Window Condenstion

Do my new windows or doors cause condensation?

The simple answer to this question is no. When condensation forms you might think that it’s the window’s fault, after all that’s where the moisture is. However this is not the case, in fact condensation is a sign that windows and doors are doing their job; replacing drafting windows and doors reduces airflow in your home making it tighter. Tighter homes actually retain more humidity.

Before you replace your windows, dryer, colder air used to leak in your home and mix with the warmer more humid inside air. This lowers the overall relative humidity of the air in your home. Your new draft-free windows have actually caused the humidity level to rise in your home.

How does condensation form?

Condensation forms when colder, cool surfaces like Windows chill the adjacent humid air, and the water vapor in that air changes back to liquid water. In very cold climates the interior glass, metal or plaster surface can get so cold that the condensation turns into ice or frost. Condensation on either the interior or exterior panel is normal, especially when the interior and exterior temperatures and humidity are far apart.

To put it another way, in the summer when you pull something cold and refreshing out of the refrigerator and the air is warm and humid. That cold and refreshing beverage container suddenly becomes wet just as soon as it is exposed to the air. What has happened is that the temperature of the container, fresh from the refrigerator, is below the dew point temperature of the air, condensation forms on the outside of that container.

Can I reduce the condensation on my windows?

Yes. In order to reduce condensation humidity levels in the home must be controlled and air movement must be generated.

What steps can I take to reduce the humidity in my home?

Use exhaust fans in your kitchen, laundry and bathrooms. Vent gas burners, clothes dryers, and other appliances to the outdoors. Shut off furnace humidifiers and other humidifying devices in your home. Also a dehumidifier can help dry out the air. Be sure that the ventilating louvers in your attic, basement or crawl spaces are open and amply sized. Open the fireplace dampers to allow an escape route for moisture laden air. Air out your house a few minutes each day.

Allis is a family owned Milwaukee home improvement business that started serving clients in 1955. Tony & Stacey Bark continue to uphold Allis’s commitment to quality, value and exceptional service. They take pride in following the footsteps of the founders and adhering to their time-tested principles. This tradition of excellence is continuously being passed on for nearly 60 years, Allis has been providing top value awnings, windows, and doors throughout Southeastern Wisconsin. Our installation craftsmen have built a tradition of excellent customer service with over 90 years combined experience. Don’t just take our word for it, see what our customers have been saying about us.