In our bedroom we get condensation dripping from the ceiling above the window also. This article will help you in the identification of what is rising damp and what is condensation – http://www.meaco.com/damp.php. How to Stop Condensation on Windows. Thanks and I hope you can help with this stressful problem. I’m going to get some electtic fan heaters to warm house up. Condensation on the inside of a window is usually a sign of excessive humidity in the home. It seems to slowly get more musty and the carpet is starting to smell moldy! Hi – thanks for such an informative blog! If you follow this advice then you will find that things will improve. Especially with the bathroom, which is especially worse. or should I not have my heating on in winter and use a dehumidifier? I have read on one or two forums that some people advise blocking up the vents on the narrowboat when using a dehumidifier, to prevent it drying to dehumidify the world. I have lifted one of the floorboards to dry out with windows open and fans running (plus trays of cat litter). The house doesn’t seem to have mold anywhere so I am really confused as to why this is happening. Also, would it be worth blocking up some vents as they do seem a bit excessive and pulling the insulation further over? When moist air comes into contact with a cold window surface, this releases moisture onto the glass as water droplets. I’m at my wits end with this. Stronger restrictions will prevent most people from celebrating as they would like, meeting friends in pubs and restaurants. What kind/size dehumidifier should we get? (apart from hoovering the filter from time to time). Home » How to cure condensation – should you just open the windows and let the cold air in? But, windows are often the first place where condensation can be seen. So if you heat air up the relative humidity will decrease. Try leaving windows open after using the kitchen/bathroom to alloow more exchange of air in those rooms. This will be the cheapest dehumidifier to run, it will dry the laundry quickly and it will not mind the conservatory dropping in temperature at night. Every winter millions of people suffer from humidity problems at home, which have their roots in the difficulty for the walls to dry.. Or would two be essential? The humidity by condensation is the least known of humidities, but although it does not have so much press, it does not stop being one of the most annoying. Depends on how you dry your washing, the guide below will help you to select either the Meaco 10L or the Meaco DD8L. It was in there for 10 hours and no water in the bucket. It will be fine, just let it run on 45%rh and let it go. However, there are some ways you can do it However, there are some ways you can do it Open a nearby window whenever you’re doing anything that releases moisture such as cooking or showering. If you do get a dehumidifier then try and leave the internal doors open as often as you can. This plus it’s effectiveness in the summer puts me off. Is our laundry drying in the conservatory making this worse as we also have a open plan kitchen so no door to close so the heat from kettles,cooking,sterilliser and washing machine would come into living room what can we do if we get a dehumidifier what one should we get, where should we put it and we really need one that is cheap to run what do u suggest please help. Hi Chris Dry the house as a whole out, make sure that you think about where the moisture is coming from and deal with it. Every morning, the bedroom windows look like it’s been raining inside with the condensation – the other windows in the house have a little condensation on them, but much less. This is particularly important in the kitchen and bathroom to get rid of excess moisture. 55%rh is fine for a flat and you should only drop down to say 50%rh if you find that the flat could benefit from being dryer. A double-pane window with these features allows roughly 37% relative humidity without any indoor condensation. Ideally you will have to do this in every room in the house; you will certainly need to do it in the bathroom, kitchen and bedrooms at the very least. So, I’d love to know: which dehumidifier would help? Then dry the wardrobe out by running the dehumidifier in front of the wardrobe blowing the dry air into the wardrobe with the louvre on. The water is a different issue because there will be metal containements and dirt in the water.. water that comes out of a dehumidifier is not actually distilled. Single glazed Windows are always likely to suffer from condensation because they will have a lower surface temperature than the better insulated double glazed windows. It will collect most of it’s water during the day and it will make a difference. In fact, we never previously had damp when we lived in the flat as a family, so we are at a loss as to why there is so much damp now. Which position should i use now the temperature is dropping? There is an extractor in the bathroom, but it is woefully insufficient. MORE : How to stay warm when you’re working from home without putting the heating on 24/7. A dehumidifier does not require installation so you will not need the councils permission, just plug it in and turn it on. Put the dehumidifier somewhere central in the home and leave the internals doors open when it is running. Condensation occurs when warm air collides with cold surfaces – this is called the dew point and causes warm air to turn into water droplets. Opening the windows does work but I am not a fan because it makes people feel uncomfortable and has this huge hidden cost in terms of money spent on heating the air up and then reheating the fresh air coming in from outside. This is why in Britain it is very common to use a dehumidifier during the Autumn and Winter. They will also be able to protect your clothes when the wardrobe doors are closed. Is the problem just in one room, have you cleaned the filter on the dehumidifier, do you have older double glazing/single glazing? However, do you think the vents in the doors and ceiling should be blocked too? Also, if you wake up in the morning and discover condensation on your windows, open your bedroom window for a few minutes before you go to bed. 3 ways to reduce condensation on the inside of windows With winter on the way and temperatures dropping fast, condensation in your house is likely to increase, and may cause damp problems if left unattended – but there are some simple ways to reduce condensation on your windows. That dehumidifier will not help at all because it is a Peltier dehumidifier designed for use in a wardrobe. And if so what should i set it at. In this article, we’re going to tell you all about how to prevent condensation on windows and walls. You need the Meaco 20L Low Energy dehumidifier. We have then brought in freezing cold air and made ourselves feel very uncomfortable (extra jumpers all round). Installed it in the kitchen first, which done a good job of getting rid of the condensation and now it’s in the living room (small 1 bed flat). Opening drapes and curtains will allow air to circulate against the windows, and this will dry out moisture on the windows and stop condensation from forming. Nothing I am doing seems to help the situation every year unfortunately. Is it a waste to be running the dehumidifier if there is ventilation from windows at the same time (assuming outdoor temp is 10C and indoor is 21C for example)? It’s a 5 bed (3 doubles, 2 singles). Hello. Try to keep the bathroom door shut as much as possible so the moisture does not escape into other parts of your home. Why does condensation happen? Hi Chris Things vary on a case by case basis. Any advice would be much appreciated. The condensation and mould will be caused by excess moisture in the home in general from bathing, washing, cooking, drying laundry etc. It sounds like you have a sensible conclusion with regards to your problems and a dehumidifier will help considerably. If you must plug it in the hallway and put the dehumidifier in the bathroom to give it a good drying out then please make sure that children are not around and everyone knows not to touch the dehumidifier with wet hands. Sometimes condensation on the inside of your windows is the result of a failing windowpane seal. Place it on the landing and leave the bedroom and bathroom doors open to allow the air to circulate. Apparently a lot of people turn their de-humidifiers off at night so that they can sleep, which is precisely the period during which they need the de-humidifier to prevent condensation. Lauren. The dehumidifier needs to go into the basement and your application is explained here – https://www.meaco.com/blog/the-best-dehumidifier-for-a-basement/, Hi Chris I’m now living in a private let and worry about condensation so rather than waiting for signs I bought a disposable dehumidifier and it is collecting some water is it ok to just keep using disposable ones from pound shop? As soon as temperatures go up in the spring, a musty smell develops in the ground floor level of the house, and in particular in the two rooms above the basement, where there are the areas with just the wooden floor in between. The effect of opening the window to reduce dampness depends on the air outside. My son has Terrible condensation in his loft half of the loft is dry the other half it’s really wet and it is dripping from the roof onto the insulation and onto the ceiling and down the walls I have been told if he wants to fit a PIV in the loft it should cure the problem do you know anything about these PIV he needs help really bad as he’s got young children and you only get fit in the back of the house and not the front thank you, Sorry to hear about the issues, a PIV is not the first port of call here and might not be an answer to any of the problems. Raising the temperature of windows will reduce condensation on them. I don’t have a laundry/utility room and not space for a tumble drier (that’s in the shed at the bottom of the garden). or on constant setting for 24 hours? Window condensation happens because of a temperature gradient at the window. My windows in rooms we use are fogged not just a little at the bottom like most i read about. Do you have any tips which could help us out? Leaving windows open all the time can make your home draughty and cold, however it's a great idea to open the window when having a shower. Adding a layer of plastic sheeting over your windows will generally stop winter condensation, but there is more A more costly solution – but a long-term one – could also involve improving the insulation in your home, which could include upgrading your windows to double-glazing if they aren’t already. You need a proper dehumidifier like the Meaco DD8L to deal with the amount of moisture that you will be generating in a flat. If you leave the bathroom door open then the moisture will migrate out of the room and into the drier hallway. https://www.meaco.com/dehumidifier/home-dehumidifiers/meacodry-abc-range-12l-compressor-dehumidifier. Triple pane windows, for instance, are much less likely to form condensation than double-pane, all else being equal. I currently have a 10L a day dehumidifier but have never ran it 24/7 like i see you advised alot above. Put a MeacoDry ABC 10L in there and let it run either in the bedroom or just outside the ebdroom door. I don’t understand why? It has a humidity sensor so im guessing turns off automatically. Therefore, we need to find another solution. With coronavirus affecting the respiratory system, this year is not the time to let condensation impact your health unnecessarily. I.e I tend to run the de-humidifier overnight in the kitchen/basement area (with house windows closed) and open windows in the morning once I wake up and the central heating starts. Also the machine could switch off automatically when I open a window (using the Hive window sensors). I would suggest running the dehumidifier 24/7 with the internal doors open to allow the air to circulate throughout the house. I also already have one in a closed room where I dry the laundry. Would a dehumidifier solve the issue and also would it be harmful to our cat? The carpets don’t always feel totally dry, and papers even feel slightly damp. Absolutely, this is exactly what a dehumidifier will do for you. Better ventilation helps reduce condensation problems. There are two parts to preventing window condensation and frosty windows: Part 1 – Reduce indoor humidity. I’ve had the heating on and windows open whenever I can but that hadn’t seemed to help. It sounds like your problem is being caused by a lack of ventilation. The DD8L is a desiccant dehumidifier and as such does not have a compressor and is therefore quieter than other dehumidifiers. By moving your houseplants outside during the winter can eliminate condensation inside your windows. We just moved into a new 3 bed home 2 years ago and have started to notice mold on the ceilings in the bedrooms and on the clothes. 3) How many hours or frequently do i need to run the humidifier for a comfortable house?