Modern repair or construction of residential premises is not complete without the installation of plastic windows. And this is justified, because at an affordable price there are a number of advantages: noise insulation, tightness, increased light opening and aesthetic appearance. But the joy of installing PVC products can not last long when a problem such as fogging of plastic windows appears in the winter. The reasons for this state of affairs do not excite a person until mold traces appear on white slopes. And then the question arises: "What to do?"
Physics, 8th grade
If we recall the basics of science, which describes the laws of nature, it is quite possible to answer the question of why the plastic window is sweating from the inside. The textbook for 8th grade in physics has a topic about the state of aggregation of matter. Everything is clear here: at various temperature indicators, the substance can be in a gaseous, solid and liquid state. And this phenomenon a person observes daily, for example, when boiling water, when it begins to evaporate at 100 degrees.
The transition of a substance from a gaseous state to a liquid is called condensation. This phenomenon occurs when the temperature decreases. If you apply this knowledge to PVC windows, the reason why the windows "cry" becomes obvious . The double-glazed window itself is at the junction of two environments. In winter, the street is cold, and the room is warm. During this period, the surface of the glass inside the room has a lower temperature, so the liquid vapor contained in the air begins to change the state of aggregation under the influence of the temperature difference and settle on the cold plane in the form of droplets.
Were the old wooden windows better?
Wooden frames with glasses that are not hermetic at all do not contribute to condensation appearing on the windows. You can, of course, leave the old wooden structures and not suffer from a wet windowsill in the winter, but then the amounts given to communal services for heating the housing will be much more impressive. After all, the charm of PVC windows is in their tightness and conservation of thermal energy at home.
In Soviet times, the supply and exhaust ventilation consisted of ventilation ducts and slotted window frames, which carried out constant air circulation in the rooms. When people began to change the window blocks into sealed products, such an urgent problem as fogging of plastic windows arose. The causes and their elimination are interconnected: if the ventilation system is broken, it must be restored.
Humidity
Another reason for the settling of water droplets on the glass is the humidity in the room. According to sanitary standards, this indicator for a normal microclimate should not exceed 45%.
If you measure the humidity level in the winter inside the living space with a hygrometer, and it shows a value of 60% or higher, this will be one of the reasons why the plastic window is sweating from the inside. The dampness in the apartment appears when the exhaust ventilation is insufficient.
Steam is formed during cooking, washing, showering. To avoid its concentration, it is necessary to adjust the operation of ventilation ducts, often ventilate the room and check the effectiveness of heating devices, which should not be blocked by more than 1/3 of the windowsill.
Causes of Humidity
- Cooking food. During cooking, steam is released into the air, which, falling on the internal cold glass, settles in the form of drops.
- The constant stay of people in the room, without periodic ventilation.
- Poor air circulation (closed batteries, inoperative exhaust ducts).
- Incorrect thermal insulation of the room.
- Hanging wet items in the drying room.
Condensation is hazardous to health.
Misting of plastic windows, the reasons for which are high humidity in the housing, indicates an unfavorable microclimate, since dampness is an excellent environment for the development of mold and fungus. If you do not pay attention to the “crying” windows, over time the slopes will be covered with black spots, and this is a serious signal that you need to thoroughly do cleaning surfaces.
A harmless, at first glance, the proximity of a person with moldy walls turns into health problems. Invisible spores of fungus and mold penetrate through the respiratory tract into the human body and worsen his well-being. People with asthma are especially at risk. Therefore, the question of how to eliminate the fogging of plastic windows is not only relevant for maintaining the aesthetic appearance of the room, but it is also important for maintaining a healthy microclimate.
Special double-glazed windows
Having found out that condensation appears on the coldest indoor surface - window glass, you will realize that if you reduce the thermal conductivity of the glass unit, the chances of droplets appearing will be lower. Due to the thermal insulation of double-glazed windows, you can increase the temperature of the inner side of the window.
The managers of window companies have a problem: “How to prevent condensation on the windows?”, They propose to solve by installing special double-glazed windows. A minimum of two-chamber design should be chosen, with energy-saving spraying and argon filling of the space between the glasses.
Slope condensate
It happens that after the installation of metal-plastic windows, even the premium ones, the windows and slopes “cry”. This state of affairs is due to the presence of “cold bridges”. These are places that are exposed to both cold and heat. These bridges appear at the points of contact of the profile with the outer wall.
To avoid condensation near the windows, some calculations are made by means of isotherms during the determination of the installation location. So, with a monolithic wall, the window block is installed in the middle of the slope.
It is difficult for the average person to trace the correct installation of the metal-plastic construction, so when choosing a window company, the main thing is to find professional installers.
Ventilation
Knowing the reasons why the plastic windows in the apartment are sweating, you can easily determine how to solve the problem. It is important to ventilate the room in order to remove warm and saturated air. When you open the windows, especially in cold weather, warm air erodes from the room, and the room becomes cool, but the humidity decreases. Enough short-term airing.
After taking a bath or washing, it is recommended that you enable forced ventilation. And if one is missing, you need to address the issue of its installation. In older apartment buildings, exhaust ducts are often clogged with construction waste. To check the operability of ventilation, it is enough to bring a sheet of paper to it: if there is draft, the sheet will cling to the grate, otherwise you should write a statement to the housing and communal services with a request to clean the clogged channel. That is, the hood must be present in the house, in places of high humidity: bathroom, toilet, kitchen, pool (in a private house).
After sleeping, cooking, taking a shower, washing and a large crowd of people in one place it is necessary to ventilate the room! And this will not only solve the problem: “How to get rid of fogging of plastic windows?”, But also will help to create the right microclimate necessary for health.
What to do if mold has crept?
Up to this point, the article explained the causes of condensation and ways to prevent these "tears". What to do if not given due attention to wet windows, and the situation has acquired a neglected form - moldy slopes?
Misting of plastic windows, the reasons for which are not so diverse, but require their identification, is the main source of mold. When the slopes are already covered with black spots, the detection of some factors of their formation is not enough, now you should get rid of plaque.
If this happened in the winter, a regular daily ventilation of the room is provided. Slopes are treated with chlorine, alcohol solutions. With the onset of summer, it is necessary to disassemble the slopes: remove the affected areas of the plaster. Then, after drying the repair sites, you need to treat them with an antiseptic and a waterproofing agent.
Be sure to thoroughly ventilate the room after antifungal procedures. When the effects of high humidity are removed and the slopes are repaired, it is important to prevent the appearance of “crying” windows again. And, therefore, it is necessary to constantly ventilate the room and use moisture absorbers.