water inside the window + humidifier

i have 2 old windows upstair in my 1.5 house. they both old and i see now water inside them (please see

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it is like when you put a glass of cold water outside in a humid day in the summer. how can I fix that? i thought putting humidifier would help but i also thought humidifier should only be used in summer time not winter.

please advised and thanks for all of you.

Reply to
leza wang
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Looks like double paned window where seals have given way. There are people that will reseal them for a relatively low price but you might consider a new window.

You're thinking dehumidifier. Usually house humidity is low in winter but you can still get condensation on cold surfaces.

Reply to
Frank

It depends on where you live (and the humidity levels you prefer.) Central heating and open fires usually dry the air, and personal comfort or expensive wood furniture may require a humidifier to restore moisture to the indoor atmosphere.

Reply to
Don Phillipson

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Mine do that sometimes. It happens when the temperature of the glass gets down to the dew point of the air in the house.

In winter, a heat exchanger might be more practical than a dehumidifier. Fogging is more likely when the glass is colder. I'm more likely to get it if I close blinds and curtains, and in unheated rooms.

Reply to
J Burns

If its a double pane window replace the sealed unit. Its no expensive in pittsburgh area you make appointment, take window and sah assembly in AM and pick up in late afternoon.

much cheaper than a new window.

attempts to fix the seal are a grand waste of time

Reply to
bob haller

Hmmm If seal is in good order it wouldn't do it. If humidity is too high inside it can do do it on inside facing glass. Think your window seal is compromised. Maintaining proper humidity level inside is important for health, energy saving, commfort.

Reply to
Tony Hwang

thanks for your reply, what is "seals" ? I tried to user google image to just know how it looks like but I could not find. I have found this good link but still not sure what is the seal? thanks

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Reply to
leza wang

thanks for your reply, much appreciate it. what is seal?

Reply to
leza wang

the seal is the seal between the 2 panes of glass.. its generally a rubber like gasket material that usually keeps the outside air from entering between the 2 panes of glass.

the seal doesnt last forever when air enters as barometric pressure changes moisture enters too, and you get condensation on the inside of the glass unit.

a local window repairman can come out disassemble the sash and measure the sealed glass unit, then return with a new sealed unit.

on older windows the big hassle is getting the frame apart that surrounds the sealed unit.

thats best left to experts to prevent frame breakage

Reply to
bob haller

see

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>> it is like when you put a glass of cold water outside in a humid day

The double panes have an airtight sealer around the edges of the panes. If the seal fails, moist air can get between the panes causing the moist air to get in. They should be resealed or replaced because they may turn permanently milky colored all over the inside of the panes when it gets warmer out.

Reply to
willshak

i have seen double glazing panes fill with water and break in freezing temperatures. not common but it can happen:(

Reply to
bob haller

If it's what we think it is, then it's 2 panes of glass that come together and function as a unit. The seal is what keeps air and moisture from getting between the two pieces of glass. Once that happens the solution almost always is to replace the unit. Whether that can be done by replacing part of the window or the whole thing depends.

As for humidity levels in the house, you want to keep that to 40% max in winter which should be OK to about

30F outside or so. As it gets colder outside, you want less humidity inside so you don't get condensation on the inside surfaces of windows, recessed ceiling lights, inside walls, etc.
Reply to
trader4

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Others have probably explained better than me. Looks like window has been chalked in the past to try to reseal. Probably a waste of time to DYI but maybe a professional can redo it. All of my windows in 35 year old house eventually became like this and I replaced them all. Expensive but now guaranteed for life. Made a huge difference in heat retention in winter and also got the e glass to keep out suns heat rays in summer.

Reply to
Frank

Many people use a humidifier in the winter, for personal comfort. So their nose doesn't dry out, etc. Mine has a humidity level adjustment knob. If I turn it up too high, I get the effect you show. I only run a humidifier in the winter, it's not needed in the summer. See if you can turn your humidifier down. Mine is a floor model, I have to add typically one to two gallons of water per day to my humidifier. Using a humidifier is not going to help remove water from the windows, it will only make it worse.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Agree with the above if the water is on the inside surfaces of the windows only. If it's between double panes, then the window has failed.

Reply to
trader4

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