Plastic windows have excellent characteristics, thanks to which they seriously pressed their wooden counterparts in the construction market. The design features of the PVC block to a large extent determine the performance of windows: noise, dust, heat insulation. But under certain circumstances, tightness can play a negative role - because of it, condensation appears on the windows. The fogging of glass has a bad effect not only on the light transmission of the window. It contributes to the formation of mold, which spoils the appearance of the frame and harms the health of people living in the apartment. And in the winter season, moisture turns into ice, which adversely affects the details of the structure, shortening its life.
Condensate: physics of the phenomenon
In the air of the apartment, water is contained in the form of the smallest particles of steam. When cooled, it turns into a liquid state, and at a temperature below zero - into a solid (ice). Thus, two things are involved in window fogging and icing:
- room humidity;
- window surface temperature.
If these parameters deviate from the norm, condensation forms on plastic windows. For clarity, you can look at the bottle taken out of the refrigerator - its chilled sides instantly fog up in the heat of the apartment.
Why are the windows crying
To get rid of condensation on glass, you need to remove the causes of its occurrence:
- Increased humidity.
- Excessive cooling of the window surface, due to which the dew point is shifted inside the room.
Attention: before starting the fight against fogging, you need to make sure that the design characteristics of the product correspond to the climate, since it is unlikely that it will be possible to get rid of condensate on the windows if single-chamber double-glazed windows are installed in a region with severe winters.
Reasons for high humidity
Humidity in an apartment can increase for various reasons, which in the process of dealing with condensate must be identified and eliminated.
Ventilation problems
Condensation on window panes check ventilation. If it does not work even with open windows, all exhaust vents (in the kitchen, bathroom, toilet) should be cleaned of dust and debris. In the event that this does not help, you should inform the service company about the need to clean the ventilation shaft.
Sources of moisture
In a residential area, the humidity rate is 40-50%. If the owner of the apartment is a lover of indoor flowers or an aquarist who maintains a huge aquarium, then it is natural that the humidity of the air increases and excess moisture settles on the glass in the form of condensate. The habit of drying clothes at home or frequent cooking in the kitchen contributes to fogging.
Causes of the "cold window"
Condensation on plastic windows is formed if the dew point shifts to the inner surface of the glass due to:
- Wrong choice of double-glazed window. Due to the small distance between the glasses in a single-chamber double-glazed window, at low temperatures outside, its inner surface also cools.
- Poor window assembly. The adjunction of the window frame may not be done well enough: the vapor barrier tape is not laid, the cracks around the perimeter are poorly foamed.
- Inconsistencies in the dimensions of the frame to the opening. Normally, the gap should not be more than 2 cm, otherwise the cold will penetrate even through foam and plaster.
- Too wide window sill. By closing the heating battery, it prevents the convection of warm air. Contribute to insufficient heating of window glass and decorative boxes for batteries of irregular design.
To find out why the windows fog up in each case, you should gradually remove all of the listed reasons for the appearance of condensate according to the principle “from simple to complex”.
What to do: recommendations and advice
Do not immediately open the perimeter of the window and see if there are voids in the foam. First you need to ensure a normal flow of warm air to the window: remove the radiator grill or stop folding the curtains on the windowsill. If you make the window surface warmer by 1 - 2 ° C, then condensation will not appear.
- If you have concluded that the reason for the appearance of condensate still lies in the insufficient number of glasses, there is only one way out - to replace a single-chamber double-glazed window with a double-chamber one.
Fortunately, when replacing a double-glazed window, there is no need to change the entire structure - the frame and fittings remain in place.
- The most unpleasant thing is the marriage made during the installation of the window block. To fix the careless thermal insulation of the perimeter, you will have to break the plaster, dismantle the slopes and the window sill. In the case of a large distance between the frame and the opening, it will be necessary to replace the entire unit.
To protect yourself from negative consequences, you should trust the installation of new plastic windows only to reputable companies or personally look after each stage of work, starting with measuring the opening.
- Changing a wide window sill to a narrow one helps to improve convection, but is not always acceptable: some flower growers cannot refuse a flower oasis on the window. In such cases, a grate is mounted on the window sill for access to heat from the radiator or additional heating is arranged with alternative sources: a heat curtain, a lamp.
- Cleaning the ventilation system will improve the situation, and the installation of forced ventilation is guaranteed to speed up the removal of excess moisture from the apartment and reduce condensation on plastic windows.
The simplest method is ventilation. All modern window models have a micro-ventilation function; it allows you to renew the air even in cold weather without significant heat loss. Installing an inlet valve on the window that automatically regulates the humidity in the room is another way to combat condensation.
Knowing the causes of condensation on window frames and glass will effectively combat fogging and prevent the formation of mold. If the mold has already appeared, then its treatment with special compounds and the subsequent implementation of the recommendations for combating weeping glass will allow get rid of harmful fungus forever.
