Condensation Damage and How To Prevent It

When there is excessive moisture in a home it can cause damage. Damage such as rotting wood, floors that buckle, peeling paint on the outside, deterioration of insulation and damage to the roof.  You will see condensation on your windows and glass doors.

The homes today are built tighter and more energy efficient.  This can also cause moisture to get trapped in the home. There are things that can be done during the building phase that can help prevent the condensation damage.  The easiest and most effective solution is to install continuous vents in the eaves and ridge venting.  These help eliminate warm moist air.

Other problems and solutions follow:

1)  Taking a long shower puts over 1/2 pint of moisture in the air.  To prevent damage from this, install a bath fan that would vent this moisture to the outside of the home.

2)  Clothes dryers push a lot of moisture into a home.  To solve this buildup dryers should be vented to the outside also.

3)  When the home has a crawl space instead of a basement, there should be a vapor barrier on the ground as well as foundation vents.  Avoid using metal windows without thermal breaks.

4)  Basements are a good source of moisture.  The moisture can be reduced by using drain tiling, a foundation coating, and proper grading.

5)  When installing heat vents, they should be placed under windows and glass doors.  With Bay and Bow windows, there should be insulation between the head and platform as well as between the seat and platform.

6)  If you have a humidifier installed you may find a problem with moisture buildup in the home.  It must be remembered that relative humidity should be decreased when outside temperatures decrease.

Keep in mind there will be moisture buildups when building the home also.  For example, the wet cement will give off moisture as it cures.  You will also find a buildup when there are sharp temperature drops and when the heating season first begins.

When  you notice a condensation buildup in your home and on your windows, seek out the causes and make the adjustments before damage begins. If you have older windows that show condensation often, it might be good to look at replacing the windows with new properly sealed thermal panels and have them professionally installed.