You can often hear complaints from owners of even high-quality plastic windows about the incomprehensible appearance of water on the surface of the glass unit.
This is usually described by the term “windows sweating.” The effect is expressed by the appearance of a certain number of water drops on the surface of the glass, and sometimes on the plastic itself. In fact, we are talking about simple condensation. We will try to explain to you what condensation on windows is and how to deal with this phenomenon.
Our article will help if you encounter one of the manifestations below:
- The windows only sweat in the morning. Typically from 6 to 10 am.
- The window sweats only in winter, when the temperature outside is low.
- All the windows in the apartment fog up.
- The windows began to fog up after renovations in the apartment.
- Only one window fogs up when the other windows may be fine.
- A puddle of water appears on the windowsill.
Water on the windowsill: causes and solutions to the problem
Water on the windowsill of plastic windows is a problem that many people face. There are several reasons for this phenomenon: windows are leaking, double-glazed windows are leaking, poor ventilation. This problem in itself is unpleasant, because a wet window sill needs to be constantly wiped, and the humidity in the room also rises, which is not only unpleasant, but also harmful to health. The Teplo Doma company offers you to solve this problem
; to do this, you just need to call our consultants and invite a specialist to your home - he will fix the problem quickly, efficiently and inexpensively. If you want to figure out the problem yourself, then let us tell you why there is water on the windowsill of a plastic window and what to do about it.
How to remove moisture from a double-glazed window and clean it inside?
The appearance of moisture and dirt INSIDE a double-glazed window is a more serious symptom than it might seem at first glance. This means that the initially hermetically sealed block with zero humidity inside is no longer so. Dust and moist air gets inside, which under certain temperature conditions forms condensation - drops of water, which we see inside.
Re-sealing the glass unit in itself will not do anything, because dirt and moist air will remain inside.
99.9% of craftsmen and window repair companies in this situation will offer you a complete replacement of the double-glazed window. Obviously it will be expensive
.
The TeploDoma company offers an innovative mechanism for drying and cleaning glass units using nanotechnology
. It allows you to save on repairs by restoring depressurized window blocks.
The cause of a leak on the windowsill
The reason that the window sill lets water in from the street , in most cases, may be a violation of the waterproofing layers of the window and its tightness. This can cause various cracks of any depth to appear on the window, through which water will seep in from the outside. The most common places for drips to form are the joints with walls and window sills.
The second reason for window leaks may be improper installation (the slopes are installed incorrectly, the window is not waterproofed, etc.). So, as a result, windows can fog up, leak, puddles can form on the windowsill, and so on.
What does a foggy window look like?
As a rule, the window sweats from the bottom to the top with a slight accent at the edges. Fogging is a huge number of small droplets that combine to form large ones. Large drops often roll down along the surface of the glass unit, sometimes falling on the windowsill, as a result of which a small puddle of water appears on it.
The first question that arises when windows fog up is what to do? The first thing most people do is call the company they bought their windows from, trying to blame them for poor-quality windows or window installation. The most common phrase in this case is: “Your windows are fogging up , but we didn’t have this with the old windows!” At the same time, any attempts by the company to explain the nature of the phenomenon occurring are perceived by the customer as an excuse for their guilt. But in reality, companies are only to blame 2-5% of the time. In other cases, the culprits are certain factors, both individually and in combination.
What to do when windows leak
The easiest way to not have leaking plastic windows is ventilation, in which humidity and temperature are evenly distributed throughout the room.
In different conditions, different ventilation methods are chosen.
- Micro-ventilation.
This is a function provided by the window design. It is enough to set the handle to the upper position, and the sash will move a short distance for free access of air from the street.
- Using a comb.
A comb can be bought at a hardware store.
This is an additional fitting that limits the angle of inclination of the sash. The inclination is selected in steps up to 60 degrees. A hook is used as a limiter, which is mounted on the frame.
- Installation of climate valve.
This is an additional device that is mounted on the top of the frame.
It is connected to the street air and controls its flow into the room. The air flow is set manually or automatically. The ventilation process is automatic and controlled by the humidity level in the room. Other ways to prevent current windows from appearing include:
- installation of an air conditioner with a split system to maintain standard humidity and temperature;
- increasing the glass area when replacing windows. Large glasses warm up better and cool down longer;
- placing a convection screen on the windowsill that directs warm air onto the glass;
- installing a fan in the window opening to move air;
- glass treatment with anti-fog for cars;
- equipping glass with low-voltage electric heating, like in a car;
- use transparent and thin curtains that cannot block the movement of air masses. In addition, they will be a moisture filter;
- do not crowd the window sill with bulky objects, flowers, containers with liquid;
- Place a container of lime or salt on the windowsill. These compounds absorb moisture and dry the air;
- contact window installers if there is a suspicion of poor-quality products or violations during installation.
The main causes of window fogging and recommendations for eliminating them
Single-chamber double-glazed window
When buying a window, you should not save on double-glazed windows. A single-chamber ordinary double-glazed window (not energy-saving) will most likely introduce you to the phenomenon of “window fogging.”
What to do: replace the double-glazed window (not the window, but the double-glazed window).
Battery covered by a window sill
The window should be blown with warm air. The radiator blocked by the window sill does not allow warm air to circulate properly, thereby not heating the window.
What to do: reduce the depth of the window sill or remove the radiator, sometimes, come up with an alternative source of heating the glass.
Ventilation in the room is poor
The ventilation grilles are clogged with dust and do not absorb moist air well, leaving it in the room.
What to do: clean or replace the grilles, if the problem is not with them, then make sure that everything is in order with the ventilation and the humidity is normally removed from the room.
Flowers on the windowsill
Flowers release moisture abundantly. It settles on the glass unit, resulting in the formation of condensation on the glass.
What to do: remove flowers from the windowsill.
Windows not switched to winter mode
Windows switched to summer mode have less thermal insulation compared to winter mode, as a result of which the inside of the glass unit is cooled more strongly.
The room is ventilated for less than 10 minutes a day
Regardless of what kind of windows you have, you need to open them and ventilate the room. Micro-ventilation mode is ideal for this.
What to do: ventilate the room for 10–15 minutes a day.
Errors made during installation
It is rare, but it happens that the company installing windows did not install the windows or install the slopes very well. The result is blowing, which causes a low temperature of the double-glazed window, causing the windows to sweat.
What to do: Eliminate the source of cold air.
Windows in the kitchen often sweat. Kitchens tend to have the highest humidity. The reasons for this humidity are manifold, from the gas kettle to pots and sinks. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you choose double-glazed windows for your kitchen.
Remember, window fogging is, in most cases, not a defect. Windows cannot release moisture.
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