Why is there condensation on the inside of my window?
There are two forms of condensation. The first is when the moisture is in between two panes of glass. If this happens, contact the company you purchased the windows from, a seal failure has occurred and depending on how long ago they were purchased it could be covered under warranty. The other form of condensation is when it is on the inside of your home and you are physically able to wipe it away. This type of condensation is completely NORMAL. Water is always present in the form of moisture in the air. Hot air is able to absorb a higher level of moisture than cold air. It is for this reason that this phenomenon is especially visible during the winter. Condensation occurs when humid air comes in contact with a surface that is cooler than the air itself. In winter, when your high-quality vinyl windows are efficiently keeping cold air out and warm moist air in, condensation may appear as fog or moisture on the glass. Condensation does not indicate a problem with your windows; quite the contrary. It means you’re holding in warm air like never before. But you’re holding in humidity, too. That’s the problem. Windows typically are the coldest objects in the house in wintertime. Room side condensation is caused by excess humidity in your home. Windows themselves do not cause condensation, but they are an indicator that humidity levels are too high. Keep in mind that new homes release moisture from new construction materials through several heating and cooling seasons. Newer, “tighter” homes trap humid air inside; older drafty homes allow exchange of drier outside air with inside more humid air. Condensation is best controlled by controlling the source of humidity and by ventilating your home. Common sources of humidity are gas burners and clothes dryers. Make sure these are vented to the outside of your house. Sometimes with new windows, condensation occurs which wasn’t occurring before replacing the windows. This is because properly installed dual pane windows seal air leaks that may have been present before the installation; thus air is no longer leaking through or around the windows. Replacing the windows has now reduced a source of ventilation. If you have a lot of humidity within your home, you may find cracking open your windows helps reduce the condensation. Moisture between the panes of glass is an indication that the seal around the windowpanes has failed. This is an unlikely occurrence; however, if it does happen, most window manufacturers will replace the sealed glass unit.
Information above supplied by our window manufacturer Why is there condensation on the outside of my windows?
People are often surprised to see external condensation on double glazed windows, expecting the cause is a fault with the unit. Condensation on the outside of windows can be particularly noticeable during the Autumnal months. External condensation may occur on the latest energy efficient double glazed windows and demonstrates that the windows are doing a fine job of keeping heat in the building. Many customers may be concerned at this “strange” phenomenon however this occurrence actually demonstrates the effectiveness of the glazing. Previously, where condensation occurred internally the “cold spot” of the sealed unit is now external and proves that the heat is being retained rather than lost through the double glazed sealed unit. The condensation will naturally evaporate once the atmosphere warms up. Customers today demand the finest in insulated and thermally efficient windows and a byproduct of this is superior efficiency. Dayside windows, supplied as standard by Right Home Improvements, may be prone to external condensation. It is simply the window and the glass doing its job of keeping the heat in. For those that are more technically minded, Pilkington Glass, who many will know as the world’s largest producer of glass say:The phenomenon is a natural and predictable event caused by the outer pane of the glazing being colder that the glass that it replaced. With single glazing and older style double glazing a larger proportion of heat was lost to the outside through the glass. With modern low e glass products more of the heat is kept inside and the outer pane is not heated as much. Moisture condenses out of the air onto a cold surface that is said to be below the dew point. The dew point varies with the air temperature and the amount of moisture it contains. In spring and autumn in particular the glass temperature can fall to a low level during the night and the dew point can be comparatively high in these seasons. The glass is more often likely to be below the dew point in these conditions and the moisture condenses onto the surface. So there is nothing to worry about if you see external condensation on your new double glazed windows. External condensation forms on the exterior surface of the outer pane of glass when its surface temperature drops below the outdoor dew point temperature – increasingly likely on an Autumn or Winter morning, and sometimes in the Spring, hence why it is only in these current climatic conditions that it occurs. External condensation on double glazing, if it occurs can be caused by a number of factors such as South or North facing properties, location (greater moisture in the northern regions) etc. Rather than being seen as a defect of the product, it is actually a tangible sign as we are concerned that the energy-efficient double glazed windows are doing what they have been designed to do i.e. keep more heat inside the home.