Window condensation may be fun as a canvas for signing your name, drawing smiley faces, or playing tic-tac-toe, but during the winter window condensation is often a warning for mold.
Winter is an especially tricky time for mold growth on windows and walls. This is because of two incedents during winter that work together. Decreased ventilation which causes water vapor to build up inside your home, and cold windows that condense water back into a liquid where it is deposited on your windows and walls.
Condensation occurs when a substance changes from a gas to a liquid form. This happens when the temperature of a vapor is lowered to its dew point. Think of condensation forming on the outside of a glass of cold water. The water vapor in the air touches the glass and cools to becomes a liquid. We often don’t realize how much water is floating around in the air.
Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air. During the winter, water vapor inside your home condenses into a liquid when it touches your cold windows. Window condensation may not look like much water, but there are literally gallons of potential water floating in humid air that will gradually be dumped on your window over time. This water dampens window frames and seeps into walls where it forms mold. It rots the wood and soaks wall insulation, making it ineffective. Wall cavities are a great place for trapping moisture.
How does water get in the air? Water is constantly evaporating and turning into water vapor in your home. It comes from the bathroom, from the kitchen, and even from your body. If you have a gas oven, then water vapor is a result of the burning fuels. The water vapor floats through the air until it hits a cold window where it condenses back into liquid water. Usually the water vapor is ventilated outside of the home, but during winter homes are sealed tight to conserve heat and energy.
You can prevent window condensation by controlling the relative humidity in your home. Always use the ventilation systems in your bathroom and your stove vents. Don’t leave out sources of water. Taking short showers instead of long baths will reduce the time water has to evaporate. You can also use dehumidifiers if they are cleaned and properly maintained.
Increasing temperature is also a solution for high relative humidity. The maximum absolute humidity doubles for every 20 °F (11.1 °C) increase in temperature. So you can decrease the relative humidity by a factor of 2 by increasing the temperature 20 °F (11.1 °C).
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