Should the landlord fix windows not fit for purpose?

Pixie5740

I live in the North East of Scotland so unless you live in Orkney or Shetland it's probably colder where I am than where you are and I open my windows during winter.

The glass is cold because it is cold outside.

martinsurrey

HappyMJ wrote: »

Slightly different sources of information and may have been misinterpreted. Both are correct. A person does breathe out 1,500ml of water vapour per day but only loses 400ml of water per day as you also breathe in air that contains water vapour too. You breathe out air at a higher humidity than the air you breathe in. the difference being around 400ml per person.

Thanks

staff party last night, still working through my early morning haze.

still a fair amount of water, add that to sweat, and multiply by a house of people and it adds up!

AdrianC

These are single-glazed windows?

If so, then - yes - they are cold and they are prone to condensation. It's what single-glazed windows do. It's why nobody fits them any more, and why nobody has fitted them for years. It's what they've always done, and what they always will do. It's what they did when you viewed the property and decided to move in. It's what they did for years beforehand, with the previous tenants/occupants.

Does it make them "unfit for purpose"? No.

macman

So you don't open the windows for 6m of the year and then wonder why there is condensation?

Miss_Samantha

NectarCollector wrote: »

The glass is cold because of the draughts and the fact that the windows built in seals have deteriorated over the years

Hi NectarCollector,

I would think that the main reason the glass is cold is because the windows are single glazing. Are they?

If so, condensation would probably be worse without draughts.

Gordon_Hose

I've got my window open right now to get rid of the over night stuffy-ness.

elljay

Can only emphasise what others have said. Open the windows and let the room have a good half hour blow through every day. If you prefer, do one room at a time, so shut that room off from the rest of the house while you do it. You're breathing in the same damp air over and over again, no good for you, let alone the windows. Damp air will make you feel even colder so airing through will actually save you money on heating. Once the evening comes on then close the curtains, I also have window quilts over my single glazed windows which I put on when the curtains are closed in the evenings. Plastic sheets cut to size (easy to do) held up by velcro also work well as does bubblewrap.

These last few days have been so mild, so perfect for airing rooms through. Sleeping with the window open is great too.

Heliflyguy

The "open the windows" to fix it doesn't really work.

Currently where I live the humidity is 86% so what you will have is a room full of cold wet air and so when you turn your heating on all that water will condense on your windows and its going to take more energy to get the room up to a comfortable temperature.

Open windows will only help if you dont turn the heating on, even our double glazed windows will have condensation though not as bad as single glazing.

The best option is to just mop it up every morning, maybe get one of those water vacs you can sometimes get a good deal on them and will make the job easier.

http://www.johnlewis.com/karcher-wv2-window-vacuum-cleaner/p1791214?sku=234160772&kpid=234160772&s_kenid=beeaf3b3-9b3b-438b-af5b-f279c31f2385&s_kwcid=402x360904&tmad=c&tmcampid=73

HappyMJ

Heliflyguy wrote: »

The "open the windows" to fix it doesn't really work.

Currently where I live the humidity is 86% so what you will have is a room full of cold wet air and so when you turn your heating on all that water will condense on your windows and its going to take more energy to get the room up to a comfortable temperature.

Open windows will only help if you dont turn the heating on, even our double glazed windows will have condensation though not as bad as single glazing.

The best option is to just mop it up every morning, maybe get one of those water vacs you can sometimes get a good deal on them and will make the job easier.

http://www.johnlewis.com/karcher-wv2-window-vacuum-cleaner/p1791214?sku=234160772&kpid=234160772&s_kenid=beeaf3b3-9b3b-438b-af5b-f279c31f2385&s_kwcid=402x360904&tmad=c&tmcampid=73

Raise the temperature of the air and the Relative Humidity (RH) reduces.

Whilst it is currently 86% RH outside it's also 11°C outside.

If indoor humidity levels are 86% at 21°C then that's far too high. Exchanging the air with the outside air reduces the RH of the indoor air. Raise the temperature of the air by 7°C and you double the amount of water vapour the air can hold and the RH is lower.

Exchange the air and raise the temperature to just 18°C and indoor RH goes down to 43%.

Gordon_Hose

HappyMJ wrote: »

Raise the temperature of the air and the Relative Humidity (RH) reduces.

Whilst it is currently 86% RH outside it's also 11°C outside.

If indoor humidity levels are 86% at 21°C then that's far too high. Exchanging the air with the outside air reduces the RH of the indoor air. Raise the temperature of the air by 7°C and you double the amount of water vapour the air can hold and the RH is lower.

Exchange the air and raise the temperature to just 18°C and indoor RH goes down to 43%.