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.
To stop condensation on windows at night try keeping your bedroom door open to improve airflow and leaving your curtains open, or swapping for a thinner material. If this doesn't fix the problem, check the seals of the windows (as mentioned above) or consider running a dehumidifier at night to keep moisture at bay.
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.
Open the windows
Keeping your window slightly open through the night will release warm, damp air from your home and give you a good chance of getting rid of condensation on windows. Use trickle vents and lock features to keep your window secure while allowing air to circulate the room.
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.
Condensation on bedroom windows
The best way to control this is to have the window on a vent or the bedroom door open with another window open for ventilation. If you have problems with condensation, speak to us about your current windows to see if new double glazed windows would help.
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.
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.
Curtains or internal blinds on windows can increase condensation on the glass by reducing the window surface temperature. This problem can be reduced by leaving the window open a little.
To permanently reduce and even eliminate condensation in your house, you must reduce the amount of water vapor in the air so that the relative humidity of the air in the rooms is within the normal range, between 30% and 50%. You can do this by using a high-performance indoor ventilation system.
Condensation forms when warm air hits colder surfaces such as windows and walls inside the home. Condensation is more common in autumn and winter because those surfaces are often cooler than they are in the spring and summer.
For the most part, a little condensation on your home's windows is nothing to worry about. It's only when you have excessive condensation on the windows, or the condensation is between the window panes that you should be concerned.
Condensation is caused by warm moist air coming into contact with cold surfaces such as windows and walls. It happens mainly during the colder months, regardless of whether the weather is wet or dry. Condensation is completely normal and is the most common cause of dampness in the home, especially in colder rooms.
Raise the Temperature Setting on Your Air Conditioner
The surface of the glass gets wet when warm air encounters the cool surface. Simply raising the temperature of the glass will help prevent condensation.
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.
When possible leave internal doors open during the day. Allowing air to circulate around your home will help reduce condensation so it's a good idea to leave doors open (especially to the bedrooms) during the day.
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.
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 bad news is that the moisture caused by condensation is a breeding ground for mould and mildew that can cause a range of health problems from allergies to infections.
In contrast to a humidifier, a dehumidifier will remove moisture in your home and absorb condensation.
If condensation has formed on the inside of your window, this is perfectly normal. In fact, this is a sign that your windows are working properly so you shouldn't be worried that your new windows have condensation.
Low internal room temperatures can also create cold surfaces (particularly on windows and exterior walls) which allows warm air to condense onto them easily. Condensation occurs when warm air collides with cold surfaces, or when there's too much humidity in your home.
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.