Installing replacement windows can help prevent window condensation, or “sweating” on windows. This refers to water droplets formed from excess humidity that comes in contact with cold window glass. This is a fairly common occurrence and shouldn’t be a cause for alarm, especially if you just had your replacement windows in San Antonio installed.
What Causes Window Condensation?
It may sound counterintuitive, but seeing condensation on your new windows is actually a good sign. Condensation isn’t, after all, the real problem — excessive humidity is. Some homeowners have complained about condensation on their new windows, but this only means their old windows had minute leaks that allowed humidity to escape, whereas their new windows are more efficient at sealing it in. The windows merely highlighted an existing problem.
Most daily activities contribute to your home’s humidity levels: taking showers, steam from your cooking, your heating and cooling systems, doing the laundry, even something as innocuous as using a wet mop to clean the floor. If the humidity touches a surface that’s below 35 degrees, condensation forms.
Avoiding Condensation
Installing replacement windows takes windows to the next level with their energy saving glass. It is designed to keep an energy-efficient envelope, meaning that the temperature of the inner glaze is more or less the same as your internal temperature. And with virtually no contact with the second, outer glaze, you wouldn’t see condensation at all.
Keep in mind that you should not ignore the excess humidity, especially if it’s becoming uncomfortable. Here are some things you can do to reduce it.
- Use exhaust fans to vent moisture coming from cooking, bathing, or laundry work.
- Open your windows and let some fresh air in. It also helps eliminate odors.
- Keep indoor plants in one area, preferably close to a window so they receive sunlight and can be easily ventilated.
- Buy a quality dehumidifier if all of the above fails.
By controlling your home’s humidity levels, and installing replacement windows, your home can be more comfortable and your windows condensation-free. If you would like to know more about our energy-efficient products such as San Antonio window replacement and patio doors, call us today at (210) 757-4224 or fill out our contact form for a free consultation.