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A lot of condensation inside windows

  • 21-11-2024 01:13AM
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 61 ✭✭


    Recently renovated home. B1 energy rating with external insulation, new double glazing windows, underfloor heating and combo gas boiler.

    We have noticed over the past few weeks in the winter time, but especially over the past few days as the temperatures have plummeted, that all of the windows have a large amount of condensation on the inside in the morning up until lunch time. The moisture is so much that the window sills and handles on the inside are dripping wet. The fixed pane rooflight window in our large kitchen dining room area also has a large amount of moisture and the drips are running along the paint work in the roofbox in the ceiling area and dripping onto our kitchen table underneath. Is this normal in such a well insulated house in cold temperatures? Any suggestions in how to combat this ? I am more concerned with paint work being damaged from drips. There a few vents in the house but there are none in the rooms where we are seeing this large build up of moisture. We do leave the windows open for a few hours in the morning time usually on most days.

    Would you have any suggestions or again is this behaviour normal in such a home?

    Thank you



Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,934 ✭✭✭Alkers


    If there are no vents, how are the rooms ventilated? Was there any vents before the renovation?



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,023 ✭✭✭10-10-20


    I'd also recommend that you take out the moisture which has collected by using a rag and then by drying it outside (or wring it out into a basin).

    And then look at habits that you have which contribute to humidity - drying clothes, not having a window open after a shower or not leaving the fan on long enough, and cooking without lids - or not having an external ventilated hob extractor.

    Also have a look at this:

    https://www.youtube.com/shorts/lQv5FIZd9Qc



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 31,533 ✭✭✭✭HeidiHeidi


    I have single-glazed windows on the front of my house, and they turned into absolute waterfalls yesterday, as they do every time there's a cold snap - I do as the poster suggested above, soak up all the water with a microfibre cloth, and dry off with newspaper (bonus is that it's an unintended window clean!). I wouldn't expect it with double glazing tbh - I have double glazing on the back of the house, one set of patio doors in the same room as two of the dripping front windows, and none of those have so much as a drop of moisture on them.

    Definitely consider if you're adding moisture to the air somehow, and maybe borrow or rent a dehumidifier to do a one-off drying out of the air, then try to avoid re-adding moisture after. But if it's in bedrooms, you'll never keep it dry, your breath alone will dump moisture all night long. See about re-activating the vents, it can't be a coincidence that the "sealed" rooms are the ones with condensation problems.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,998 ✭✭✭JVince


    Do the windows have any trickle vents built into them? Usually if there's no actual vent in the room, the windows will have trickle vents if the house was built in the last few years.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 61 ✭✭Leinster D


    thanks all. All of the windows have trickle vents built in and the way are always open. We have never closed them. Didn’t have these issues in the house before we did some renovations and got new windows. It’s a warmer house for sure but seems moisture has a problem with escaping until we open windows in the morning.



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 27,480 ✭✭✭✭noodler


    Ibe this problem in bedrooms with old double glazing (25 years). Ventilation isn't great though I suspect it's more to do with the windows ok my case



  • Posts: 8,532 [Deleted User]


    Condensation is normal enough in winter. Especially the better the insulation and air tightness. Open window in morning to ventilate and wipe moisture with cloth. Its all about relative humidity and dew points.

    We have EWI. The rooms are toasty but 1 bedroom suffers from condensation. Open the vent fully didnt really help either. Apart from rapidly cooling the room.

    I wouldnt worry about it.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,934 ✭✭✭Alkers


    It's a combination of things:

    Even with new windows, the glass is probably the coldest surface in the room so it is the first place condensation will form.

    The warmer the air in the room is, the more moisture it can carry. Are you heating the room to a certain temperature overnight / in the am?

    It's unusual if it's all the windows, normally it'd just be where people are sleeping. Does it happen in unoccupied rooms too? Do you sleep with doors open?



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,128 ✭✭✭This is it


    Bought a decent dehumidifier last week to help with this. It runs on auto during the night and there's no condensation in the morning. We pop it into the spare room to help drying the clothes now as well.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 61 ✭✭Leinster D


    happens in all rooms and not just bedrooms. We have underfloor heating set at temperature so it is generally toasty always in the house at about 19-20 celcius.



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 61 ✭✭Leinster D


    might invest in one of these over black Friday



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 181 ✭✭TrivialArguer


    Do you just leave it in one room or move it around to use for a certain amount of time in each room?



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,128 ✭✭✭This is it


    It'll probably depend on the size and layout of your house but I leave it in the bedroom through the night and move it to the landing during the day with all bedroom and bathroom doors open. If we're drying clothes inside I'll put it in the spare room with the clothes.

    It is a bit of a pain moving it around but our bedroom in particular was really bad, blinds getting wet, curtains damp, and dark patches starting to appear in two corners of the room.



  • Subscribers Posts: 711 ✭✭✭FlipperThePriest


    If you have a moisture / condensation problem, you likely have an air quality problem, and a dehumidifier won't fix that. Without a sufficient exchange of air, (which your trickle vents obviously aren't providing) you will be breathing in stale air 24/7, laden with god knows what sort of toxins and particles.



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