Do you have moisture inside your window? If your window keeps turning up damp, it’s because it’s gathering condensation. Condensation happens all the time – like when you shower and the mirror fogs up. Or, if you get a cold glass of water, it will get covered in condensation on a warm, summer day. But, what is it that’s making your windows covered in condensation all the time? How do you prevent it?
What is Condensation?
To start, let’s take a peek at what condensation really is. Condensation is caused when a material like glass has two different temperatures on either side. For example, when you get cold water during summer, there’s cold water on one side of the glass and hot air on the other. The moisture in the warm air is attracted to the cold glass. This moisture isn’t much at first, but it builds up until you can see big drops of water rolling down the side of the glass. It can even start pooling under your glass on whatever surface it’s sitting on.
Moisture Inside a Window
So, now that we understand condensation, what about the windows? The same principle applies. If it’s cold outside and it’s warm in your house, the windows are likely to collect moisture from inside until they’re dripping with water. This is especially unfortunate because we don’t usually think to wipe down windows. This can mean moisture collecting in the window track or on the sill, leading to mold or water damage.
How Window Quality Affects Condensation
The question is, why do some windows condensate and others don’t? It all comes down to window quality. A lot of older windows are only a single pane or are two panes with a bad seal. These windows do not insulate very well or at all. A single pane of glass can’t do much insulating, leaving the hot and cold directly against both of its sides.
High quality windows are made up of two panes, tightly sealed into their frames. In between the panes, a gas is injected. While the type of gas can vary slightly, it’s something denser than air. This helps insulate and keeps extreme temperatures from moving through the window as easily. Because the cold air and hot air aren’t both touching one pane of glass, there is minimal condensation. These quality windows almost never condensate to a point of dripping or collecting water.
Replace Old Windows
If you have windows covered in condensation, they may be old and need to be replaced. It’s best to get this done sooner rather than later so that they don’t allow your home to get water damage or mold. Aluplex provides high quality windows that are properly insulated to prevent condensation and heat transference. If you live in the GTA, give us a call and we’ll help you with the window replacement process.
