Why Your Windows Keep Getting Wet — And What to Check First, by Wooden Skills on YouTube. 9 min 11 s.
- Video length
- 9 min 11 s
- Time to do it
- 1 hour
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Check where the water sits. Drops on the interior glass mean condensation. Water between the panes or running down the frame from outside points to a failed glazing seal or rain intrusion instead.
Pull heavy furniture at least 5 cm away from cold exterior walls. This air gap lets warm room air reach the wall and stops a cold pocket forming behind wardrobes and beds.
Run the bathroom exhaust fan during and for 15 to 20 minutes after every shower. Check the duct actually vents outdoors, not into the loft or wall cavity.
Stop drying laundry indoors in heated rooms, or dry it in a room with a window open and a fan running. Indoor drying adds a lot of moisture to the air.
Improve heat loss where you can. Close curtains at dusk, fit interior storm windows or secondary glazing on single panes, and keep radiators clear so surfaces stay warmer.
Set up a compressor dehumidifier in the damp room. These work best in warmer air, so run it with the room heated rather than in a cold space.
Measure humidity with a hygrometer over several comparable days. Note the reading at the same time each day so you can see whether your changes are working.
Inspect the window face, the glazing seal and the wall base separately. If water returns after drying, or a wall feels damp behind furniture, gather photos and readings for a professional assessment.
Tips and common mistakes
Wiping the glass treats the symptom, not the cause, so always look for the moisture source first.
A cold corner or wall base that stays damp after drying can mean mould is starting, so check it regularly.
Compressor dehumidifiers lose efficiency in cold rooms, so warm the space or choose a desiccant unit for unheated areas.
Keep bathroom and kitchen extract ducts short and vented outside to remove moisture at the source.
Questions
Why do my windows get wet only in winter?
Cold glass cools the air next to it below the dew point, so moisture in the air condenses on the pane. Warmer surfaces and lower indoor humidity reduce it.
Does a dehumidifier work in a cold room?
Compressor dehumidifiers work poorly below about 15 C. In cold or unheated rooms a desiccant dehumidifier performs better.
When should I call a professional?
Call one if water appears between panes, a wall stays damp behind furniture, or condensation returns despite better ventilation and heating.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
