Doors and Windows - Moisture on all interior windows

Hi all,

I have a 10 month old 3/2 home, 1850 sq. ft. in size, here in the North Florida area and we are having our first cold snap since moving in.

Our windows are white aluminum, double pane units and both the top and bottom panes fold in for easy cleaning.

We've had a couple of 25 degree days and after running our heater over night, every window inside the house is wet from moisture.

I contacted the factory and was told this was very common on newer homes because they are sealed and they recommended I either crack a window or buy a dehumidifier.

I checked with companies that sell dehumidifiers, but I'm told the 70 pint/day units are strickly for room use only.

Opening my windows makes no sense at all to me when I'm trying to heat the home.

Does anyone have any ideas how to permently solve this problem? Do they make a dehumidifier that handles an entire home?

Thanks in advance.

Is the moisture on the glass or the frame ?

Also, go to Radio Shack....they sell a small, battery operated relative humidity meter....get one and see what the RH in your house actually is.

The moisture is on the glass, not inside the panes.

Thanks.

The glass and the frame near the bottoms.

You checked the inside humidity yet ?

No I have not. I was going to buy one of those 70 pint dehumidifiers until someone told me they would not work because I have a great room.

I can't see where a "great room" would have anything to do with it.....but I wouldn't spring for the de-humidifier until I was sure I needed one, ( by checking the inside RH ) and even if it's high, I'd be looking for some sources....

Your house on a crawl space ? IF so,is there plastic on the ground and do you have plenty of vents ?

How do you check the RH?

My house sits on a concrete pad. No crawl space at all and is brick construction.

Thanks

Should be able to find a cheap RH meter at HD, Lowes, etc. You aren't concerned about an EXACT reading -- you're looking to see if your RH is 15 or 20%, or 40%.

OK,

I checked the RH and I'm somewhere between 50% and 60%.
Is this bad? Where is the normal RH range?

Thanks again all for the support.

There actualy is another option. I live in Utah and grew up with frost and other moisture in my windows. I recently saw at the Utah home show a magnetic window insert. It installs on the inside of windows, and is a very efficient insulator. They had it over a freezer window, and one side of the freezer (without the insert) had a ton of moisture and frost in it. The other side (with the insert) was nice and clear. They explained that that phenomenon was because of the airtight magnetic seal which effectively wouldn't let any moisture inbetween the windows.
Unfortunately, I don't know anyone who installs them in Florida (is that where you said you are?)
Good luck!
Gabe

Thank you for the tip. I'm willing to try anything at this point. Where does a person buy them?

Once again, does anyone know where the normal RH should be in a home. I can not locate any information on the web.

Thanks again all.

I live in North Iowa and having some moisture in the winter makes your home more comfortable. 50-60% is the normal most comfortable range. A dehumidifyer would only lower your relitive humidity below the comfort level listed above. I have had issues with condensation and concerns with mosture on the surrounding wood work on my windows.
The easiest most cost effective solution I found are inexpensive window insulation kits that are applied over your window during the cold months. They are made by several companys. 3M is one of the more popular brands. The plastic film applies to the edge of the window trim and is shrunk down smooth with a hair dryer and is as clear as glass. The insulator creates a barrior that stops the moisture. Once in a while I will have a small amount of condensation on the plastic film, but only when introducing a lot of moisture into the room and when temps outside are below 0 degrees which I don't think happens in Florda.
Some other things you may want to consider is being sure you exhaust your home properly. Using the exhaust fan in the bathroom when showering and the range vent in the kitchen when cooking, if you have them.

call your furnace manufacturer and ask about a fresh air kit. this will bring in air from the outside into the furnace. i don't know the particulars but this ussually will do the trick. should be under $100

let me know what your furnace people say.

Most new homes in our area take a while to dry out. The wood is damp, sheetrock has moister in it, most everything needs to dry out. I would monitor the humidity and make sure it is not moving up and down. Most of the time moister on the windows is caused by the way we live or the lack of outside air. In our area the windows are required to have little vents in them and air is drawn thorough the vents when a bathroom vent fan comes on for a timed period of time each day or the heating and cooling system draws outside air into the home while running. Find out what system you have to bring outside air into the home, and make sure it is operating. Let us know what you find.