Condensation can be a real menace, causing pools of water to appear on the window ledges, misty glass, mould growth and peeling wallpaper. Under certain circumstances condensation can even cause structural damage. Given all of these irritating and potentially harmful effects, it's understandable why so many homeowners are at their 'wits end' when it comes to trying to prevent it.
Before any controls can be introduced, an understanding of why condensation occurs is necessary so as to identify the problem and to ensure a correct diagnosis. The good news is, that it can be effectively controlled, if not eliminated. But first, the nature of the beast must be understood.
Before looking at condensation in the home, it would be an advantage to look at what happens in the natural water cycle of the earth and atmosphere.
All air contains moisture in varying quantities in the form of water vapour and the amount of which that it is capable of holding will alter depending on the temperature, the warmer the air the more moisture it can contain. The result is that; when warm air rises and cools, moisture that is comfortably carried when warm will saturate the same volume of air when cooled. When this situation occurs, it is known as having reached 'dew point'; the air contains all the vapour it can at that particular temperature. Further cooling will induce condensation and water vapour is returned to its original liquid state and water droplets or ice crystals form clouds. In clouds, water droplets collide to become raindrops.
In the home too, this same process takes place where saturated air containing moisture produced within the home is returned to its original liquid state; condensation. It can be produced by such things as cooking, bathing and washing and can quickly accumulates until the air contains all the vapour it can at that particular temperature. At this stage, the air, heavily ladened and struggling to contain the vapour, will quickly condense or liquefy by further cooling. In the home, further cooling occurs by it coming in contact with a cold surface such as a pane of glass or a cold wall.
Rooms more likely to produce high levels of moisture is the kitchen and bathroom. It is also important to realise that because warm air can carry more moisture, the higher the room temperature, as in a kitchen for example, where cooking is in progress and while moisture is being produced, the larger the potential content (humidity) of the air and the resulting condensation.
Moisture can also travel from its source very often a warm room, to a cooler area such as a hallway or bedroom where it is susceptible to condensate due to the cooler temperature.
