Condensation Problems
It may strike you odd, but the growing condensation problems of the nation are caused by progress. If you have trouble
with window condesation it's probably because you live in a "tight" modern home which you can heat for a
fraction of the money it takes to heat the house your parents lived in--a home that's cleaner and more
comfortable besides! Your problems may also result from widespread use of several labor saving appliances
that make life easier than it used to be.
What is Condensation?
It is the process of moving water from the air. Condensation occurs anytime moist warm air contacts a cold
surface. For example, the beads of water that drip down the outsside of a cold glass of iced tea in the
summertime are a product of condensation.
The Cause is Excess Humidity
It's the same as water vapor...too MUCH water vapor. It may be freezing in the insulation in your attic
where it will melt and damage your plaster exactly like a roof leak when warm weather comes. Or it may
be forcing its way out through the siding to form blisters under your paint exterior. That means the most expensive kind of paint job.
Humidity, water vapor, moisture, steam...they're all the same. They are all water in the form of invisible gas in the air.
And they can be present in varying quantities in the air.
Only Part of the Story
A score or more of entirely different conditions may affect the way the condensation problem works out in different homes.
Conditions that may effect condensation problems:
Size of the home
Ventilation of the house
The heating system - hot air or water - perimeter or interior wall heating
The type of insulation and vapor barrier
Even the type of soil and quality of drainage
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Six Practical Steps to Controlling
Condensation and Excess Humidity
 1. Replace old worn out windows with insulated
glass. This will better insulate your windows from the ouside air. This won't prevent excess humidity in the air; but it will make looking out your windows easier.
2. Be sure that louvers in the attic or basement crawl spaces are open and that they are large enough.
3. Run your kitchen or other ventilating fans longer and more often than has been your custom.
4. Shut off your furnace humidifier and any other humidfying devices in your home.
5. Open your fireplace damper to allow easier escape for moisture.
6. A dehumidifier can help reduce Interior condensation. If you don't have a dehumidifier, air out your house for a few minutes each day.
If these common remedies don't work, the condensation problem should be looked at by a qualified heating contractor. He may suggest an outside air intake for your furnace or installation of venting fans. These inexpensive options will be less costly than a major painting job or plaster work caused by excess water vapor.
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