Have you ever noticed the droplets of water that form on the
outside of a canned drink when you take it out of the fridge? This is
condensation and the reason why it happens is all to do with temperature, air
and water vapour.
The temperature on the surface of the can is reduced as air
passes over it. As the air gets cooler its relative humidity rises and the
water vapour turns into moisture. The air passing over the can is unable to
hold onto the moisture which ends up as droplets running down the side of the
can’s cold surface.
This is what happens in thousands of households across the
nation when the temperature drops inside the home, especially at night time
when the heating is turned off. Just like the canned drink, the air reaches the
point where it can no longer hold onto to all the moisture that we create in
our homes and it migrates to the coldest surfaces - the windows and walls -
where it appears as condensation or the more familiar sight of streaming
windows.
The causes
of condensation problems within our homes
Let’s take a closer look at what
causes condensation in our homes.
Through the daily routine of showers, baths, boiling
kettles, cooking etc, a family of 4 will contribute approximately 4 pints of
water per person a day, equal to over 100 pints of water vapour a week, which
has to end up somewhere. Before the days of double glazing, wall and loft
insulation this humid, stale air would find its escape route through
ill-fitting windows and doors, lofts and so on. It would be replaced by
fresher, colder air or to you and me - a draught!
Today, after the introduction of energy saving measures such
as draught proofing, double glazing and cavity wall insulation there is no
natural escape route for this stale, humid air, which is now trapped inside the
home. As a result, this trapped and stale air only makes the problem worse,
causing condensation on windows, walls and poor indoor air quality.
Please visit our website for more information about our
services at our letting
agents Eastbourne office. We have
other similar interesting articles on our ‘Latest Article’ page for you to read
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