Mist on windows in mornings and evenings... Causes loads of mold, cant stop it!!

FedUpHomeOwner

We've lived in this house 16 years and have only had this problem up the past 5 years, it mostly occurs on the top floor bedrooms. We know for sure its not an external issue, nothing to do with the gutters or anything of the sort.

The downstairs doesnt have this issue at all, all the windows are bone dry and no mold what so ever.

I dont sleep in my room, my windows dont condensate during the day or evening. But the bedroom next to mine (where 2 people sleep) will condensate in the morning during the colder weather and evening as well. In the summer, we dont have this problem at all, everythings completely fine...

The condensation is that bad that you can fill a cup with the water residue from it. Its making all the windowsills go black with surface mold and nothing we do seems to stop it.

The mold also spreads to the external walls around the windows in the bedrooms but doesnt spread to the other walls.

People have suggested dehumidifiers but we live in a road with houses that are exactly the same as ours and no one has this issue.

We have tried turning the heating lower, higher and everything in between but still nothing...

Its not our windows either, we have some old double glazing round back and new double glazing (< 8 years old) up front and both have exactly the same issue.

Has anyone got any experience with this problem? Its driving us crazy!

tacpot12

If the other houses in the street don't have the problem, then it is how the house is being occupied; you are doing something that others are not. It may be that you have more people, or you have different habits regarding showering and drying clothes that mean your house already has more moisture in the air.

There are some good clues as to what the problem might be in your post:

2 people sleep

in cold weather/not in the summer

Dehumidifiers will work, as will heating AND ventilating the property. Heat alone won't work, and it will make sleeping difficult. Heat holds the water vapour in the air, but to solve your problem you have to move that water-laden air outside and replace it with dry (ideally warm) air. A positive input ventilation system will also work, if you have ways for the air to leave the house from the problem rooms.

It would also be interesting to know what happened five years ago? Was there any work done on the house, did someone else move in?

societys_child

Heating and ventilation.
Two people sleeping in the room can cause the moisture which condenses on any cold surfaces.

Running a dehumidifier should help dry the room. Doesn't have to be at night, I'd start by running it during the day, see how much water it collects. It may just need to be run for an hour or so (daily/ alternate days) once the moisture content is lowered.

Mr.Generous

Dehumidifier, make sure a fan is used in the bathroom and vac the glass with a Karcher window vac in the morning. If problem is severe you could replace the sealed units with new low-e units that will be better for insulation and have lower heat loss.

FedUpHomeOwner

Nothing has changed in the last 5 years to be honest... Theres even bigger families in our road and no one else has the same issue as we do. Its always been a family of 4. We have tried opening the windows every morning to try and air the rooms out, we've tried not drying our washing in doors and we always open the windows wide open after showering etc.

We currently have a Karcher to suck it all up and dry everything down. Its a constant battle .

We dont have the issue in the day, ever. Its always in the evening or morning.

i.imgur. com /GVTJ2Ei.jpg

We might just have to invest in a dehumidifier but its annoying because no one else in the road has that issue.

macman

2 people asleep in a room for 8 hours will expel more than half a litre in breathing and perspiration. That's what your problem is. Fit trickle vents, keep the room slightly warmer overnight, improve the double glazing?

keith969

Leave the window open a bit at night. Two people in a room with no ventilation will produce a lot of moisture, and as temperatures drop overnight it's going to condense on the coldest thing, usually the windows.

J_B

FedUpHomeOwner wrote: »

i.imgur. com /GVTJ2Ei.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/GVTJ2Ei.jpg

Apodemus

I agree with the heating and ventilation answers plus a dehumidifier if necessary. But a couple of points to pick up on...

You say it's not the windows, but that condensation looks to me like what you would expect on a single-glazed window, not a double-glazed one. I would think there is something wrong with that one if it looks like that, regardless of its age.

You say nothing has changed in the last five years and also refer to "2 people". The two people are five years older, if they are children they might twice the size that they were five years ago, with a consequent increase in water vapour output over night. Their clothes are probably twice the size too, and you might be washing twice the volume (or more) of clothes per week and drying more of it indoors. Your heating system is five years older and might have reduced flow through the radiators. Etc etc. In five years there is so much change in all our households!

[Deleted User]

FedUpHomeOwner wrote: »

we've tried not drying our washing in doors

I think drying clothes inside is the key issue here. You say you have tried not drying clothes inside but it has made no difference. This suggests you are still drying clothes inside.

In cold or wet weather, either take the clothes to a launderette and use the dryers there or invest in one at home. If you already have a dryer, check it is properly venting outside.

Otherwise, dry all clothes outside as much as physically possible.

You could also add a non-electrical dehumidifier, they cost about £10 and have a salt tablet inside which absorbs the moisture. They don't make any noise and can be placed in the bedroom at all times.

I'd also ask if that conservatory has been added in the last five years? If so, check that it doesn't block old air bricks etc.

thebaldwindowfitter

is your heating on constant or set to come on at certain times