairs), insufficient heating of the room.
4. Errors when installing windows: poor-quality sealing or finishing of slopes, completing the structure with non-working fittings.
Wrong installed window appears as condensation on the glass in winter 5. Availability of sources high humidity: indoor plants and waterlogged soil in pots, aquariums, laundry hung to dry, leaking pipes, plumbing, balcony roofs, loggia walls.
Ways to get rid of condensation on foggy windows
1. Move indoor plants from window sills to shelves, replace thick curtains, blinds or blinds with light curtains.
2. Replace wide window sills with narrower ones or install special convection grilles.
3. If plastic windows (PVC) fog up, be sure to switch the structure to “winter” mode during the cold season (modern double-glazed windows have this function).
Changing mode to plastic windows
4. Use a hood while cooking, check the ventilation in the kitchen, bathroom and toilet. Good hood almost guarantees the absence of condensation on the windows from the side of the room (inside the apartment).
5. Avoid leaks and “unauthorized” accumulation of water.
6. Buy additional heaters for large and poorly heated rooms.
7. Insulate slopes on windows and balcony sections, treat with sealant (for example, polyurethane foam) joints and cracks, if any.
Insulation and careful sealing of joints solve the problem of condensation on the balcony 8. Check window fittings, if necessary, install new handles and latches. If you are planning to replace old wooden windows with plastic ones, choose double-glazed windows.
9. Foggy windows on the balcony are eliminated by natural ventilation and heating. If possible, insulate the balcony inside and outside.
10. Don’t forget to ventilate all rooms in your apartment or house (including balconies and loggias) every day for at least half an hour.
It’s a paradox, but wooden (especially old) windows fog up much less often than their modern counterparts. The thing is that cracked wood, unlike perfectly fitted plastic frames and slopes, allows air to pass through well.
Traditional methods to get rid of condensation on windows
The proposed remedies can be used as a temporary solution to the problem until the main cause of window fogging is eliminated, when a lot of time is required (several days, and sometimes even weeks).
1. Clean the glass at least a couple of times a month with medical alcohol supplemented with glycerin (20:1 ratio).
2. “Draw” a fine grid on the glass with dry soap. Rub until shiny with a clean, dry cloth (preferably cotton or microfiber).
3. Place a homemade rag bag filled with table salt in the space between the frames (you can put a saucer). Kitchen salt perfectly absorbs excess moisture.
Salt absorbs excess moisture - the best temporary solution 4. If the window fogs up from the inside, setting it on fire will help. decorative candle installed on the windowsill. Make sure there are no flammable objects or substances nearby!
September 20, 2016Specialization: facade finishing, interior decoration, construction of cottages, garages. Experience of an amateur gardener and gardener. We also have experience in repairing cars and motorcycles. Hobbies: playing the guitar and many other things that I don’t have time for :)
Condensation on windows is a common problem during the cold season. In most cases, you can get rid of it, however, to do this, you first need to establish the cause. To help with this issue, in this article I will tell you about the 5 most common causes of condensation and how to eliminate them.
Why does condensation appear?
Condensation on windows must be dealt with as soon as you notice this problem. The fact is that this phenomenon indicates an unfavorable indoor microclimate. In addition, condensation leads to the formation of mold, which is hazardous to health.
But, as mentioned above, before dealing with condensation, it is necessary to determine the cause of its occurrence. Most often, windows fog up in the following cases:
Reason 1: poor ventilation in the apartment
First of all, I will say a few words about the nature of condensation on windows. So, condensation is nothing more than steam, which, upon contact with a cold surface, turns into a liquid state. Since the coldest surface in the room is usually the window glass, the steam settles on them.
This raises the question - where does this steam come from? The fact is that a small amount of moisture is almost always contained in the air. In housing, the humidity level increases during cooking, washing, taking water procedures, etc.
Therefore, to maintain an optimal microclimate in a home, there must be ventilation, which ensures the removal of moist air from the room and the influx of “dry” air. If the ventilation is ineffective, then it’s easy to guess that condensation will accumulate abundantly on the windows.
If you encounter a similar problem, you need to follow these steps:
- first of all check the work ventilation system . To do this, bring a lit match or lighter to the ventilation grilles - the flame should deviate strongly to the side ventilation grille. Otherwise, you must contact the Housing Office;
- People often wonder why condensation forms on plastic windows when the exhaust system is working well. The reason for this lies in the lack of inflow fresh air. The fact is that wooden windows are less airtight, resulting in air flow in a natural way, double-glazed windows are sealed, which leads to the formation of condensation.
To solve this problem, you just need to ventilate the room more often or even install a suction valve.
If you notice that condensation appears on the windows only during cooking, you need to install a hood in the kitchen.
Reason 2: window depressurization
As we found out, condensation on plastic windows on the side of the room can occur as a result of their complete sealing and lack of fresh air flow. However, depressurization of windows can also lead to this phenomenon.
Of course, most often wooden windows fog up for this reason, however, double-glazed windows are not immune to this problem. The fogging process in this case occurs as a result of the fact that cold air penetrates into the home and greatly cools the glass.
This reason is easy to determine in winter period on the formation of ice on glass in places of depressurization. This problem is solved as follows:
- the places where the glass comes into contact with the frames must be coated silicone sealant. This procedure can be carried out with both wooden and plastic windows;
- To eliminate the joints of the sashes, you should use special seals, for example, self-adhesive ones. Typically, this procedure is required for wooden frames.
Pay attention! If condensation appears outside, this is normal and indicates that you have high-quality windows.
Reason 3: wide window sill
As you know, under each window in an apartment or house there are heating radiators. This is done for a reason:
- warm, rising air creates thermal curtain, thereby preventing the penetration of cold from the window into the room;
- Radiators heat the window, thereby preventing the formation of condensation.
But what happens if there is a wide window sill above the battery or adjacent to it? blackout curtain? That's right, it cuts off warm air from the window, as a result of which the latter becomes supercooled and small droplets of water form on it.
If the window sill is plastic or even wooden, then dismantling it and changing it is not at all necessary. The problem can be solved with your own hands in a simpler way - using special grilles.
Their installation is carried out as follows:
- First of all, purchase suitable grilles for the window sill. They can have any design and color. Therefore, you can choose products that will also serve as window decoration. The price of gratings averages 300-500 rubles, however, you can find more expensive models, for example, adjustable;
- Next, you need to cut holes in the window sill according to the size of the grilles, or more precisely, their fasteners, since the grille overlay should hide the cut lines. For this first apply the markings, then drill a hole to the size of the hacksaw or jigsaw blade. After this, you need to cut a hole according to the markings;
- Now you just need to insert the gratings into the holes made.
Here, in fact, are all the instructions for installing grilles on window sills. After performing this procedure, the glass will begin to warm up and the moisture will disappear.
Reason 4: poorly executed slopes
People often wonder why condensation forms on plastic windows from the side of the slopes? The reason is in this case lies in the slopes themselves.
If the slopes are plastic, then the problem can be solved quite simply and quickly. You just need to do the following:
- dismantle plastic panels. To do this, you need to carefully pick them out of the profile and pull them out;
- if necessary, the space between window frame and the opening should be foamed with high quality. The surface must first be cleaned of dust and moistened;
- Before installing plastic panels in place, they should be placed in the space between the wall and slopes mineral wool, which will serve as insulation.
People often wonder what to do if condensation appears on single-chamber plastic windows? If it is not the reasons stated above, then most likely the windows themselves are to blame, as they do not provide sufficient thermal insulation. This problem can be temporarily solved only by forced heating, however, it is better to replace the double-glazed windows.
If the slopes are from, then, unfortunately, it will not be possible to reuse them. In this case, you will have to dismantle them, then insulate the opening and then install new ones. On our portal you can find detailed information about how to install slopes from different materials.
Reason 5: plants
Often the reason for glass fogging is trivial - it is the presence large quantity plants on the windowsill. The fact is that plants require watering, and they also evaporate moisture on their own.
In this case, you need to reduce the number of plants. Especially, avoid moisture-loving breeds. It is not necessary to get rid of them completely, but you can only find a more suitable place for them.
Here, in fact, is all the information on how to get rid of condensation on windows.
Conclusion
As we have found out, the reasons for the formation of condensation on window glass there are several. Almost all of them are quite easy to fix; the main thing is not to delay solving this problem. The only serious reason is low-quality single-chamber glass, so it is better to immediately refuse to purchase them.
See the video in this article for more information. If you have any problems in the fight against glass fogging, leave questions in the comments and I will be happy to help you.
September 20, 2016If you want to express gratitude, add a clarification or objection, or ask the author something - add a comment or say thank you!
They cry too. Based on the Mexican TV series on glass modern houses something like tears is formed. This is condensation. It is more common for old-style windows. Why don’t some plastic ones avoid the fate, and how to fix the problem?
Reasons for condensation on PVC windows
Condensation on plastic windows can accumulate from the side of the room, street, or inside the double-glazed window. Depending on the location of moisture, the reasons for its appearance vary. Condensation between plastic windows in approximately 40% of cases it indicates a defective product. Expertise is needed, since in the remaining 60% the problem turns out to be depressurization of windows and poor installation.
Thus, poor fit around the perimeter of the profile and insufficient insulation of slopes are possible. There is also a discrepancy between the parameters of the frame and the glass unit inserted into it. Another reason for the accumulation of water between glass panes is a sharp difference in temperature indoors and outdoors.
So, at +20 degrees in the room there are 9-9.5 grams of water per cubic meter of air. Accordingly, the total humidity is slightly higher than 54%. However, at +10 the indicator in the room is already 100%. It turns out that with further cooling of the air, moisture will begin to precipitate.
On the street side, condensation accumulates in 70% of cases in the absence of ebb tides and external window sills. If there are drains, they may be installed incorrectly. This is also the reason for moisture condensation on glass. Drops can also appear if there are voids under window sills or ebbs. Water flows into the cavities, creating an area of high humidity near the windows.
Fogging of windows from the outside is typical for double-glazed windows filled with argon gas inside. It is heat saving. Condensation, under a certain combination of environmental factors, forms outside of rain and other precipitation. This is precisely what worries consumers, since otherwise water settling on external glass is the norm.
Most often, condensation is observed on glass inside the home. There are 6 reasons for this:
1. Insufficient ventilation. There may be a fault in the design of the house. In private buildings, many save on ventilation, or do only supply ventilation, forgetting about exhaust ventilation.
2. Lack of ventilation. Usually occurs when the ventilation system is disrupted.
3. High humidity indoors. It happens due to prolonged cooking, washing, and an abundance of plants. The latter release moisture. Therefore, it is important to consider the area of the room when filling it with flowers. Don't forget about a working humidifier. The device may also not correspond to the area of the room.
4. Malfunctions of the heating system. Malfunctions lead to temperature changes, and hence the formation of condensation.
5. Defects in the structure of the house. An example is wide window sills. They block the air flow from radiators or heated floors). As a result, the glass cools down. This is where condensation forms.
6. Designer design premises. Not only wide window sills, but also, for example, thick curtains can impede air circulation.
7. Violations during installation of double-glazed windows. The most common is insufficient sealing. You can provide it yourself. It is enough to coat the cracks. Silicone is suitable. If you take white, it will blend in with standard plastic.
It remains to mention the errors in choosing windows by consumers themselves. There are one-, two-, and three-ampere double-glazed windows. They hold heat differently. Single-chamber ones are recommended for regions with temperatures down to -10 degrees. Installation budget option in other conditions it leads to heat loss and condensation formation.
For most Russian regions, two-chamber windows or with one chamber, but with argon filling and external silver plating, are ideal. Metallic coating reflects summer heat and prevents leakage room heat outside in winter. Gas, as mentioned, also works to save heat. Three-chamber double-glazed windows are for the far north.
By the way, the cause of condensation is worn-out double-glazed windows. Argon gases, for example, do not last longer than 15 years. Often the gas evaporates after 10. Vapors begin to settle on the outdated product.
What does condensation cause?
How to remove condensation from plastic windows interests consumers not only for aesthetic reasons. Water settling on the glass indicates increased humidity, and it is fraught with:
- fungi
- mold
- reproduction of certain types of bacteria
In contrast to the last point, it is worth mentioning that other harmful strains, for example influenza, on the contrary, are suppressed in a humid environment. Therefore, therapists recommend frequent ventilation of rooms for sick people. True, the environment for this should preferably also be cool.
How to eliminate condensation
Realizing Why does condensation form on plastic windows?, the ways to eliminate it are clear. So, if drops accumulate from the inside when:
- thick curtains, you should shorten them or replace them with lighter ones
- wide window sill, you need to narrow it or make it into a structure ventilation holes
- abundance of flowers indoors and on window sills, it is worth redistributing the plants, perhaps selling or donating some
- flaws in the ventilation system, spend money on it, clean it or ventilate the premises often
Check work exhaust ventilation easily by holding a sheet of paper to it. The flow of air leaving the room should press it against the hatch. Otherwise, the system does not function or its performance is insufficient.
Holes for condensation on plastic windows They can also be the result of ignorance of the double-glazed window control system. They have summer and winter modes. The latter assumes maximum fit. The adjustment is carried out using a pin (a rounded piece of hardware with a screwdriver hole in the center) on the side of the sash.
It turns out that to get rid of condensation you need to adjust the windows. If condensation accumulates on the outside of windows, it is worth assessing the weather conditions and checking for drainage. The latter may need to be installed or adjusted.
Actions taken when condensation accumulates inside a double-glazed window also stem from the reasons for the formation of drops there. If there are noticeable gaps in the structure, depressurization and improper fitting of the glass unit are likely.
If the voids are not visible, it is worth calling experts to identify manufacturing defects. If confirmed, the window will need to be replaced. Conscientious manufacturers pay for it by providing a new product.
The appearance of condensation accumulating on window glass– a problem familiar to owners of PVC windows. With the onset of cold weather, in many residential areas the windows begin to collect moisture, puddles form on the window sills, and dampness begins to be felt in the apartment. Similar phenomenon impairs the comfort of living, so there is a need to remove fogging from the glass.
The basis of glass fogging is a physical process when, under the influence of temperature conditions, the liquid passes from one state to another. Warm air contains some moisture in vapor form. When cooling occurs, the liquid changes its state, which causes it to settle on surfaces with low temperatures. Since the window in the apartment is the coldest place, the steam settles there.
When humidity levels are high, condensation on windows can become a serious problem as fogging dampens building structures, and as a result appears mold. And in winter time, condensation quickly turns into frost.
Dew point concept
The dew point is the temperature value at which cooling steam becomes liquid. This point can be located anywhere in the thermal insulation layer of the wall. The dew point cannot be adjusted. It cannot be seen in double glazing or on windows. It can only exist on a chart. And the main thing that is worth remembering and clearly realizing is that condensation is equally influenced by the temperature factor and humidity. The lower the moisture content in the room, the lower the dew point.
The following factors influence the dew point:
- ambient temperature;
- density of wall pie materials;
- room temperature and humidity;
- humidity of the external environment.
Danger of condensation
Installing a sealed double-glazed window not only provides comfort and warmth inside the room, but also prevents fresh air from entering the home. For this reason, the owner independently worsens the microclimate of the room.
Condensation on plastic windows is evidence of an unfavorable atmosphere in the apartment. High air humidity contributes to the appearance various types bacteria, mold and fungal formations.
According to SNIP 2.04.05-91, in the living space the temperature should vary within 20-22 °C, and the moisture content should not exceed 30-45%. These conditions are optimal for a person’s comfortable stay in the room and there is no risk of windows fogging up. Therefore, condensation on the windows is the first sign of a violation of the microclimate of the room.
Causes of condensate sedimentation
Fogging occurs due to lack of heating when steam begins to condense on the surface of the window. There are several reasons why there is condensation on windows:
- The difference in temperature inside the living space and outside, and the high moisture content of the air inside the room. These causes of condensation on windows are the most noticeable.
- Moisture release by finishing materials low quality such as paint or plaster during renovation work.
- Unfair installation window slopes when the tightness of the structure is broken. The result is a noticeable decrease temperature indicators and window fogging. Often this problem occurs when self-installation slopes.
- Installation wide window sills, which form obstacles to the entry of warm air from heating system to the window opening. When the ambient temperature is low, condensation collects on the window.
- Installation of a double-glazed window with one chamber. Such structures are inferior in thermal insulation properties to their two-chamber analogues.
Condensation and wooden windows
Condensation on wooden windows is absent due to the fact that they are able to pass air due to natural material manufacturing. In addition, they are not as airtight as plastic double glazed windows. This ensures that the indoor humidity level is normal.
Modern plastic bags ultra-tight and prevent air flow. Such parameters block the natural ventilation in the space, which was laid down earlier when designing residential premises.
To maintain natural moisture content, it is necessary to ventilate the room daily. Modern double-glazed windows also provide the option of gentle ventilation. It implies that the air flow between the room and external environment carried out through the air valve.
Prevention of condensate sedimentation
Before you start fighting the problem of window fogging, dampness, mildew and mold in window opening, it is necessary to consider several simple ways preventing moisture from settling on windows. The appearance of condensation on windows and what to do when it first settles on the glass can be prevented by the following measures:
- maintaining a comfortable temperature in the living room;
- security natural ventilation and the flow of fresh air into the room;
- insulation of the building from the outside;
- reduction of indoor moisture content by up to 50%;
- exclusion of all sources of moisture ingress into living space: eliminating dampness in the basement area, repairing a leaky roof, etc.;
- increasing the heating of a double-glazed window by installing a powerful radiator under the window or cutting off the window sill;
- lack of plants from the windowsill.
Methods for eliminating condensation
You can learn more about the causes of window fogging and methods of combating this phenomenon by watching the video:
