Condensation behind plantation shutters

[Ihateslugs]

I love the shutters in my bedroom but I’m struggling with the condensation that builds up overnight when they are closed. It’s already started this year now that the temperature has dropped slightly so I’m back to a daily routine of wiping down the windows every morning. If I don’t, I get mould around the window frames.

I can’t sleep with the windows open as I live in a bungalow ( nervous) but had extra vents fitted in the walls soon after I moved in as I was getting a lot of mould in my bedroom. I then had a new, more efficient boiler installed together with an extra radiator as my house always seemed cold. At the same time, they fitted a positive air exchange thingy in the hall - this stopped the mould and made my bungalow cosy.

This window condensation is only in the rooms with the shutter so I assume it is caused because the cold air gets trapped between the blinds and the window making the glass cold - I’m not a scientist so not too sure! I’ve tried sleeping with the blinds cracked open a little but I still have condensation most Autumn/winter mornings.

Does anyone have any suggestions about what I can do?

I should add that I have mobility problems and standing up to wipe down two large windows is actually very painful.

If you can afford it get a Meaco dehumidifier

I will look into a dehumidifier but I am not sure if I could sleep with one running, maybe in the hall with my bedroom door ajar?

I’m sure that the design of my bungalow does not help damp as due to the marshy land they are built on, there is a 5 ft space underneath it to act as a flood cellar after rain. So I think it will always be a damp house whatever I do. I need to stop thinking about the heating and just set it to come on if the temp indoors drop-down below 16° rather than 19° and see if that helps.

I would switch the dehumidifier on when you get up in the morning and during the evening to reduce the humidity.

We use a window vac and then when it gets colder we'll run the dehumidifier in the bedroom during the day.

So this evening I had the heating on a bit higher than normal as I felt cold which warmed the house nicely. Tonight I’ve left the slats of two of the blinds, the ones not near my bed in case anyone looks in, open quite wide so I’ll see if that helps.

It does seem an issue with plantation shutters though, I read some websites of companies that sell these blinds and they suggest letting air circulate behind the blinds so the warmer are is not trapped.

I will look into a dehumidifier though as my next house project is a new bathroom and to make more room I plan to take the airing cupboard out
Although the hot water tank was removed six years ago, I had a small radiator installed in it so I can hand up the odd items of clothes which I cannot tumble dry. I will miss it and was wondering where I could dry such things so a movable humidifier I could use would be good. I don’t really have room for one in my bedroom, I use a rollator to get around in the house so need extra room around the bed and furniture.

We had this condensation problem we put new windows in and problem solved. New windows now have to be vented. It’s so strange seeing windows misted up on the outside in the mornings.

I use a dehumidifier to dry washing on an airing rack when the weather is too bad for drying outside. Takes a few hours but cheaper than tumble drying.