Fed up with mopping up water from your windows every morning?
Then read our tips and advice to stop condensation forming on your windows overnight.
Condensation on windows is a problem that all homeowners will encounter at some point.
It can range in severity from a few annoying droplets to puddles of water that pool on the windowsill.
While condensation may seem like a relatively harmless problem, it can create the ideal conditions for mould to grow if left untreated.
In turn, that risks causing damage to your property’s interior décor or to its structure.
Why do my windows steam up overnight?
The first step towards fixing a condensation problem is understanding its cause.
Condensation occurs when water vapour in the air turns back into liquid. This happens when warm air meets a cold surface, like a window.
The more humid air is inside your home, the more serious a condensation problem is likely to be.
Humidity within a property increases when a building is well-insulated and poorly-ventilated. That is because humid air cannot escape.
It is impossible to eliminate completely any humidity from your home because even the act of breathing creates vapour.
Other activities that add to the levels of humidity in your home include:
- Showering
- Cooking
- Boiling a kettle
- Drying clothes inside
Condensation is often present first thing in the morning for a couple of reasons.
Firstly, if it is in your bedroom, then you will have been breathing in there for the up to eight hours, causing the humidity level to rise.
Secondly, it is always colder at night and many people switch off their heating before retiring to bed. It doesn’t then come on again until the morning.
That causes surfaces, like the ones on your windows and external walls, to become very cold overnight.
When the heating kicks into action first thing in the morning, a dramatic difference in temperature between warm air inside and cold windows can cause large amounts of condensation to form.
There are, however, some simple measures you can take to reduce humidity and condensation in your home.
We will return to those later.
Is condensation inside windows bad?
In short, yes. You don’t want condensation on the inside of your windows.
While condensation is not usually a serious problem, and is relatively straightforward to fix, it can cause significant damage if left unaddressed.
Condensation can lead to moulds forming, often in crescent shapes in corners of behind furniture or curtains where air is stagnant. This mould can cause deterioration inside your property and even become a health hazard.
Some of the problems you may encounter as a result of condensation include:
- Mould and mildew growth
- Peeling wallpaper and damp walls
- Crumbling brickwork
- Rotting floorboards or woodwork, if there is insufficient ventilation in your subfloor void
- Damage to your property’s structural integrity, if left untreated.
As well as damaging parts of your property, a damp home could also cause health problems for you or other family members.
For example, living in damp conditions can exacerbate allergies or respiratory problems like asthma.
As soon as you notice condensation in your home, it’s important to wipe away the moisture and take steps to reduce the humidity levels.
What is the best method for wiping condensation off windows?
If you notice condensation building on your windows, the first thing you should do is wipe it away.
Use a kitchen towel or a microfibre cloth to gently absorb all moisture from the windows and their sills.
Dispose of the kitchen towel or wring out the microfibre cloth; never put it on a radiator to dry or the moisture will re-enter the air!
Always finish the job by using a clean and dry microfibre cloth or a squeegee to get rid of any last remnants.
For more information, here you can read our full article on how to absorb condensation from windows.
How can I reduce moisture in my house?
Prevention is better than cure, so stopping moisture forming in the first place will help to eradicate condensation.
Here are our top tips for reducing moisture levels in your home:
- Leave windows slightly ajar to let water vapour escape
- Close the door to a kitchen or bathroom when cooking or showering
- Never hang wet clothes to dry indoors
- Keep the temperature in your home low and constant
- Consider buying a dehumidifier
Some properties are prone to condensation and preventative measures that you can take just aren’t enough. That is when you may wish to look at improving the ventilation in your home through the installation of airbricks, passifier vents or whole house ventilation systems.
For more tips and information about condensation, read our guide: Everything you need to know about condensation.
If you need help resolving a condensation problem, give our experts here at Atlantis Damp a call on 0800 0988 277 and we’ll be happy to help you.
