Every year, with the advent of cold weather, owners of apartments and houses with wooden windows face the same problem - fogging. All attempts to insulate window openings with silicone, mounting foam and other materials sometimes only only exacerbate the problem. In especially severe cases, the windows arrange real "sobs" when condensate flows onto the windowsill, and from it onto the floor. As a result, the shutters swell and open them in the spring is not easy.
But the problems are not limited to this only: it becomes damp and cold in the houses, sometimes mold or even fungus may appear. After several years of struggle against a similar problem, one can even come to the need for costly window replacement. First you need to understand why the wooden windows are sweating, and only then decide what to do in such a situation.
Reasons for fogging windows
People who remember the school physics course well know that the reason for the fogging of wooden windows lies in the increased humidity that forms indoors in cold weather. Due to the temperature difference between the room and the environment, all moisture settles on the glass in the form of condensate.
It remains to deal with the causes of increased humidity. They can be external or internal. First you need to deal with the first. Very often, the reason for the humidity in the apartment is heating with gas. During the operation of such heating, moisture will inevitably be released, increasing the overall humidity in the room and, as a result, settling on the walls and windows.
If the apartment is not properly insulated, in the winter time cold air will certainly penetrate into it. During the circulation around the room, it will create humidity. By the way, it is she who becomes the main reason that wooden frames during the winter can swell so much that it is almost impossible to open them in the spring.
The other extreme will be total isolation. Many owners, in an attempt to insulate the house, use polyurethane foam and sealant, but both options have much more negative impacts than positive ones. The use of these materials for insulation results in a violation of air exchange. Although the cold does not penetrate, such an approach will not save from fogging of windows and swelling of frames.
Eliminate fogging
There are several basic methods to help prevent fogging. Most of them do not even require any special skills and equipment.
Ventilate the room more often.
Humidity can increase due to various reasons: cleaning, cooking, drying clothes, and even because of a person’s breathing. If the ventilation in the room is equipped at a level, then problems with condensate can be avoided by periodically ventilating the room. However, if this has to be done more and more often, it means it's time to check the ventilation ducts and, if necessary, clean them or equip them with fans.
Install the correct double-glazed windows
When choosing a double-glazed window, you should pay attention to which climatic zone it is designed for. Remember: making the wrong choice will mean that efficiency will be noticeably reduced. When selecting, consider the temperature and humidity in the room and the climate. For example, double-glazed windows for frosts of -20 degrees will be quite enough for central Russia, since more serious colds are rare here.
Improve air circulation
In an attempt to avoid drafts, the owners of wooden windows try to plug and close up all kinds of cracks. Unfortunately, because of this, the air exchange between the house and the street is deteriorating: a barrier gets in the way of the drier street air, the circulation drops, and all the moisture accumulates in the apartment. As a result, we get not only misted glass, but also swollen frames, which will be very difficult to open.
To remove the mounting foam from a similar "sealed" window should be, starting from the top. It is important to carefully notice the changes, if any. If condensation remains, continue to remove the seal.
Organize proper heating
There are several key points here. First of all, heaters should be placed directly under the windows. One of the causes of dew is the improper installation of radiators or their poor performance.. Radiators should be moved under the window - this will simultaneously improve air circulation and help warm the room. Otherwise, there will be stagnation of cold air, and the windows will constantly “cry”. Moreover, in most cases, wooden frames cannot be completely dried if there is no heat source under them.
During periods of falling room temperature due to heating problems, many use gas stoves as an additional source of heat. Unfortunately, this option is far from the best, and simply unsafe. In the process, a gas stove draws oxygen from the air, releasing a huge amount of water vapor and carbon dioxide instead. These combustion products gradually fill the apartment and, of course, raise the overall temperature, but instead leave fogged windows, and in especially serious cases they can negatively affect the health of the owner.
Eliminate other possible factors
Among other factors that may cause dew to form on the windows may include:
- Window vents. Significantly reduce the likelihood of fogging can special ventilation valves that individual manufacturers mount in the upper part of the window. Street air coming in through them helps maintain convection around the inner glass. In case of emergency, you can make them with your own hands.
- Windowsill width. As already mentioned, heating batteries should be under the windows, but an excessively wide window sill can reduce all their effectiveness to nothing. Its width should be such that the rising warm air can freely heat the window glass, taking with it excess moisture.