Last year was my first year using a woodburner in my house. However, as a child I grew up with a woodburner providing heat in the winter. Ok...in my house everytime it gets really cold out...in the 20s or below...I get really bad window condensation. So bad that the water droplets actually roll down the door or the window and then down my walls. My windows are old single pane and the house was built in the 50s...I suspect that the house has limited insulation. This only happens when I use the woodburner. When I use my oil furnace I experience no window condensation. Has anyone else experiencing this? Is it because the woodburner is a drier heat and it's not an equally distributed heat? The woodburner is in the basement and the heat rises through floor vents and from coming up the stairs. Last night the house temp was 75-76 degrees and over night it dropped to about 66 degrees.
Window Condensation?
- Thread starter yardatwork
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Gramps farm is a typical house built in the early 1900s and it's got similar problems. Unfortunately the way they made them your insulation options are limited as far as the walls are concerned. You've got two options as far as the windows go:
1) Replace the windows - may not be a great investment depending on the walls, etc
2) Cover the windows. Not the most attractive option. Granddad had the windows on the first floor of the house (where people spend 90% of the time) redone but the second floor gets the plastic tarps every year.
Every year he cuts a plastic tarp to the size of the windows+frames, and he tapes them to the windows. Also the attic door. Generally it's the windows on the first floor that get "the dew" and the windows on the second floor spend their time making plastic fluttering noises.
He still tells stories of the "old stove" where coal was $20 for 5 tons...
1) Replace the windows - may not be a great investment depending on the walls, etc
2) Cover the windows. Not the most attractive option. Granddad had the windows on the first floor of the house (where people spend 90% of the time) redone but the second floor gets the plastic tarps every year.
Every year he cuts a plastic tarp to the size of the windows+frames, and he tapes them to the windows. Also the attic door. Generally it's the windows on the first floor that get "the dew" and the windows on the second floor spend their time making plastic fluttering noises.
He still tells stories of the "old stove" where coal was $20 for 5 tons...
I doubt the wall insulation has anything to do with the window condensation. Condensation forms at certain combinations of temperature differential and interior humidity - i.e. When the window glass temperature is below the due point of the interior relative humidity then you get condensation. Odds are that when you stove is buring the inside temps are warmer, and wamer air holds more water weight than cooler air at the same humidity %. This is probably why you get more condensation.
A previous thread posted a chart of suggested indoor humidities. There are guidelines that as the outside temp goes down you actually want to lower indoor humidity to avoid this condensation problem.
A related question- since you have single pane windows, do you have storm windows? One of my old house books has an article from OHJ about this:
- If you get condensation on the inner window pane, this is a sign that your storm window is leaking letting cold air in behind the inner window.
- If you get condensation on the storm window, this is a sign that the storm window is tight, but the inner window is leaking allowing warm house iar in against the storm.
-Jeremy
A previous thread posted a chart of suggested indoor humidities. There are guidelines that as the outside temp goes down you actually want to lower indoor humidity to avoid this condensation problem.
A related question- since you have single pane windows, do you have storm windows? One of my old house books has an article from OHJ about this:
- If you get condensation on the inner window pane, this is a sign that your storm window is leaking letting cold air in behind the inner window.
- If you get condensation on the storm window, this is a sign that the storm window is tight, but the inner window is leaking allowing warm house iar in against the storm.
-Jeremy
Thanks guys. I went as far as pricing new windows and lining up a contractor to replace them this past fall. I decided against it because I'm planning to only be in this house maybe five more years. I plan to build outback and then I'm going to level this house and make my front yard bigger! I don't want to keep putting money into this place when that money could be saved and used as a mortgage payment on a new place. But every year I find new issues with this old house and if I keep ignoring them it's just going to get worse...like the wooden window panes collecting mold spots and small water damage...and...the mold spots forming on the inside of the window panes. Storm windows might be the best options at this time since I do not have any.
Your house inst really old, but for info on windows go to http://www.oldhouseweb.com/forums/ and search for "windows". Lots of people consider wood windows far superior to modern vinyl windows. With proper maintenance they can last longer; and with proper weatherstripping and tight storms windows can actually be just as energy efficient. (window companies don't want us to know this - $$$ 
)
If you have double hung wood windows I'd vote for refinishing them and adding storms. I've got double hung windows upstairs (w/storms) that must be nearly 100 years old and they are less drafty and smoother operating than the 20year old replacement windows in my kitchen.
)If you have double hung wood windows I'd vote for refinishing them and adding storms. I've got double hung windows upstairs (w/storms) that must be nearly 100 years old and they are less drafty and smoother operating than the 20year old replacement windows in my kitchen.
The windows are showing condensation because the humidity in the house is higher than when burning with oil.
Until I could afford new windows for our house I made and used homemade storm windows. I got some 1x2 stock and joined the corners to make a frame, then stretched heavy clear plastic over the frame and nailed furring strips around the edge to hold in the plastic. I labeled them on the back for the corresponding window fit. These were used for 8 years and did the job well. I still have them and now they serve as temporary cold frames for starting plants.
Until I could afford new windows for our house I made and used homemade storm windows. I got some 1x2 stock and joined the corners to make a frame, then stretched heavy clear plastic over the frame and nailed furring strips around the edge to hold in the plastic. I labeled them on the back for the corresponding window fit. These were used for 8 years and did the job well. I still have them and now they serve as temporary cold frames for starting plants.
You might not be able to search that link I posted if you are not a member. Here you go:
http://www.oldhouseweb.com/how-to-advice/triple-track-aluminum-storm-windows-old-houses.shtml
http://www.coloradoenergy.org/procorner/stuff/r-values.htm
Typical R-values for windows:
Single pane window: 0.85-0.9
Single pane plus storm: 2.0
double pane window: 1.5-2.0
low-e double pane: 2.4-4.0
Storm windows are the best bang for your buck. Considering wnidows probably only account for 20% or less of your heat loss, it might take decades to recoup the cost of expensive low-e windows in fuel savings....
http://www.oldhouseweb.com/how-to-advice/triple-track-aluminum-storm-windows-old-houses.shtml
http://www.coloradoenergy.org/procorner/stuff/r-values.htm
Typical R-values for windows:
Single pane window: 0.85-0.9
Single pane plus storm: 2.0
double pane window: 1.5-2.0
low-e double pane: 2.4-4.0
Storm windows are the best bang for your buck. Considering wnidows probably only account for 20% or less of your heat loss, it might take decades to recoup the cost of expensive low-e windows in fuel savings....
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