This is because the cold makes your property's walls and windows colder, and condensation is formed when the warm air inside your home that contains moisture comes into contact with cooler temperatures, meaning that the gaseous moisture contained in your properties warm air reverts back to a liquid state when it comes ...
Condensation on walls is a problem for countless homes throughout the country. Unfortunately, it gets worse in winter, as the colder temperatures draw more moisture from the air.
Warm air holds more moisture than cold air. The warmer it is, the more moisture it can hold. Heating one room, and leaving the others cold, will lead to more condensation forming in the cold rooms.
Adequate heating
Adequately heating your home can help to reduce condensation and damp, so keep temperature levels consistent, especially in those rooms that you may not use often. A heating thermostat can be useful for this. Avoid using paraffin heaters as these tend to create excess moisture.
The World Health Organisation guidelines suggest 21 degrees in a living room and 18 degrees in the bedrooms, falling lower at night and when you are out. You don't need to keep your home at these temperatures all the time, but you should aim to bring it up to these temperatures at least some of the day.
Open Your Window
This might seem obvious, but it's effective. Opening your windows will release the humid air outside, and therefore, will prevent the humidity from collecting onto your windows. So, if it's not too cold out and you're suffering from condensation, open a window.
If warm air cannot escape through an open window or air vent, it moves around until it finds a cold surface where it cools and forms condensation. Condensation forms more easily on cold surfaces in the home, for example walls and ceilings.
Removing condensation
Make a habit of removing window condensation first thing every morning — when it's at its worst. Use an absorbent paper towel or microfibre cloth to gently scoop and wipe the water off the surface of your windows. Use a fresh towel or a squeegee to dry the pane thoroughly afterwards.
Ventilate so the moist air leaves the house – always use the extractor fan when you're cooking, showering or bathing, leave any window vents open, and don't block off any other vents. Make sure air can circulate by leaving gaps between furniture and the wall.
Internal condensation
This is generally caused by the room not being double or triple glazed, not being sufficiently heated and/or being shut up so the air doesn't move around enough. The upshot is too much water vapour in the room and windows which are cold enough to attract it.
Condensation is the moisture formed when warm, humid air encounters a cold surface. At night, almost all year round, the difference between indoor and outdoor temperatures means that condensation is always a possibility.
The main reason that condensation is worse in winter and the colder months of the year is because the amount of heat and moisture present within a home is often far greater than it is during summer, as well as the fact that the temperature outside your property is much cooler.
The main cause of condensation is a lack of ventilation. The remedy is to improve ventilation to help equalise humidity inside and outside a property. Once upon a time, houses had badly-fitted windows, doors, chimneys and air vents that allowed for the circulation of air.
In fact not heating your house through the winter or colder months can cause real issues for buildings, especially if it has been heated previously, flooded or has a lack of ventilation or has damp problems. When the temperature drops, cold air outdoors, can increase the problems with condensation in the home.
The reason condensation appears in your property is due to a lack of adequate ventilation which causes humidity levels to rise. As we spend more time indoors and make our property more energy efficient the build-up of moisture and humidity levels increase.
Condensation forms when warm, humid air contacts a cold surface. Moisture is in the air all around us and warmer air can hold more moisture. As air cools, it contracts and its moisture condenses.
Opening the windows to reduce damp from condensation
Condensation occurs when humid, warm air becomes trapped in your home and then meets a cold surface, like a window. Opening a window allows humid air to escape from your home, thus reducing condensation.
If you wake up and find condensation on your bedroom windows, a great way to clear away the condensation is by mixing a home-made solution. Simply mix two cups of water and two cups of white vinegar, then add a couple of drops of washing up liquid.
Although condensation doesn't signal that you need new replacement windows, it's still possible that you do need some. If you've had your windows for years and you notice that they are a little drafty, then you may want to consider investing in new windows.
So how often should you open your windows? It's recommended that you do so once a day, for at least five minutes. Fifteen to 20 minutes is preferable. However, when you open them is also important.
Ventilate your home
Mokler recommends even opening the windows for just 20 minutes a day as this can be enough to drastically reduce the effects of condensation and dampness in homes.
Your bedroom windows have condensation on the inside
This will usually happen if you leave the en-suite door open so the steam travels into your bedroom. This is a natural phenomenon where water vapour turns back into liquid when it comes into contact with something cooler in temperature, like your bedroom windows.