Windows Don't Sweat, Football Players Do

Every year as winter approaches I get numerous calls from folks telling me that their windows are sweating, causing wood rot, mold and mildew and other undesirable problems. One of my favorite answers is, Windows dont sweat, a football player sweats. Actually, the proper word is condensation. But I personally think sweat sounds best, so well say windows sweat.

Why do some windows sweat? And what can you do about it?

Simply put, windows sweat because the windows are colder than the dew point of the air in the room. Only two steps will prevent this problem.

No. 1 Make the window warmer. Consider this. What happens if you set a glass of cold iced tea on the coffee table? First mother screams, Dont set that there, it will leave a ring on the table? What is happening? The cold surface from the glass is below the dew point. Moisture in the air moves to that cold spot and turns to water. Solution -- warm the glass. For example, if you pour that same glass of iced tea into a Styrofoam cup, no condensation occurs because the Styrofoam cup is warmer than the dew point in the room.

No. 2 Lower the humidity. If you are having moisture problems on your windows in the winter, perhaps the most economical solution is to lower the humidity in the room. Determine the source of the moisture. Is it from having lots of plants; is it from not using the vent fan when showering, bathing or cooking? If your house is on a slab, most humidity comes from not using a vent fan in kitchens and bathrooms, as well as bad ductwork and air infiltration.

However, if you house has a crawl space, the condensation on your windows is most likely coming from your crawl space. The solution for that one? Eliminate water and moisture problems under your house by totally sealing the ground and foundation walls with heavy plastic and close the foundation vents. Although most pest control companies agree with this solution, you should get their approval before closing your foundation vents.

In either case, the solution might be to make the windows warmer, which means adding storm windows or by replacing existing windows with super high efficiency windows, such as those we discussed earlier in the year in this column. To learn more about those windows and condensation problems, please visity www.dougrye.com.

Discover how you can have a more comfortable home and have lower utility bills guaranteed at http://www.dougrye.com Doug Rye is a licensed architect, a nationally known energy expert, and the popular host of the Home Remedies radio show. Doug travels all across the United States representing electric cooperatives and teaching consumers how to save energy on their home.

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