Why double glazing condensation

There is a silicone seal in the IGU that protects the gap in between the glass panes from any air or moisture. Even on the exterior and interior surfaces, you should notice less condensation when you have energy efficient windows.

If you see some fog on the glass and start worrying — 'wait a second, should I get any condensation on double glazed windows? One way you can find out is, if you can wipe the moisture off the glass with your hand or a cloth, either from the inside or the outside of your home, the condensation is where it should be.

It should, however, be considerably less than you ever noticed before you had insulated windows. What about new double glazed windows vs. Thermawood's patented retrofit double glazed windows — does one get less condensation than the other? However, in order to set your windows up for a long-life without worrying about moisture damage, mould growth, and a failed double glazing unit, you need a way for any moisture that does get in your windows to get out, which is exactly what Thermawood created with the patented draining system for retrofit double glazing.

With double glazed windows, the improved thermal insulation helps to keep the glass and the surrounding air temperature at about the same level. Because of this relative temperature consistency, there is less of a chance for moisture to form on the glass surfaces. It will pretty much only be impacted by your indoor air temperature.

So, you have a smaller temperature difference between the glass and your indoor air, and therefore, a reduced likeliness of condensation. Even with double glazed windows, your glass is still coming into contact with the air. If you do end up with a temperature difference, you still could see some condensation on the glass. Where you need to take notice is if the moisture is on the inside of the unit. But, some moisture is still going to get in around your window.

When you have a square rebate — which is the case for most double glazed windows — that moisture can accumulate, sit in the square rebate and damage the seal of the IGU. The moisture in the air will condense into water as it hits the cool surface of the windows, creating condensation on the inside of your bedroom window. With the temperature difference between outside and inside larger in winter, you often find more condensation on your windows during colder months.

It can also be taken as evidence that the humidity inside your home is excessive — which can be a health concern. To prevent condensation settling on windows we need to take steps to reduce the amount of condensation in the home generally. In order to achieve this, you want to improve ventilation in your home — some steps you can take include the following:.

There are many steps you can take to stop condensation on your double glazed windows. Here are some ways to reduce condensation in the home:. Aim to open windows for about 20 minutes daily yes, even in winter! Installing trickle vents can help reduce condensation too. Drying wet clothes inside significantly increases the amount of water vapour in the air. The water has to go somewhere, after all. Try moving your houseplants outside during the winter or choosing plants that absorb humidity, such as ferns, palms or cactus.

One of the most obvious causes are the living beings which inhabit a house — each of which, be they humans, dogs, cats or guinea pigs, will emit water vapour over the course of the day. Paradoxically, you might also encounter an uptick in humidity when you return from a spell away — as an empty house will be unheated, and therefore prone to absorbing moisture, which will be released when the heat rises again.

Whilst condensation can be worse on single glazed windows due to the internal surface of the window being much colder than the internal surface of a double glazed window , replacing single glazed windows with double glazing is not enough to eliminate the problem.

The reason being is that although the inside of your new windows will be warmer, they will simultaneously eliminate draughts. This will reduce ventilation, and contribute to the build-up of moisture. If your condensation has appeared almost overnight, then you might be wondering what could possibly have caused it.

There are several potential short-term contributing factors. When the weather outside gets cold, the chances of condensation occurring increase substantially. This is because the difference in temperature between inside and outside is greater, cooling your windows more and encouraging water vapour to condense on the glass.

At the start of winter, it is therefore worth taking preventative steps to reduce preventable causes of double glazing condensation before they have a chance to develop.

Newer double-glazed windows are able to do their job much more effectively than old ones, keeping an airtight seal between the indoors and out. This means that the window seal has sprung a leak, which has allowed water vapour to get in. For more information, take a look at our blog post on why condensation forms between window panes.

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