CONDENSATION ON WINDOWS

My house is 50 yrs old. I replaced the old windows with the new ones last year.

My question is: should I have condensation on the windows?

I am getting the sense that the wrong caulking was used resulting in an enormous amount of water forming on the inside pane.

If the wrong caulking was used, won't it be pretty simply to re-caulk with silicon caulking?

Reply to
MRS. CLEAN
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Sounds good to me, if the new windows leak less air in wintertime, so the house RH is higher, with condensation. Now you might try to find and fix humidity sources in the house, eg rainwater leaks or a damp basement floor. And maybe run a bathroom or kitchen exhaust fan with a humidistat when the indoor RH rises to 50%.

Nick

Reply to
nicksanspam

Why do you feel that the caulk is the cause of the problem?

Here's an excerpt from a thread related to condensation found at

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=46rom the Simonton site:

Q. What causes condensation on windows?

A. Condensation, or "sweating," is a natural occurrence on all windows and is caused by excess humidity, or invisible water vapor, present in the air. When this water vapor comes in contact with a surface which is at a cooler temperature, the vapor turns to visible droplets of moisture.

Each Simonton window has many features built in to keep the temperature of the glass as warm as possible and thus reduce condensation. Our insulating glass units provide superior energy efficiency to reduce the potential for condensation. However, there is no such thing as a condensation-free window in high humidity conditions. Controlling the amount of moisture in your home is the most effective action you can take to avoid condensation.

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Reply to
DerbyDad03

All my neighbors windows get condensation, too, with the new windows and old houses.... Prior owner used to run central air circulation all the time, and told me to keep the house dry. It's only wet when we are at 100% humidity (rain, fog, etc). I wipe the windows down, but, geez, I would have stayed with the old windows if I knew there'd still be this horrendous condensation....

Well, I will run fans to keep the air moving.

Reply to
MRS. CLEAN

Thanks, DD, you always have good input.

Reply to
MRS. CLEAN

An air exchanger will solve the problem.

..

Reply to
cloud dreamer

I don't know enough about your house to be completely sure about this, but I'm guessing that you have gained more by replacing the windows than if you hadn't.

In other words, assuming the new windows are more energy efficient than the old ones, your energy costs should be lower over the long term, even if you still have condensation.

Now that you've lowered your energy costs, you should deal with the condensation as a separate issue. If the condensation is truly "horrendous" then you have way too much humidity in the house and perhaps should be running a dehumidifier. Too much humidity can lead to mold, rot, peeling paint, etc. and if you've sealed the house better by replacing the windows, then you are trapping the humidity in and need to get rid of it some other way.

All things considered, you're probably still better off with the new windows.

Reply to
DerbyDad03

new windows will save money on heating and cooling even if you get condensation.........

does your home have a humidifier?

a neighbor had this problem and found out his humidstat was bad, house way too humid.

new humidstat fixed him all up fast.

excess humidity can cause all sorts of troubles like rotting roof from below....

really should be looked it.

cauling not the cause

Reply to
hallerb

Thanks for posting this: we have almost all the original windows on this 1930 house (with good triple-track storm windows), and I think they look great and really aren't worth the $$ to replace, especially given the risk of this kind of condensation.

Reply to
KLS

You might want to check and make sure that all of your windows are properly locked. Sometimes they get locked open and excessive moisture will form. As mentioned by someone earlier you might want to check your homes humidity level. 35-40 % should be adequate.

Reply to
emerycharlie5

Condensation is enough of a performance issue it is rated and tested as CDF and is listed if not on the window label then by reputable major companies. What brand of windows and type did you use. I can tell you Pella condense quicker than Anderson as I have both. Its not the caulk, its the glass and how the frame was made. Windows are not equal in performance.

Reply to
ransley

Nor, in installation.

Oren

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Reply to
Oren

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