Glazing units have become an indispensable feature of modern systems in windows, both due to their thermal insulation properties and sleek appearance. Yet even the most superiorly produced glazing units may sometimes fall short of one’s expectations, showing issues such as condensation. Let’s look into why such condensation appears and what to do about it.
Main Cause
One of the most common problems facing homeowners is condensation on inside windows. And in reality, it is more serious than it appears to be.
Fogging can be done in various ways:
- Droplets then appear on the room-side surface: This may be the case when there is poor ventilation in an apartment, or the air is too humid, or there are problems with heating, or installation mistakes were made while fitting windows.
- Moisture inside the glazing unit: That would mean the structure has been damaged. It is necessary to establish the cause: a factory defect, improper installation, or mechanical damage. And it’s about this type of fogging that we will talk today.
Condensation not only reduces visibility through the glazing unit, but it can also affect the conditions of the window structure. More importantly, a constant presence of moisture nourishes mold and mildew, which is harmful to health and to the window frames and slopes themselves.
Understanding the Problem: How a Glazing Unit Is Built
To understand the possible problem with a glazing unit, it helps to know how it’s constructed:
- Glass panes are set at a fixed distance from one another, and to prevent shifting, a spacer frame is installed between them;
- The frame has a hollow structure with perforation and is filled with a desiccant to remove moisture from the air;
- The internal space between the panes is called a chamber, and air acts as an effective thermal insulator inside it.
- The glazing unit is assembled at a specialized facility and inserted into the window as a complete, sealed structure;
- A unit with two panes is called single-chamber, with three panes — double-chamber, with four — triple-chamber, and so on.
The developers can modify the thickness and spacing between panes and apply coatings to enhance the glass for soundproofing properties and improve thermal insulation performance.
Why Condensation Appears
As you learned from the previous section, a glazing unit needs to be airtight to avoid condensation. But what causes this seal to fail?
Damages
Fogging is most often caused by a loss of airtightness, which can happen for several reasons:
- Poor quality components, such as glazing unit, hardware, or frame;
- Careless installation, delivery, or unloading that may cause chips and cracks and allow excessive moisture to enter the structure;
- Assembly not according to proper technology might cause separation of weld seams;
- Improper window size due to incorrect measurements of the window opening.
The challenge is that factory defects aren’t always visible right away, especially if the glazing is installed during warm weather. Problems usually begin when temperatures fall and humidity rises.
Production under Moist Air
Sometimes, the company fails to meet the technical standards involved during manufacturing. A unit ends up being assembled with moist air inside. While the desiccant may absorb part of the moisture, too much of it will make condensation inevitable.
Poor-Quality Desiccant
Poor quality or an insufficient amount of the desiccant might be another cause. Usually, silica gel is used: a compound in the form of solid granules that absorbs water vapor.
How to Fix the Problem
This problem often requires radical solutions, such as unit replacement or repair in factory conditions. However, there are a couple of ways to temporarily improve the situation and reduce moisture while waiting for the inspection results or searching for a company able to help.
1. Fixing the Wrong Windowsill
Condensation is always about temperature differences. Sometimes it is too extreme because the windowsill is too wide. Heat from the radiator doesn’t rise and fails to warm the glass surface. When warm air meets cold material, condensation forms. A narrower sill or one with ventilation grilles can improve the situation.
2. Sealing Gaps and Insulating Slopes
Foaming gaps and insulating slopes won’t fix a broken seal in the glazing unit, but they do reduce the amount of moisture that settles on the window surface and seeps inside.
3. Ventilation Adjustment
Air trapped indoors is gradually saturated with water vapor. The more vapor, the higher the risk of condensation. In order to reduce it, the air needs to be dried. Ventilation helps best, whether it’s micro-ventilation via the window, climate valves, or a full home ventilation system.
4. Humidity Reduction
For instance, remove flowerpots from the windowsills and place them in another room. Try to ventilate the kitchen while cooking; similarly, switch on the fan in the bathroom during showers to allow steam to go outside.
Bottom Line
If you have condensation between your windows, don’t wait. If the windows are still under warranty, contact the installation company and demand to have this be resolved. If the warranty has expired, try the above methods as described, and consider replacing the window.
