Waking up in the morning and opening the curtains just to be met by condensated windows is a reality that many of us in New Zealand face on a daily basis, especially on cold winter mornings. Condensation means you have excess humidity in your home that’s unable to escape and makes the windows sweat on the inside. Find out what causes this issue and how you can make a few changes in your home that may eliminate it. uPVC double glazed windows from Eco Tauranga can be an excellent solution for increasing your home’s insulation and preventing moisture from forming. Let our experts give you a complete rundown about condensation and humidity in your home and how you can make a few changes within your household to make it a better place to live in.
What causes condensation?
The fogging of your windows is caused by water vapour in the air and occurs when there is excess moisture inside. If your home is overly humid and it comes into contact with cold surfaces, such as windows, doors and mirrors, condensation will form. This excessive moisture can be caused by your home not being insulated well or just by simply doing everyday things like showering, cooking, the laundry and even breathing. If you see foggy windows in your home, it’s a sign that you should ventilate and increase the oxygen content on the interior of the building. Condensation occurs most often in the winter when exterior temperatures are below 10C. Old homes with less insulation and walls and ceilings that are thinner and made from poor materials allow water vapour to flow through surfaces, thereby causing condensation.
Are condensation and excess humidity harmful for your home?
Yes. They are more than just an annoyance that prevents you from seeing outside your window. If not attended to, excess humidity can damage your home significantly. As it can pass through walls and even freeze the insulation, humidity is able to break down walls and ceilings, especially when the frozen insulation melts. Blisters can form under the paint on the exterior of your home, causing the paint to peel, the wood to rot, mildew and moisture spots. If the moisture is exceptionally excessive, your interior floors can move around as well.
How can I prevent condensation?
The simplest way to prevent insulation in any home is to increase ventilation. Opening windows when you are cooking, doing the laundry and turning on fans when you are showering can significantly reduce the humidity within your home. Just by letting the fresh air in and the stale air out, you can quickly get rid of the condensation on cold surfaces and improve the interior air quality. However, manual ventilation through opening windows may sometimes not be sufficient. Therefore structural ventilation is the most efficient way to reduce moisture and keep your walls and windows fresh. Modern homes may have these features built-in from the start, but that doesn’t mean that older homes need to suffer from condensation. Simply changing your windows and doors to eco-efficient and tight-sealing uPVC double glazing by Eco Tauranga can give your home excellent benefits in terms of condensation.
Get in touch with Eco Tauranga to find a solution for your condensation problems. Our uPVC windows are insulating and will keep your home ventilated even during the moist and cold winter months. Our team can give some more tips and tricks about how you can improve the comfort levels of your home and keep your windows and doors clear of condensation! Contact us today with any questions.
