Foggy Window Solutions

Condensation is the fog that suddenly appears in cold weather on the glass of windows and sliding glass doors. It can block out the view, drip on the floor, freeze on glass...it's annoying! It's natural to blame the windows...but you shouldn't.

What causes window condensation?

1. Condensation can develop between the panes if the seal fails. When this happens, the vacuum or gas escapes and the outside air is free to invade the space between the panes, resulting in a bbuild-upof moisture or condensation. Seals can fail due to faulty installation, inferior sealants or extreme temperatures and weather conditions

If you have an older home subject to frequent temperature changes, our insulated glass (IG) units can help balance the indoor climate. If your home already has double-pane windows, but there is condensation or a “milky” appearance between the panes of glass, it’s time to contact our glass specialists. 

2. Window condensation can also be the result of excess humidity in your home. The glass only provides a cold surface on which humidity can visibly condense. The fog on your windows is a form of condensation; so is the water that forms on the outside of a glass of iced tea in the summer and on the bathroom mirrors and walls after someone takes a hot shower. Condensation usually occurs first on windows because glass surfaces have the lowest temperature of any of the interior surfaces in the house. When the warm, moist air comes into contact with the cooler glass surfaces, the moisture condenses.

The important thing is, your foggy windows and sliding doors are trying to tell you to reduce indoor humidity before it causes hidden, costly problems elsewhere in your home - problems like peeling paint, rotting wood, buckling floors, insulation deterioration, mildew, even moisture spots in ceilings and walls. Foggy windows and sliding doors are the indicators, the warning signs, that humidity could be damaging your home.

Double Pane windows can help increase your home’s insulation. Contact us today and we would be happy to come to your home and assisit in assessing your home and find you a solution to your foggy window’s. 604-929-7292

TIPS FOR FURTHER REDUCING YOUR HOMES HUMIDITY

1. Use Exhaust Fans: Exhaust fans are common in bathrooms, kitchens, and other places that are likely locations for hot water usage. Make sure to use these fans whenever necessary as they will keep the moist air from escaping to other parts of the house as well as decreasing humidity levels at the source.

2. Take Shorter Showers: Most of the moisture in the air in your home will get there from one source: steam. The most likely culprit for this is long, hot showers in improperly vented bathrooms. By reducing the amount of time you spend in the shower, you will not only reduce the amount of water that escapes into the air, you will also use less water and spend less money on heating that water.

3. Hang Damp Clothes Outside: Except in the case of adverse weather conditions, there is no good reason to hang wet or damp clothing to dry inside if you already have a humidity problem. The water evaporating from your clothing or towels has nowhere to go but into the air of your home. Instead, hang these items outside whenever possible so the unwanted moisture stays outside where it belongs!

4. Only Run Washers When Full: Some clothes or dishwashers have settings for the size of the load but many do not. Prevent unnecessary water wastage and unnecessary humidity by only running these appliances when they are full.

5. Don’t Turn Your Home into a Jungle: Plants can be a great addition to a home: they purify the air and are great decoration but they also create extra humidity in your home. If plants are forming mold, you may have too many. Consider giving one or two away and see if that helps the atmosphere of your home.

6. Open Windows and Doors: Air circulation will do a lot in reducing the stuffy, sticky feeling of a humid home so open up those windows and doors when possible to let in fresh air. Keep inside doors open so air flows freely through the home.

7. Do a Moisture Audit: Once you have taken care of these easy ways of reducing humidity, perform one final check around your property to look for any less obvious problems that could be contributing to the moisture in the air:

How Efficient Are Your Windows?

Windows provide our homes with light, warmth, and ventilation, but they can also negatively impact a home's energy efficiency. You can reduce energy costs by installing energy-efficient windows in your home. If your budget is tight, energy efficiency improvements to existing windows can also help.

Heating and cooling costs can be affected just based on the type of windows you have. If you have an older home and new windows were never an upgrade, it may make more sense to get new windows instead of just trying to improve upon the existing windows. New windows will lower heating and cooling costs, eventually covering the initial cost.

Storm windows can reduce the amount of air leaking out and remove drafts. Weather-stripping and caulking around windows and doors can assist in this as well.  Weather-stripping is designed for things that move such as doors and windows that open. Use caulk where gaps exist.

Another way to improve the efficiency of your windows is to select different options with regards to curtains and blinds. Window treatments can help keep your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

Often Energy Star approved windows can eve be zoned for your area you know they can withstand the climate you may regularly endure. When properly selected and installed, energy-efficient windows can help minimize your heating and cooling costs.

Energy efficient windows not only reduce home energy costs and drafts but can reduce noise and help increase light in the home.  Don’t forget about skylights and doors as well. Window replacement in skylights can help reduce condensation that builds up in older models.

If you would like to have a home audit done to see if your windows are energy efficient, or letting your money leak out the door, give us a call! 604-984-4527

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