Condensation

LirW

I'm having issues with condensation in our North-facing bedrooms and am looking for a quick "fix" for the problem.
I'm aware how condensation happens and what measures to take but that's financially out of reach at the moment.

Anyway, the problem is the following: our bedroom window is a poorly fitted old double glazed window, it's drafty and generally not good. We're in the house a year now, it's an 80s built ex-council. The windows are soaked every morning when it's colder out.
We unblocked the vents and open the window daily for a while. Now every morning when there's condensation on the windows there's a damp patch on the ceiling just over the window. We checked the roof and the roof is fine, it's definitely the condensation.

We are going to get a de-humidifier. I'm aware we need new windows and also the slab insulation on the outside since a survey showed recently that the cavities are filled with poorly installed fibreglass, that was very likely done during the building phase.
The room isn't holding the heat very well since the window is drafty. I'm really struggling to tackle that issue and I'm looking for some ideas to relieve the situation.

I'm really looking for input on what to do to get on with it for this winter and then we hopefully have the money together for new windows.

coffeyt

Hi we have a similar problem but with its mainly due to single glaze Windows which we are hoping to replace in the new year.
I used the following product last winter and have just finished redoing the Windows this year. It really improved the situation as I only get a small amount of condensation on the film itself now (just on the bottom quarter maybe) which usually clears in a few mins in the morning.
Just a word of warning they can be a bit finicky to do so peace and quiet and patience is required.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/tesa-UK-Thermocover-Insulating-Windows/dp/B0038JE7X6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1539864289&sr=8-1&keywords=tesa+window+insulation

coffeyt

Just as an aside even though our house holds heat well, the film made a massive difference to the warmth in the rooms, we don't get that cold feeling when next to the window anymore! So definitely worth doing as a temporary measure.

And just be aware if the frame of your window is damp from the condensation you will need to make sure it's very dry before applying the tape. So a good clean down and I warmed the frame with a hairdryer for a few mins before attaching the tape which seemed to help.

henryporter

Put one of these in the last house I had - sorted all the condensation https://www.nuaire.co.uk/residential/positive-input-ventilation

s7ryf3925pivug

Dessicant dehumidifiers are more effective than condenser ones at lower temperatures. They are geberally the better choice in Ireland for that reason.

We have a delonghi dessicant dehumidifier and a challenge condenser one. The former is very effective and works a lot better than the latter. The latter is grand, just not as good.

Decent dessicant dehumidifier should manage the issue fine.

tedpan

henryporter wrote:

Put one of these in the last house I had - sorted all the condensation nuaire

What did this cost?

A colleague is having serious condensation issues. She had new double glazing installed a few months ago, but is being told that the issue is down to having no ventilation in the house. Is this correct, could anyone advise? It's a 3 bed semi-d.

s7ryf3925pivug

There's one of those in the house we moved into recently. I didn't know what it was and thought it was weird that a vent in the hall went into the attic. It doesn't appear to work great in this case. There is condensation on the windows in the mornings. There was also a square of black mould behind a fitted wardrobe, directly beneath a gap in the attic insulation.

ingalway

If you get a dehumidifier make sure it's a desiccant dehumidifier and not the refrigerant type. They work much better in our climate and they actually warm up the air so the room is drier and warmer. I bought one a while ago and very happy with it. PM me if you'd like details on the model I got.

listermint

tedpan wrote: »

What did this cost?

A colleague is having serious condensation issues. She had new double glazing installed a few months ago, but is being told that the issue is down to having no ventilation in the house. Is this correct, could anyone advise? It's a 3 bed semi-d.

People living in homes created moisture, this has to escape somewhere. If they have no ventilation then that moisture gathers on the coldest surface it can find. generally windows. OR cool surfaces.

For the OP the cold patch on the ceiling will be where there is no or little insulation in the attic. So that ceiling section is cold to touch and water gathers on that cold surface turning from steam / back to water droplets on impact with the cold surface.

The OP would be best putting insulation in the attic area and more in the area of that patch,

And the film should prevent drafts in the gaps in their window seals and add a bit of a layer to the window (this would be a stop gap to a fuller solution of new windows)

steamsey

tedpan wrote: »

What did this cost?

A colleague is having serious condensation issues. She had new double glazing installed a few months ago, but is being told that the issue is down to having no ventilation in the house. Is this correct, could anyone advise? It's a 3 bed semi-d.

You have to have ventilation (assuming not a passive house or similar). Ventilation is a health issue and a building regulation.

Several causes of condensation that you can trouble shoot:

- room temp too low (warm air holds more moisture than cold air)
- windows are crap and inside pane is freezing
- no ventilation (You can get a core drill piece and drill in 80/100mm holes in the wall, and install a proper vent (pvc pipe, foam around pipe, draught proof external vent and adjustable internal vent).
- investigate the source of vapour (that will later condensate on windows etc). Check extractor fans for cooker, bathrooms. Drying clothes indoors is a cardinal sin and can create serious condensation, mould and health issues.

Change one thing at a time and you should be able to sort this

BrokenArrows

When you say poorly fitted windows what exactly do you mean?

Are there gaps between the wall and the frame or are the windows not closing properly and allowing a draft?

LirW

BrokenArrows wrote: »

When you say poorly fitted windows what exactly do you mean?

Are there gaps between the wall and the frame or are the windows not closing properly and allowing a draft?

As far as I know the previous owner fitted poor quality windows himself not knowing what he did. His son lives next door and told me about it.
You can feel a draft standing next to it. Rubber seal will be changed this weekend.

Re attic insulation, the attic is a DIY converted job and the place is difficult to access. At the moment it's just used for storage really. For good insulation it would have to be stripped back, which is also on our long to-do list.

BryanF

Op what’s the fan in the bathroom (s) like?

Are you or others sleeping in the rooms?

Are you drying clothes in the house?

s7ryf3925pivug

Check the fan above the oven actually pulls steam into it, and that the tubing is intact and connected to a vent outside

Lumen

Since the ceiling condensation is directly over the window it seems like some kind of detailing problem is letting cold air through at the top of the frame which is then getting into a void above the ceiling.

Not sure there's an easy fix without interfering with ventilation of the rafters. Maybe a well taped vent card?

Edit: oh I see you don't have access cos it's converted. Balls.

Muahahaha

henryporter wrote: »

Put one of these in the last house I had - sorted all the condensation https://www.nuaire.co.uk/residential/positive-input-ventilation

Could I ask cost? Also how did you find them on running costs?

melsmum

I also have, well, I won't say a "problem" with condensation - it's just something that's there! My house is an early '80s bungalow. We had the walls pumped with insulation some years ago, and the attic insulated, and then the windows replaced with good double glazed ones. But the house was built with no ventilation in the rooms, just a vent at either end of the attic. It's on a hill in a very windy spot, and Ithink this is why there were no vents put in. The condensation is only really a problem in the two north facing rooms, but I just wipe it up in the mornings, and open the windows for a while. I also bought a small dehumidifier from Aldi or Lidl last year, and run that for a while several times a week, and that has done wonders. In one room, there used to be book cases all along one outside wall, and when I took those away, I found lots of mould behind them, on the wall. However, since then, I just don't put anything against the wall, and haven't had a problem with mould since. (fingers crossed!)

spud65

Had a problem with condensation for years and this year got a guy in to look at the 2 worst windows, He changed the latches and the seals on the windows, he told me they had worn down over time and the windows weren't closing properly. Since he done them no condensation has been on the windows since plus less noise in the rooms aswell. If you want to do them yourself, the seal is only pushed into place, so its easy to fit and the latches you will get them in any decent hardware store for €20ish a pair don't know how much the seal is and i'd say you would get it from window manufacturer or someone like that. I got charged €60 a window

melsmum

My house (also early 1980s build) was also built without any vents, other than one at either end of the attic, just under the roof. It did have two open fireplaces, which I suppose gave some ventilation at the time of buildng, but now, one fireplace is unused, so is stuffed with old coal sacks to stop some of the heat escaping, and the other has a boiler stove insert. It's a terribly windy area, which I think is why there were no vents. There's no hood over the cooker either. Since we bought the house, 20 years ago, we've had it insulated, had the doors replaced and had the windows replaced. It's made a huge difference, but the condensation can be a problem. The worst room is a north facing bedroom, so I have a dehumidifier that I run in there every so often. It doesn't need much, and the dehumidifier is just a small one from Aldi or Lidl. Opening the windows a little bit, even for a while, helps too. The kitchen is the worst though. I really do need a vent put in there, between the enclosed stove and I cook with gas! Since we replaced the windows, there is usually only a little condensation in the bedroom I sleep in in the mornings, if I don't remember to leave the window open a tiny bit.

listermint

Whoever put the Insulation on and Installed that stove were idiots.

Its mandatory for vents to be fitted when getting a Grant, you cannot do it without them.

And installing a Fire Stove with inadequate ventilation is downright criminal.

John368

To cure condensation problems you need both heat and ventilation. Hence "fixing" the drafty windows will not solve the problem and probably will make the problem worse. Also you need to address the source of the moisture if you can. Leave the extractor fan in the bathroom and kitchen running for a while after showering and cooking. Avoid drying clothes in the house.

If you get a dehumidifier, make sure that is rated at 5L/day at least. Many of the cheaper dehumidifiers are rated at below 0.5L per day and only should be used in wardrobes or small store rooms. I would not look to dehumidifiers as a permanent solution as they tend to work best in unventilated heated rooms and since we all need to be in rooms with some ventilation to be able to breath, even the higher powered dehumidifiers will work very inefficiently under normal living conditions. They are great though for putting in a vacant damp room with the heating in it on and the windows and doors closed.

melsmum

listermint wrote: »

Whoever put the Insulation on and Installed that stove were idiots.

The guys that did the stove hadn't noticed that there wasn't a vent until it was in and they were doing the paperwork. I assured him I would get one put in, and I do intend to. I just haven't, as yet. And I didn't get any grants for the insulation. I applied for a grant when my heating boiler had to be replaced, and was told I didn't qualify because the way the original system was installed, the heating and hot water couldn't be separated. I applied for a grant for getting the walls insulated, and was told I didn't qualify because I'd already had the attic done.

listermint

melsmum wrote: »

The guys that did the stove hadn't noticed that there wasn't a vent until it was in and they were doing the paperwork. I assured him I would get one put in, and I do intend to. I just haven't, as yet. And I didn't get any grants for the insulation. I applied for a grant when my heating boiler had to be replaced, and was told I didn't qualify because the way the original system was installed, the heating and hot water couldn't be separated. I applied for a grant for getting the walls insulated, and was told I didn't qualify because I'd already had the attic done.

Those lads seen that there was no vent, They were cowboys. They should not have installed it.

Muahahaha

Surely they broke the building regs by not installing a vent for the stove? Sounds irresponsible but I suppose the OP did say he would install one. Either way it sounds like it's carbon monoxide trouble waiting to happen.