Condensation

Dustykitten

We have roman blinds on our bay (metal window single glazed) which are lined with wadding. When we lower the blinds we leave a gap of a couple of inches between the blind and the window sill this seems to stop the condensation. If the blinds are lowered to the sill then we end up with puddles of condensation

rainbowangel

If you suffer from Asthma or have children that suffer from Croupe then be careful using a de-humidifier as they can remove too much moisture making coughs and breathing worse. Wishing you all a good Christmas )

Ken68

rrw...what it needs is a wide rigid absorbent mat, one end on the window and the other in a thin tray.

sashman

Thanks for the "thanks" ken68 and currently poor peter, (hope that improves for you in 2008)

Dehumidifiers do remove the moisture (not always a good thing, as mentioned it can dry the air too much like air conditioning) What's more, its NOT actually solving the problem. Sure its removing the excess water and saving you from mopping it up every morning but the PROBLEM still exists.

Dustykitten, When you leave a gap at the cill it allows air behind the blind to circulate into the room, (it can still be forming on walls that you dont notice) when you close them, it creates its own micro environment, the air is colder and not getting the benefit of warmth from the room, and condenses onto the coldest surface.

Just be aware that the air can only hold so much moisture, then it drops onto the coldest surface.

sashman

sashman

Condensation is simple to cure open your windows........

Before you jump on me, please understand the basics. Air carries water in the form of vapour (that why clouds exist). Warm air hold more water vapour than cold air.

When air cools or comesinto contact witha a cold surface, (it colls down) and is incapable of holding onto the water vapour so dumps it onto a cold surface, (eiether a window cill, glass surface even cold walls.

Washing, kettles and steam generate extra vapour, as does breathing!. The solution is to ventilate the room, extract the air and replace it with less humid air.

Thats where the problem starts, because nobody wants to waste the air they've warmed up especially with colder air they must warm up again.

Look for energy rated windows (A-C ) as they are the best insulators protecting against heat loss, but do understand that this wont remove condensation, as it will still find a coller surface (walls, pipes etc)

the GGF has a good leaflet on condensation

Murtle

I am very interested in this as we have lots of condensation and have just been bought a dehumidifier.

sashman, you say

Condensation is simple to cure open your windows........

But we do have our windows or the back door open but we still have condensation so what would you suggest??

Why don't dehumidifiers remove the problem if they are taking the moisture out of the air??

Sorry I'm very now

Thanks

Cardew

Murtle wrote: »

I am very interested in this as we have lots of condensation and have just been bought a dehumidifier.

sashman, you say


But we do have our windows or the back door open but we still have condensation so what would you suggest??

Why don't dehumidifiers remove the problem if they are taking the moisture out of the air??

Sorry I'm very now

Thanks

What sashman means is that the 'problem' is that condensation is forming in the house; this is usually just lack of adequate ventilation.

Leave your back door and windows open all the time and you almost certainly won't get condensation. Just opening them for a short time will have little effect. Bear in mind that when you get high humidity in a house all of the objects(furniture/walls/carpets etc) all absorb moisture which they slowly release back into the air.

Whilst dehumidifiers will prevent the condensation by extracting the moisture, they don't 'cure' the ventilation problem.

It is rather like always taking asprins for a headache, it takes away the pain but why are you always getting headaches(i.e. headaches are the 'problem')

Ken68

Good thread rrw, more aware now of the need to vent, extra so in good conditions, i.e. wind and sun.
Just bought a dehumidifier from Focus for £63, rated at 175w. 5hours for 9pence.
I would have thought that ventilating or over-ventilating in this weather would introduce damp air.