Condensation.

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Discussion

f13ldy

Original Poster:

1,432 posts

214 months

Monday 2nd November 2009
quotequote all
Having now switched the heating on high enough to keep reptiles happy we are experiencing high levels of condensation on the first floor.

Obviously it does the surrounding areas no favours in terms if damp and mould.

What are my options? Heating off? Opening a window on each room affected? A noisy expensive dehumidifier in each room? Some better double glazing with increased ventilation?

Marf

22,907 posts

254 months

Monday 2nd November 2009
quotequote all
Crack a window in each room. You need ventilation.

ADParker

175 posts

282 months

Puggit

48,961 posts

261 months

Monday 2nd November 2009
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Don't let the wife hang the washing out indoors...

staceyb

7,107 posts

237 months

Monday 2nd November 2009
quotequote all
Open windows and doors and turn the god damn heating off, its not even cold.

f13ldy

Original Poster:

1,432 posts

214 months

Monday 2nd November 2009
quotequote all
staceyb said:
Open windows and doors and turn the god damn heating off, its not even cold.
Well that's personal opinion I guess. All I know is at 6am this morning I was chilly...

Regarding the washing she does dry the washing inside actually. However, I don't know where else she will do it.

staceyb

7,107 posts

237 months

Monday 2nd November 2009
quotequote all
f13ldy said:
staceyb said:
Open windows and doors and turn the god damn heating off, its not even cold.
Well that's personal opinion I guess. All I know is at 6am this morning I was chilly...

Regarding the washing she does dry the washing inside actually. However, I don't know where else she will do it.


So set the timer so the heating comes on half an hour before you get up and go off when you leave.

If you have to dry washing inside crack the windows while its drying.

f13ldy

Original Poster:

1,432 posts

214 months

Monday 2nd November 2009
quotequote all
staceyb said:
f13ldy said:
staceyb said:
Open windows and doors and turn the god damn heating off, its not even cold.
Well that's personal opinion I guess. All I know is at 6am this morning I was chilly...

Regarding the washing she does dry the washing inside actually. However, I don't know where else she will do it.


So set the timer so the heating comes on half an hour before you get up and go off when you leave.

If you have to dry washing inside crack the windows while its drying.
I've got the heating on timer, but the wife also has it on timer for the evenings which is when the condensation sets in and worsens overnight.

I'll take note about the opening of windows when washing is drying.

HiRich

3,337 posts

275 months

Monday 2nd November 2009
quotequote all
If it's just a mild case (on the windows, not ingrained on the walls), it's fairly easy to live with. It just means your draughtproffing is good (good for heating bills, less so fo the condensation). As per ADParker's link, it's a constant battle as you are constantly adding more moisture. So:
  • Buy a J-cloth and wipe the worst off (if it collects on the woodwork it can get mouldy and damage the paintwork)
  • Polishing the glass won't prevent condensation, but it will produce a fine mist, not the big globules (dust particles seed the droplets). And be honest, you really want to try RainEx on your home.
  • On a nice day like today (low humidity outside, no rain or fog, and a decent breeze) open some windows to vent fresh air in. Obviously, try to do this at a time when you don't need the heating on.
  • If you have them, use the extractor fan in the bathroom and kitchen when a lot of moisture is going into the air (cooking, drying clothes, taking a bath), and keep the door closed.
A basic domestic portable dehumidifier can be picked up for about £150-200. Might be worthwhile in a cold spell and they work quite well.

Double glazing would help your heating bills/comfort, but it won't really prevent much condensation. The inner pane will still be colder than the room, and the humidity levels will just climb higher until condensation reappears again

munroman

1,894 posts

197 months

Monday 2nd November 2009
quotequote all
You need ventilation all the time, even with the heating on, if you are breathing and washing, cooking, showering is going on, ventilation is the only way to go.

My sister, despite being told loads of time to always have her windows open, has them shut, they are always covered in condensation and when I set foot in the house (which isn't very often), I can barely breathe it is so stuffy.

And watch out for black mould, it is awful stuff, I boxed in her bath with pine cladding, it was destroyed within a year by rot and mould.

So windows open, heating off, its much healthier!