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SuperNet
Go Ninja,Go Ninja Go..
Premium Member
join:2002-10-08
Hoffman Estates, IL

SuperNet

Premium Member

Condensation on windows, how to fix?

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Hello, I am getting condensation on ALL my windows in the house, they are double pain windows as well...

I have my humidifier set at 3 1/2 (normal is 3-5) and the numbers are 1-10(i believe)...

I have the house set at 69 degrees Fahrenheit.

What could be causing the condensation?
KirkyInCT
join:2008-11-04
Higganum, CT

KirkyInCT

Member

Too much humidity in the house and a big difference in temperatures between inside the house and outside.

I have a few areas that are really tough to keep dry, and I've found keeping curtains and shades open (not blocking the flow of air over the window) helps. But the best solution is to turn down the humidifier as the temps drop.

cowboyro
Premium Member
join:2000-10-11
CT

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The humidity is too high compared to the outdoor temperature and the insulation efficiency of the windows.
Since you don't have an absolute way of measuring the humidity, turn it down little by little to the point where there is no condensation. Give it time to adjust after making a change, it may take a whole day.
I am only getting a bit of condensation with 45% humidity when the temperatures drop in the 15-20F range.

alkizmo
join:2007-06-25
Pierrefonds, QC

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As others have said: Humidity

The glass of the windows is cold, even if they are well insulated, they are COLD (when it's cold outside).

Think of a icy cold glass of water, it gets wet from the outside because the air around it touches it, and cools down. The humidity in that warm air turns to water (hot air can hold more water than cold air).

Solutions:

1 - Turn off the humidifier.

Get a few cheap hygrometers (humidity meters) and place them around the house. If the humidity level is over 45%, it's still too high. If humidity is below 45% but your humidifier is off, maybe you keep the house too warm. Warm house = human bodies expelling more humidity. 45% humidity at 80 degrees will create more condensation on the windows than 45% humidity at 70 degrees.

2 - Find a way to create air movement in the house. Do you have a furnace? If it's furnace heating, set it to keep the blower fan on 24/7 to circulate air around the house. It will even out the humidity level which can help in places like the kitchen and near the shower (as humidity there can be quite high).

3 - Worse come to worse and you really have an uncontrollable humidity problem you can either buy a dehumidifier, but those are noisy, or invest a pretty penny in an air exchanger, which is a good investment if you don't have central heating.

SuperNet
Go Ninja,Go Ninja Go..
Premium Member
join:2002-10-08
Hoffman Estates, IL

SuperNet

Premium Member

Thanks for the input..

I do have a furnace... I don't believe i can set the fan to work 24/7?
telco_mtl
join:2012-01-06

telco_mtl

Member

said by SuperNet:

Thanks for the input..

I do have a furnace... I don't believe i can set the fan to work 24/7?

most furnaces have a man/auto switch mounted on the fan limit switch. (little box usually marked honeywell)

Warzau
Premium Member
join:2000-10-26
Naperville, IL

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Def turn down the humidity get a cheapo humidity gauge, there is ideal range you house should be. If you humidifier isn't "automatic" meaning sensing indoor and outdoor temp get ready to adjust constantly manually in winter based on exterior temp and interior temp and humidity.

SuperNet
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join:2002-10-08
Hoffman Estates, IL

SuperNet to telco_mtl

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to telco_mtl
said by telco_mtl:

said by SuperNet:

Thanks for the input..

I do have a furnace... I don't believe i can set the fan to work 24/7?

most furnaces have a man/auto switch mounted on the fan limit switch. (little box usually marked honeywell)

»Settings for humidifier?

How do I know if mine is auto? I know there is a wire going outside but i don't know what that is for.

Hall
MVM
join:2000-04-28
Germantown, OH

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said by SuperNet:

I have my humidifier set at 3 1/2 (normal is 3-5)...

What is "normal" ?

SuperNet
Go Ninja,Go Ninja Go..
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join:2002-10-08
Hoffman Estates, IL

SuperNet

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said by Hall:

said by SuperNet:

I have my humidifier set at 3 1/2 (normal is 3-5)...

What is "normal" ?

Uploaded pic,, that is "normal"

jjoshua
Premium Member
join:2001-06-01
Scotch Plains, NJ

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said by SuperNet:

they are double pain

Sorry to hear that.

The condensation is not between the panes, right?

Is the condensation only on the upper sash where it meets the lower sash?

Hall
MVM
join:2000-04-28
Germantown, OH

1 recommendation

Hall to SuperNet

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said by SuperNet:

Uploaded pic,, that is "normal"

I would ask my question a 2nd time, but there's really no point...

SuperNet
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join:2002-10-08
Hoffman Estates, IL

SuperNet to jjoshua

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to jjoshua
said by jjoshua:

said by SuperNet:

they are double pain

Sorry to hear that.

The condensation is not between the panes, right?

Is the condensation only on the upper sash where it meets the lower sash?

Double pain windows are bad?

it is NOT in between the windows
alana
join:2009-10-20
Lake Geneva, WI

alana to Hall

Member

to Hall
I'll bite....

On your Thermostat (in your living area, not your HVAC room), you may have a fan switch that has "auto/on". If you have AC, you probably have that switch. If you only have a furnace, maybe not.

Set the switch to "ON" to continuously move air around.
zach3
Zach
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join:2000-05-04
Saint Louis, MO

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You may have answered your question of condensation on windows.

»Bathroom fan, venting question...

tp0d
yabbazooie
Premium Member
join:2001-02-13
Bulger, PA

tp0d

Premium Member

Some condensation on the inside surface of the windows is normal, cant stop it. Moisture in between the panes of glass is NOT.

-j

SuperNet
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Hoffman Estates, IL

SuperNet to zach3

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to zach3
said by zach3:

You may have answered your question of condensation on windows.

»Bathroom fan, venting question...

The shower wasn't running
zach3
Zach
Premium Member
join:2000-05-04
Saint Louis, MO

zach3

Premium Member

But the moisture buildup in the attic is still there.

SuperNet
Go Ninja,Go Ninja Go..
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join:2002-10-08
Hoffman Estates, IL

SuperNet

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said by SuperNet:

Hello, I am getting condensation on ALL my windows in the house, they are double pain windows as well...

I have my humidifier set at 3 1/2 (normal is 3-5) and the numbers are 1-10(i believe)...

I have the house set at 69 degrees Fahrenheit.

What could be causing the condensation?

My attic fan vent has a humidastat control as welll, so maybe that will help?
HarryH3
Premium Member
join:2005-02-21

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Check out the charts at the bottom of page 6 and page 7: »www.aprilaire.com/themes ··· ners.pdf The humidity has to be turned down as the outside temp drops or you'll get wet windows.
MaynardKrebs
We did it. We heaved Steve. Yipee.
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said by SuperNet:

said by Hall:

said by SuperNet:

I have my humidifier set at 3 1/2 (normal is 3-5)...

What is "normal" ?

Uploaded pic,, that is "normal"

RTFM.

robbin
Mod
join:2000-09-21
Leander, TX

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said by SuperNet:

said by Hall:

said by SuperNet:

I have my humidifier set at 3 1/2 (normal is 3-5)...

What is "normal" ?

Uploaded pic,, that is "normal"

I see nothing in your pic labeled "normal".

ropeguru
Premium Member
join:2001-01-25
Mechanicsville, VA

ropeguru

Premium Member

said by robbin:

I see nothing in your pic labeled "normal".

I do. Look right above the number 5.
67845017 (banned)
join:2000-12-17
Naperville, IL

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said by SuperNet:

said by jjoshua:

said by SuperNet:

they are double pain

Sorry to hear that.

The condensation is not between the panes, right?

Is the condensation only on the upper sash where it meets the lower sash?

Double pain windows are bad?

Ouch. Someone's not getting it.

Coma
Thanks Steve
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join:2001-12-30
NirvanaLand

Coma

Premium Member

said by 67845017:

Ouch. Someone's not getting it.


Perhaps english is not a native language.

whizkid3
MVM
join:2002-02-21
Queens, NY

1 recommendation

whizkid3 to Hall

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to Hall
said by Hall:

said by SuperNet:

I have my humidifier set at 3 1/2 (normal is 3-5)...

What is "normal" ?

A common question...

"What could be causing the humidity?" ....um....your humidifier?

alkizmo
join:2007-06-25
Pierrefonds, QC

alkizmo to Coma

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said by Coma:

Perhaps english is not a native language.

I'm pretty sure it is for some people.

Coma
Thanks Steve
Premium Member
join:2001-12-30
NirvanaLand

Coma

Premium Member


How do you spell pane ?

Warzau
Premium Member
join:2000-10-26
Naperville, IL

2 edits

Warzau

Premium Member

I thought it was pain. ( smiley face to show sarcasm )

Anyway to OP a little condensation like that isn't bad. Like others mentioned open your blind or shades during the day so it can evaporate back into the air. That usually happens to my windows overnight. As long as it isn't the whole window with water dripping down the glass it's fine. Dial the humidity control back, but get a humidity gauge from walgreens at least. To make sure you air isn't too dry or too humid. Digital is better than the spring kind.

Coma
Thanks Steve
Premium Member
join:2001-12-30
NirvanaLand

Coma

Premium Member

said by Warzau:

I thought it was pain.



Pain is an unpleasant feeling often caused by intense or damaging stimuli, such as stubbing a toe, burning a finger, putting alcohol on a cut, and bumping the "funny bone."[1] The International Association for the Study of Pain's widely used definition states: "Pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage, or described in terms of such damage".
»en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pain

pane noun \pn\

Definition of PANE

: a piece, section, or side of something: as
a : a framed sheet of glass in a window or door
b : one of the sections into which a sheet of postage stamps is cut for distribution
— paned adjective
— pane·less adjective
See pane defined for English-language learners »
See pane defined for kids »
Origin of PANE

Middle English pan, pane strip of cloth, pane, from Anglo-French pan, panne, from Latin pannus cloth, rag — more at vane
First Known Use: 14th century
»www.merriam-webster.com/ ··· ary/pane