Steamy windows

[Carolina]

...I'm sure that's a song title, but nevermind.

With the arrival of the cold weather my windows have been getting really bad in the mornings, it's like a waterfall some days, is there anything I can do to stop or reduce the problem?

Also do I have to dry them every time? Does everyone spend 30 mins in the morning going round and drying up all windows in the house? I've never heard of that before...

[funnywebsite]

I get it sometimes it depends on the weather. There was none today. I usually use a magic cloth, it dries the windows very quickly. You can buy them from loads of places.

[nuoyg]

Hi Carolina

I would imagine getting a right balance of heating and ventilation could assist. Do you set your heating for the morning as that may help? Do you keep a window open to keep the room fresh? It's pure trial and error and you have to try out various combinations but you'll prob get there in the end... Alternatively, a dehumidifier may assist?

[stanleyman]

When we breathe out, cook or bathe etc. in the home we produce a large amount of moisture that is readily absorbed by the warm heated air. When the warm air contacts a cold surface like single glazed windows it condenses back to the original water. We need sufficient air changes per hour to breathe healthily and to remove moist and foul air.

A regular daily airing of the house can make a difference as can fitting ventilators in problem areas. If it is only the windows affected and you do not have double glazing then a simple method is to secondary glaze the windows with inexpensive perspex sheeting. This must be fairly air tight to work well. Another cheaper method is to use a clingfilm product made for this problem.

[liamjford]

You need to ventilate better - or stop drastic changes in temperature. See: http://www.safeguardeurope.com/applications/condensation .php

[Bravo Girl]

You're right, it was a song recorded by Tina Turner (aka Anna Mae Bullock). It was written by Tony Joe White and recorded by Tina in 1989 on Foreign Affair (produced by Dan Hartman). Mr TJW is a serious cool musician and worth listening to.

[Bravo Girl]

Sorry, being too flippant here. Condensation happens when warm moist gas meets cooler surface and drop in temperature changes gas into a liquid. Two solutions -remove moisture from gas first (by ventilation) or prevent changes happening (by keeping surfaces warm). Open a window or door or get a vent fitted as a first resort, last resort is to add extra heating (expensive). There are crystals (silica gel) one can buy for window sills but you need quite a lot to absorb the moisture described.