Window condensation

1,151 Views | 13 Replies | Last: 3 yr ago by TXAGcommenter
canadianAg
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Is interior window condensation considered normal in this weather with the heat running and it cold outside? I'm mostly just noticing it at the bottom of the frame where you lift the window up.
ftworthag02
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buy a hygrometer and measure the humidity in your house. Our house was built around 1915 and had condensation on windows and found the humidity levels to be very high, 60%+. We bought a frigidaire dehumidifier and it has really helped.
schwack schwack
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Our windows are single pane architectural, metal casement windows from the 50's & they do this. Big time. Hate it (but love the windows) & to replace all of them would cost more than the house. Literally, 3 sides of our house are windows with the 4th side built into a hill. If I keep air stirring it helps a lot, but mostly I just wipe the sills frequently.
Builder93
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canadianAg, eh? You don't have cold weather in Canada?
MAS444
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We just had this happen with a few windows in our new build on a cold night (for Houston). Low humidity in house and double pane energy efficient windows. Curious how common this is too.
canadianAg
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We're near Houston too. Don't know what the humidity level is in the house but doesn't feel abnormal which is why I thought maybe at some point you just can't avoid it when the inside is 70 and outside 35
Builder93
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What are the frames? Aluminum, Vinyl, Wood?
canadianAg
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I'm not really positive but I would guess aluminum
CapCity12thMan
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aluminum frames do this. enough humidity in the house AND drafty windows or windows that don't hold temp very well will do this (i.e aluminum)

EDIT - just had our entire house replaced. 33 windows total. out with the 30 year old aluminum frames.
Builder93
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If the aluminum frames don't have a thermal break, which most in the south do not, then the aluminum will drop to a temperature lower than the dew point inside the house and you get condensation.
MAS444
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Mine are wood frame composite clad.
Builder93
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MAS444 said:

Mine are wood frame composite clad.
If the windows are not sealed properly when installed, which is quite likely even in high end homes and more so on retrofits, a small hole in the building envelope can allow cold air to creep in and make that area just cold enough to cause the frame temp to lower that spot below the dew point.

Also, you'll likely notice that the moisture is not running down the window. It's condensing at the lower part of the window where the temps are the coldest. Even though your window is double paned, it's still a bad insulator, especially at the edges where the metal spacer is that creates the gap between the 2 panes. That cold air sits at the bottom and makes that temp just low enough.
ukbb2003
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canadianAg said:

I'm not really positive but I would guess aluminum


All foam insulation by any chance?
rlb28
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do you know the model and pint size?
TXAGcommenter
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canadianAg said:

Is interior window condensation considered normal in this weather with the heat running and it cold outside? I'm mostly just noticing it at the bottom of the frame where you lift the window up.
Imagine your home as if it were a soda can.

When you take a cold can of soda out of the fridge on a hot day, water starts condensing on the can. This happens because the exterior is warming up and the interior is still cold

Same thing with your house, interior of your home is warming up and the exterior of your home is still cold.

Condensation will always form on the warm side.

In the summer time you will notice condensation on the outside surface of your windows.

Construction is cool.
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