Why condensation on double glazed windows

Where the frames are made of aluminium that is not thermally enhanced it is likely that there will continue to be a level of condensation occurring on the frames. This level will be influenced by management of inside humidity levels and more noticeable in very cold temperatures.

Double Glazing Explained. Does double glazing eliminate condensation? The combination of a high level of moisture in the air and a cool glass surface triggers the condensation process. Does opening windows reduce damp? When the temperature outside is low, it'll cool the window glass. Then, when the warm air inside the house comes into contact with the glass, it will react to it and fog it up.

But even though condensation is simple — damp is anything but. Damp can't actually be chased away by simply opening the windows. How do you fix condensation on interior walls? Dry the wall surface with a fan heater, then tape some kitchen foil tightly over the affected area.

If the surface of the foil is wet after 24 hours, you have condensation. Condensation occurs when moisture-laden air builds up inside the house. Poor ventilation and over-efficient draught-proofing are often to blame.

Why is there so much moisture in my house? Moisture condenses into water droplets when warm, humid air contacts a cool surface.

Some heating appliances, such as unvented natural gas or kerosene models, also increase the moisture inside your home. When you have a square rebate — which is the case for most double glazed windows — that moisture can accumulate, sit in the square rebate and damage the seal of the IGU. If that seal breaks then you can start getting some moisture inside the air gap. It means the double glazing has failed and the IGU will no longer be able to offer the same insulation benefits.

Once you get to the point where you are wondering, 'why is there condensation on my double glazed windows on the inside of the unit? The solution lies in preventing that from ever happening in the first place. This is why Thermawood developed a drainage system that sits underneath the double glazing on a degree slope. Eliminating the square rebate and adding a system to drain away any moisture is key to preventing condensation from ever becoming a problem in the first place.

What about moisture on the exterior pane of glass — what causes condensation on the outside of double glazed windows? You may see fog form on the exterior surface when you have a temperature change. For example, in the morning when the temperature outside starts to increase after a cool night. Then, you could see condensation on the glass outside of your home as the water vapour from the outside air forms on the glass.

What about inside your home — what causes condensation on the inside of double glazed windows? This is not a job for the faint hearted and should really only be attempted by someone with experience of glazing or a good, practical knowledge of building and construction.

The condition of the external seal or gasket as it is also know can also help to contribute to condensation in double glazed units. Although they will not directly allow water or moisture into the sealed unit itself, if broken, cracked or perished, they will allow water to seep into the window frame. If a sealed unit is allowed to sit in a substantial amount of water for long periods of time, eventually water can find its way through the seal and into the base of the unit causing condensation to form.

If your seals or gaskets are damaged, then you will need to replace them. Replacing double glazing gasket or seal is a pretty simple DIY job and as long as you take your time, one that can be done by most.

Work through the following steps:. If this is the case, these can be really tricky to remove and even trickier to refit. The fixing methods do in some cases differ between manufacturers so unfortunately we cannot provide definitive instructions on their removal and refitting. If you do have these types of single piece unit and fancy having a go yourself, go ahead, but be aware, they are tricky to get out and often, even trickier to clip back into place.

One other thing to be aware of is that fact that the beads hold the glass in the frame. A word or warning though is that in case all goes horribly wrong, you should have a backup method of covering the window e. There are specialist tools that allow you to remove such beads and they can be purchased from most DIY stores or builders merchants but if the frames are old then the required tools may no longer be available.

If the beading and seals are separate units, the seal should come out fairly easily with a little prying but if after some levering they are stiff and do not budge, changes are they are part of the bead. Most of these tips are mentioned at the top of this project but if you read past and missed them, they can be summarised as follows:.

A damaged double glazed sealed unit can not only cause condensation and misting but it can also contribute to a great deal of heat loss from your home and cost you a great deal in wasted energy, therefore it is important to get them repaired or replaced.

In terms of repair, we have outlined several methods above. All project content written and produced by Mike Edwards , founder of DIY Doctor and industry expert in building technology. Find a tradesman now! We love feedback on our DIY tutorials it helps us to make them the best they possibly can be so if you have any comments you would like to share with us, click the button below and let us know. Skip to primary navigation Skip to main content Skip to primary sidebar Skip to footer Main navigation.

Search this website. Blog DIY Competitions. Twitter Facebook Pin It Buffer. Project Page Menu. Desiccant balls Today, most decent and reputable double glazing suppliers will offer at least a 10 year sometimes 15 or 20 year guarantee against their products, meaning that if a unit fails then you should be able to get it repaired or replaced. What Causes Condensation in and on Double Glazed Units To help explain this, we will first start with a little explanation of what condensation actually is.

When it comes to condensation, it can appear on a double glazed unit in several different locations: On the internal glazed faces of window : On the external glazed faces of window : On the surface of glazing in the air gap between the glazed units : Cross section of a double glazed unit and parts that make up the unit In terms of fixing and preventing condensation, how easy or inexpensive this is will very much depend on where it is. Condensation on Internal Glazed Faces of Window If you are suffering from condensation on the inside faces of your windows then this is down to either: Too much humidity in the room itself or the property as a whole Little to no air circulation within the room to clear the moisture in the air Low temperatures in the room or property creating cold surfaces that warm air can easily condense onto In rooms of high humidity such as kitchens or bathrooms where there is a large amount of moisture and generally higher temperatures, it is pretty much inevitable that condensation will form on any colder surrounding surfaces.

Condensation on internal areas of double glazing Condensation on External Glazed Faces of Window Although this is not seen too often but does occasionally happen. Condensation on external areas of double glazing Condensation in the Air Gap Between Glazing Panes The two issues above are relatively easy to deal with, but this is where it now gets tricky as there could be numerous reasons for this happening: It could be a temporary issue caused by abnormally cold weather or high humidity Presence of high levels of surrounding moisture due to wet concrete, plaster, paint etc….

If this external seal deteriorates then water and moisture can seep into the frame and into the sealed unit If the external seal deteriorates to the point that it is allowing large amounts of water into the frame and the sealed unit is allowed to sit in this pool of water for long amounts of time, it can eventually seep into the air gap The units themselves are old and have deteriorated to the point that they are no longer any good and need replacing As you can see, there are quite a few different potential causes for condensation forming within sealed units, this can be just a temporary thing or it could be the fact that the unit has totally failed and needs replacing.

Condensation between double glazing panes Fixing Condensation on Internal Glazed Faces In the majority of cases, this is one of the easier fixes. When cooking, ensure that you cover all pots or pans with a lid.

Also, open windows or use extractor fans to move moist air from inside to the outside Avoid drying any wet washing inside when possible When showering, close doors and open a window or use an extractor fan to remove moisture-rich air If you have a tumble dryer, ensure the vent pipe is routed out of a window or other external vent If possible maintain a reasonable and stable temperature inside your property.

This will help prevent surfaces from cooling to their dew point and allowing moisture to form water droplets If condensation does form, wipe it off as soon as possible with a cloth or tea towel.

If it is allowed to sit on surfaces, especially timber, then it will eventually cause rot and other damage Ensure that you open as many windows in the property as you can for at least a few hours a day as this will allow fresh air to circulate and replace the humid, stale and moist air By following the above steps you should be able to minimise the potential causes of condensation on your double glazing and other surfaces but if after following these guidelines for a period you still find that you are suffering, it might be worth calling in an expert for their opinion.

Modern cooker hood extractor fan Fixing Condensation on External Glazed Faces As we have explained above, this is not really an issue other than it can be a little annoying as it restricts outside views and can be a little unsightly, but a good sign in the fact that you have very thermally efficient windows. If, however, you do want to cure it there are few things that you can do: Try to allow air and wind to circulate past your windows.

If you do not have cover for your windows then you are really left with only a few choices Replace all faulty units with new ones Have a specialist repair company recondition each faulty unit Attempt a DIY fix yourself Replace Faulty Units with New The first choice obviously comes at a substantial expense if you need to replace all or most of your units, but if you can afford it them this is the best route to take.