What causes condensation on windows?

olly300

GDB2222 wrote: »

I don't follow the logic of that last sentence?

All eamon is pointing out is if the OP has done everything possible to combat condensation in the property like ventilating it and heating it then the building construction is likely to be poor. I've lived in similar properties.

willing2learn_3

GDB2222 wrote: »

I bought a flat by the sea, and in the end I let it out to the local council. They put relatively poor tenants in the place, who had no end of trouble with condensation. There was nothing wrong, except (I suspected) the tenants weren't able to afford to heat the place properly. Eventually, I got fed up with the complaints and sold the flat. A bit later I bumped into the new owner and asked if he had any damp problems, to which the answer was no, none at all.

So, I think condensation is at least as much down to how you live in the place as anything else.

How should i live in the place then?

Sleep with windows open even though it's freezing and i can feel draughts around me anyway?

Re heating, i can afford to heat the house, but i've got the storage heaters so they don't do a lot before 1am...and then i switch them off because otherwise i wake up in the middle of the night thinking someone has set fire to my throat and lungs! Very dry heat and very intense during the night.....but the flat gets heated every evening...

If you know HOW to solve this problem, if it's something to do with HOW i'm living, i'd love to hear your version as to HOW to solve it.

willing2learn_3

Thanks for all the replies on this anyway guys....i won't keep on about it - you've all given me a lot of food for thought. I will dry my washing at the local lauderette or my tumble dryer if i can afford to go that far! lol! All i can do otherwise is wipe the windows everyday, make sure they've been opened slightly....and if the wood does start to rot I can't do anything about it.

Gambit

willing2learn wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies on this anyway guys....i won't keep on about it - you've all given me a lot of food for thought. I will dry my washing at the local lauderette or my tumble dryer if i can afford to go that far! lol! All i can do otherwise is wipe the windows everyday, make sure they've been opened slightly....and if the wood does start to rot I can't do anything about it.

Agree... seems like you have done as much as you can. Re: the Storage Heaters, I used to have them but found they arent very good so I bought a small electric heater with a thermostat which worked very well to warm up the flat before going to bed and in the morning too.

Good luck!

GDB2222

willing2learn wrote: »

How should i live in the place then?

Sleep with windows open even though it's freezing and i can feel draughts around me anyway?

Re heating, i can afford to heat the house, but i've got the storage heaters so they don't do a lot before 1am...and then i switch them off because otherwise i wake up in the middle of the night thinking someone has set fire to my throat and lungs! Very dry heat and very intense during the night.....but the flat gets heated every evening...

If you know HOW to solve this problem, if it's something to do with HOW i'm living, i'd love to hear your version as to HOW to solve it.

Assuming that there's no penetrating/rising damp, all the condensation on your windows is coming from you - your breathing, your clothes washing, and your bathing/showering. The things I suggest you do are:

1. Get an electric heater with a thermostat and keep that on low all night. During the night time, it costs exactly the same to run as the storage heaters.

2. Open the bedroom window a fraction, to let a bit more air circulate.

3. Make sure there's ventilation in the bathroom, ie open the window when showering or at least afterwards. Better would be an extractor fan in the bathroom.

4. Don't dry your clothes inside the flat, even once a week. Bear in mind that everything in the flat holds moisture to some extent, so you need to get the moisture levels down in the flat generally.

That is likely to solve the problem. If you prefer to moan about your landlord, that's also fine but you'll still have condensation problems.;)

GDB2222

willing2learn wrote: »

I will dry my washing at the local lauderette or my tumble dryer if i can afford to go that far! lol!

Does the tumble dryer vent outside. If it vents into the flat, using it won't help.

danielwhitehouse

There is an obvious answer, but maybe you have a water leak somewhere in the house, which is making your floor / carpets damp. Excessive water in the house may lead to condensation on your windows. Why not get a plumber in to take a look?

willing2learn_3

GDB2222 wrote: »

Assuming that there's no penetrating/rising damp, all the condensation on your windows is coming from you - your breathing, your clothes washing, and your bathing/showering. The things I suggest you do are:

1. Get an electric heater with a thermostat and keep that on low all night. During the night time, it costs exactly the same to run as the storage heaters.

2. Open the bedroom window a fraction, to let a bit more air circulate.

3. Make sure there's ventilation in the bathroom, ie open the window when showering or at least afterwards. Better would be an extractor fan in the bathroom.

4. Don't dry your clothes inside the flat, even once a week. Bear in mind that everything in the flat holds moisture to some extent, so you need to get the moisture levels down in the flat generally.

That is likely to solve the problem. If you prefer to moan about your landlord, that's also fine but you'll still have condensation problems.;)

Thanks for the suggestions....i think if i was warmer earlier in the evening then i wouldn't mind the windows being open a fraction....so i'm going to invest in some heaters that i can use straight away....the storage ones just don't work for me.

So i'll give that a try.....I don't prefer moaning about my landlady....I am just fed up of her insinuating that every thing is my fault.....but then a few people have mentioned recently that she makes them feel the same way and they are not her tenants.

willing2learn_3

I have read ALL replies and will comment more over the weekend.....it's been a long, hectic week :-) Thanks everyone!!!!

Loanranger

If you are too cold to have your bedroom window open, then try getting a higher TOG duvet to keep you warmer in the night.
The natural down duvets are not heavy, unlike some man made fibre duvets which can weigh a lot.
Down duvet is expensive to buy but will last you a very long time.
Have you got an electric blanket?
Getting into a warm bed may help with being cold.
You mention that the storage radiator in your bedroom makes your throat sore. Opening the window will help with that as well as with the condensation.