What is condensation?
Condensation is water vapour within the air which has met the dew point - the temperature at which air can no longer hold the water vapour and it appears as condensation on your windows or a cooler surface than the surrounding temperature.
Does condensation mean my windows are faulty?
This all depends on where on your window the condensation is. If it is on either of the external panels then no, but if condensation is forming inbetween the panes of glass then the windows have 'blown' and are no longer sealed units. They will need to be repaired or replaced.
How to prevent condensation
All windows are prone to condensation, but it is possible to prevent it from forming. If you notice condensation on the inside of a window, you should:
- Improve ventilation in the room - add an extractor fan or open windows
- Shut bathroom and kitchen doors
- Dry clothes outdoors when possible
How to get rid of condensation
If condensation is on the inside of the window, i.e. inside your home, then this is an easy fix you can do. If you improve the ventilation within the room, it should prevent condensation building up. It simply means the room temperature is warmer than the surface of the inside pane of glass.
If the condensation is on the external pane of glass i.e. outside your house, then again the sealed unit is not broken, it in fact means your windows are doing a fabulous job! The outside will form condensation because the outside surface has become cold and the heat within your home is not leaving through the inside glass and heating the external pane. Therefore the external pane of glass will be colder than the temperature outside, resulting in condensation.
So when does condensation mean there is a fault?
If you have condensation within the sealed unit then you do have a problem as the unit has broken down. It might be time to look at replacing the windows you have; they maybe old or inferior to the quality of today's double glazing, which will probably be costing you money by wasting energy.
Here at Anglian Home Improvements, all of our A rated windows help battle condensation by capturing heat from sunlight and reducing heat loss by locking the heat into the room; with built in vents, you shouldn't have too many condensation issues.
We also have a 15 year 'no quibble' guarantee on the sealed unit, so in the unlikely event of your window breaking down and forming condensation between the two panes of glass do not fear. This would be considered a product fault and would be replaced free of charge.