What is wrong with my house? Condensation and damp!

[AllesAusLiebe]

Hi everyone,

Looking for some help as to what to do about this problem.

Our house was built in the 1950s, semi detached, two floors. Every morning since the weather turned colder, I've had a big problem with condensation on my bedroom windows. It's a bay window and the double-glazed windows were already installed 7 years ago when we bought the house. I clean the windows every morning, which is no big deal, but I can't help but think that this is not normal!

We need new windows, definitely, but does anyone have experience of this and what to do about the problem with the condensation? I don't think that simply getting new windows will solve the issue. It's so bad that I know it will lead to damp if we don't get it sorted.

For context, I open the windows every morning to air the house for up to 15 minutes and often during the day as I'm working from home in there. We have an extractor in the bathroom and windows open whenever anyone is in there getting showered etc.

I've seen things like dehumidifiers can help with this, but I'd rather find a solution that doesn't involve having another piece of electrical equipment to store.

[dementedpixie]

Karcher window vac?
Do you dry washing indoors?

[FlitterMouse]

The bedroom is warmer than outside and your bodies create moisture. We leave the small top window on the latch, use a karcher window cleaning thing and put small aero 360 moisture dehumidifier behind the curtain. We have thermal curtains and I think that traps moisture behind them.

[Chew2]

If there is condensation in the middle of the two panes of glass, the window is blown and the glass needs replacing, you can replace just the glass but we just got whole new windows installed as the price diff between just glass and a whole window was minimal. Plus our windows were fairly old.
Solved our issues straight away.

[RunBackwards]

Condensation in bedrooms is very normal, every house I've ever lived in has has puddlenon the windowsill in the mornings.

I've given in a bought a dehumidifier after 20 years of my dad telling me to

[DespairingHomeower]

I also have this, single glazed windows: I see a 'fog' in the morning in winter

I just wipe down windows in the morning, & air room for a little while same as you. I think thermal curtains (blinds in my case) contribute to problem. I haven't found it creating any issues with mould/damp etc

Closing doors when generating steam (bathroom, kitchen) will help, also drying clothes indoors doesn't help if you do that

Unless there are other problems with your windows, a dehumidfier & /or window vac seems a much cheaper solution to me

[RunBackwards]

Don't go changing the windows just for this. The "better" I.e. more draught proof, the windows are, the worse condensation will be.

[Chumleymouse]

Meaco dehumidifiers are excellent we never have any condensation ( only in the bathroom after a shower ). If you get water running down windows it just means the humidity in your house is too high .

[Linnet]

@chumleymouse, would you mind if I ask which dehumidifier you have? And Is it very quiet?

I’m looking for a new dehumidifier as we have the same problem with damp/condensation in the coldest bedroom but the one we have is really noisy and it can’t be left on over night.

[BashfulClam]

I got another one of these yesterday . Small and absolutely great for my bedroom. Husband calls it ‘little sooker’

[BashfulClam]

@Linnetthrnone I got is quiet as I slept fine and I’m a light sleeper.

[OnlyFoolsnMothers]

It’s the bane of my life- I’ve input vents in rooms, I use a 360 absorber in the three worst rooms and vac the windows every morning! You have my sympathies

[Chumleymouse]

Ours is a meaco dry 10L it’s not too noisy we just leave it on at night in the hallway.

[Chumleymouse]

It says it uses 155 watts per hour to run it.

[Toodeloo]

Contrary to other opinions.... I got all windows & door replaced and my condensation problem has disappeared (apart from the teensiest bit on really cold nights). Previously the windows as well as doors were really poor. It’s made a huge difference.

[AllesAusLiebe]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I really appreciate it.

I'll invest in a dehumidifier, I think. I've resisted this for a long time, but will give it a go. Hopefully that helps.

I think the windows do need replacing, but reluctant to do that right now because of cost, so happy to try ANYTHING in the interim!

I just don't get it. . . I never dry washing indoors and I'm obsessed with opening windows and letting fresh air in. DS's room was the same this morning as well, so it sounds like it's a problem with the humidity in the house as a whole.

[TheNighthawk]

Open your bedroom windows at night