What Wet Windows Are Trying To Tell You

Condensation on a window during a rain shower.

What Wet Windows Are Trying to Tell You: It’s easy to know that wet, sweaty windows are an unsightly, unhealthy problem. But with difficult-to-diagnose causes and tricky-to-install solutions, it’s harder to know what to do about them. What causes window sweat?

If you’ve ever walked through dew-covered grass, you’ve felt the physics behind window sweat. When warm, moist air collides with a cold surface (your front lawn or your windows), it quickly cools below the dew point and deposits moisture. That’s no problem outside, but as interior “dew” builds up, the excessive moisture clouds your windows and sills with a sweaty mess. Even worse, that moisture can foster mold and mildew and create serious air quality problems.

What can we do about window sweat? Physics tells us that cold windows + warm, moist air = window sweat. To eliminate window condensation, we need to change the equation. Let’s look at the possibilities:

Increase the surface temperature of window glass. If you’re replacing windows anyway, look for a high condensation resistance number on the window’s energy rating. But don’t assume you need new windows. Custom thermal inserts from Evergreen Home Performance are a simple, affordable way to prevent window condensation.

Decrease the moisture level in the air. There are many ways to manage interior moisture, from dehumidification and ventilation improvements to full basement encapsulation. The best solution will be specific to your home and your priorities. Whatever the cause, window condensation is a clue that something is amiss.

Water vapor condenses into a liquid after making contact with the surface of a cold bottle.

Condensation is the change of the physical state of matter from gas phase into liquid phase, and is the reverse of evaporation. It can also be defined as the change in the state of water vapor to liquid water when in contact with any surface. When the transition happens from the gaseous phase into the solid phase directly, the change is called deposition.

Condensation in building construction is an unwanted phenomenon as it may cause dampness, mold health issues, wood rot, corrosion and energy loss due to increased heat transfer. To alleviate these issues the air ventilation in the building needs to be improved. This can be done in a number of ways; opening windows, turning on extractor fans, drying clothes outside and covering pots and pans whilst cooking to name a few. Air ventilation systems can be installed that help move air throughout a building. The amount of water vapour that can be stored in the air can be increased simply by increasing the temperature. Interstructure condensation may be caused by thermal bridges, insufficient or lacking damp proofing or insulated glazing.

These windows are too wet and indicate poor indoor air quality. Increasing ventilation solves both these problems.

If your windows sweat, you will get mould:  Are your windows getting wet from condensation again? Now’s the time to do something about it. Every year at this time, outdoor temperatures begin their slow decline into winter, and every year windows across Canada start to get wet from condensation on interior surfaces. The degree of wetness ranges from insignificant to downright debilitating, and understanding how to keep windows dry is a must-have skill for every Canadian homeowner.

Windows “sweat” during winter as indoor air cools against cold window glass and loses its ability to hold moisture. This excess water has got to come out somewhere, and glass and window frames are excellent places for droplets of condensation to form.

Besides being a powerful trigger of mould growth, window condensation is also a signal that your home is suffering from inadequate ventilation. If enough excess moisture is being held inside your home to cause running window condensation, then it’s almost certain that your household air has more contaminants than it should, too.

That’s why many Canadians need to consider intentionally ventilating their homes in some way when window condensation begins to appear. There are two ways to do it.

Drafty homes that naturally leak lots of cold air never need intentional ventilation because enough fresh air comes inside on its own. That’s why you’ll never see window condensation in an old, cold farmhouse. But a leaky home is an expensive home to heat, and that’s why we’ve been building houses tighter and tighter for more than 40 years.

The easiest way to boost indoor air quality and reduce window condensation in a tight home is by opening windows a little and running exhaust fans more often in the bathroom and kitchen. For every cubic foot of stale air pushed outside by fans, another cubic foot of fresh air is drawn in through windows opened a little here and there.

Do this enough to reduce window condensation and you’ll be healthier for it. Healthier, but poorer, since you’ll also be losing quite a bit of heat in your quest to breathe easier.

Adding fresh air into your home from outside while also retaining most of the heat invested in the stale air before it gets sent outside is what a heat recovery ventilator (HRV) is for. I write about these things every year because poor indoor air quality and window condensation is the most common home situation people ask for help about during winter.

HRV technology was invented in Canada more than 30 years ago, but many Canadians still don’t know how it works or the difference HRVs make. If you’ve had excess window condensation in past winters, chances are good that you’ve got at least a little mould around window edges right now. Maybe a lot.

Killing this mould is a good way to start the heating season because dormant mould can start growing again at lower moisture levels than would normally be required to trigger mould growth from a fresh start. Just don’t use bleach solutions for the job.

Bleach is the traditional way to kill mould, but according to the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OHSA) in the U.S., “the use of a biocide, such as chlorine bleach, is not recommended as a routine practice during mould remediation.”

Instead, stop the source of mould-promoting moisture, treat the area with a registered, non-bleach fungicide to kill the mould, then wipe the area down with a damp rag or sponge. As long as your windows stay dry, mould won’t come back.

Dutch Window Cleaners Take A Tumble

A 3.5 tonne truck mounted lift overturned in Hengelo, Netherlands yesterday after one of its outrigger jacks broke through the bricks on the sidewalk/pavement.

Another ground incident: A 3.5 tonne truck mounted lift overturned in Hengelo, Netherlands yesterday after one of its outrigger jacks broke through the bricks on the sidewalk/pavement. The 20 metre articulated unit was being used by a window washing company and from what we can see no mats had been used under the jack pads. The lift came to rest against the building and thankfully no one was injured. The damage was also relatively light.

It does not look like any mats were used.

The boom came to rest against the side of the building.

Christmas lights fall: A man fell from a ladder yesterday while installing Christmas lights in the town of Ashford, Kent, in the UK. The man, said to be in his late 30s, was originally said to have been working from the van mounted lift, that he or his employer, Essex-based Festive Impact Lighting, had rented from Facelift. However we later discovered that he was working from a ladder when he slipped and fell backwards hitting his head on the ground. He was out cold for around five minutes before being taken to hospital where and later released. 

A photograph from the scene shortly after the incident occurred.

Burglar Caught With Arm In Window Says "I'm The Window Cleaner.''

Birmingham Crown Court: ‘I’m the window cleaner’, but the owner was a bit dubious and said ‘no you’re not’. The defendant said, ‘I am - my ladder and bucket are downstairs’.

Selly Oak burglar caught with arm in window told homeowner: "I'm the window cleaner.'' - A serial burglar pretended to be a window cleaner after he was caught balancing on a ledge with his arm through the window of a Birmingham house. Dennis Stanfield, 29, was confronted by the householder in Frederick Road, Selly Oak, as he attempted to get into the property. But the cheeky crook, who has four previous convictions for burglary, said: “I’m the window cleaner, my ladder and bucket are downstairs.”

Before police could arrive he fled but was later picked out of an identity parade after being arrested for an attempted burglary days later. Stanfield, of Sheldon Heath Road, Sheldon, was jailed for three years after pleading guilty to burglary and attempted burglary when he appeared at Birmingham Crown Court. He asked for two other attempted burglaries to be taken into consideration

The dad-of-one cried in the dock as it was heard he committed the crimes after slipping back into a long-standing drug habit. His Honour Judge Murray Creed said: “I am told there were serious drug issues in your past but you attempted to turn a corner. Unfortunately, you were drawn back into those ways.”

Christopher Lester, prosecuting, said the Frederick Road homeowner heard a noise coming from a back bedroom on August 28. When he went to look, Stanfield was balancing on an outside ledge with his arm through a top window, trying to open a larger window. Mr Lester said: “He (Stanfield) said, ‘I’m the window cleaner’, but the owner was a bit dubious and said ‘no you’re not’. The defendant said, ‘I am - my ladder and bucket are downstairs’. “The owner went downstairs to check but by the time he got there the man was gone.”

Five days later an elderly woman rumbled Stanfield as he tried to force a window with a hammer at her Selly Oak home. On that occasion he was spotted on CCTV and recognised by police. Theresa Hunt, defending, said the birth of his child, a plumbing apprenticeship and stable relationship had helped him stay off drugs. But after a methadone prescription mix-up in August he fell off the wagon. She said: “He deserves to serve the minimum three years but it will be a huge loss to him. He says he is devastated but he remains determined, once released, to continue the hard work he has put in place.” Dennis Stanfield, 29, wept in the dock as he was jailed for three years. 

Dennis Stanfield, 29, was confronted by the property's owner as he tried to get in through a bedroom window. Pictured in circle the law-courts with the intended location of burglary in background.

After Window Wars Episode 2

Once window cleaning competitors, Chris & Peter  - Did the little fish eat the big fish?

Last year Window Cleaning magazine UK followed two competing window cleaning companies in the US. One was a little fish compared to the other company with a turn over of millions of dollars. This year "after window wars" follows the company take over. The little fish from last years film, Peter Artusa was asked the question: Did the little fish eat the big fish? Direct link to Youtube here.

Window Cleaning magazine is the digital magazine that brings you information and news articles aimed at the professional window cleaner. Each issue we take a look at various topics that affect window cleaners and their business. We also take a look at new window cleaning products, and review some of the latest equipment being made available.

Click this link to watch Window Wars Part 1 first (recommended).

Click this link to watch Window Wars part 2 at source (recommended).

Click this link to watch After Window Wars Part 1 (recommended).
Click this link to watch After Window Wars Part 2 (recommended).

Two Window Cleaner Rescues

A window washer trapped on this Maiden Lane building was rushed to a New York City hospital.

Window washer taken to New York City hospital after getting stuck on high-rise: Witnesses said two cleaners were washing the south side of the building when their work platform got stuck on the 22nd floor and ended up on a slant. Firefighters were called, but the workers managed to bring the platform down on their own, witnesses said.

A pair of window-washers were left dangling 22 stories above the ground in the Financial District Tuesday after their platform got stuck and ended up on a slant, officials said. One of the cleaners was rushed to the hospital with a minor injury. The unidentified man was taken to a local hospital following the harrowing incident on the Maiden Lane building — home of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York — near Nassau St. about 2:45 p.m.

Firefighters were called, but the workers managed to bring the platform down on their own, witnesses said. “No one was really hurt,” one witness said. “They were able to fix it themselves.” The extent of the worker’s injuries were not immediately known. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York bought the Maiden Lane building for $207 million in 2012, according to the real estate blog the Real Deal.

Two window cleaners working at a supermarket in Medway had to be rescued by firefighters after their cherrypicker work platform got stuck in the air.

Window cleaners rescued by firefighters after hydraulic fault at Morrison's supermarket in Strood: Two window cleaners working at a supermarket in Medway had to be rescued by firefighters after their cherrypicker work platform got stuck in the air. The pair were working late at night at the Morrison’s store in Knight Road, Strood, cleaning the outside glass canopy when their elevated work platform suffered a hydraulic fault.

A crew from Strood were called out to help the pair get down from the machine’s basket at about 10.10pm last night after being stuck in the air for about 20 minutes. A spokesman for Kent Fire and Rescue Service, said: “The two guys had been cleaning the glass canopy at the store and the cherry picker suffered a hydraulic failure. “We called in our high ladder vehicle from Maidstone to help rescue them and bring them down.”

Drone Deployed To Assist Stranded Window Cleaner

A wireless drone belonging to Security Media and equipped with state-of-the-art technology saved the life of an Asian cleaner who got stuck while cleaning the windows of a tower in Abu Dhabi.

Drone deployed to assist stranded Abu Dhabi window cleaner (Abu Dhabi): A window cleaner, who was left clinging for his life 10 floors above ground after the scaffold he was on suffered a technical failure, was guided to safety by an Abu Dhabi Security Media drone. Civil Defence, emergency and safety teams, as well as the drone, rushed to the scene to save the distressed cleaner, who was working at a tower on Sheikh Rashed bin Saeed Al Maktoum Road.

The surrounding area was cleared of pedestrians in case part of the scaffold fell. The state of the art device was then flown to the cleaner’s aid, identified the problem then, using its audio and visual capabilities, calmed the man down and instructed him on how to deal with the situation.

After the drone identified the fault, emergency services fixed the scaffold and were able to bring the man to safety. Abu Dhabi Police urged maintenance and contracting companies to adhere to security and safety procedures and ensure the quality of equipment, as well as provide training to their staff on how to deal with potential failures.

Security Media Drone Saves Trapped Window Cleaner: The Security Media Department’s wireless remote-controlled drone equipped with modern technologies rescued a window cleaner of Asian nationality on Tuesday. After calming the panicked worker who had attempted to abandon the scaffold and cling to a window for fear of falling; the drone detected the technical malfunction of the scaffold, and utilized audiovisual monitoring to instruct the worker in how to repair the malfunction himself. The man had been trapped outside of one of the upper floors of a high-rise building on Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum Street in Abu Dhabi.

The Operations Room of the Abu Dhabi Police (ADP) received an emergency call about a window cleaner who had become stuck in a broken scaffold on the exterior of the building’s 10th floor. To rescue the worker from falling, teams of the Civil Defense Department, the Emergency and Safety Department, patrols, the Security Media drone, and an ambulance immediately rushed to the scene. Performing a rapid intervention, the teams evacuated the surrounding areas to ensure the safety of pedestrians in the event that the crane or any of its parts should fall.

During the rapid intervention by the teams, the Security Media drone accurately detected and fixed the malfunction, rescuing the window cleaner. On-site medical tests were conducted and the man was found to be in good health.

The ADP urges maintenance and contracting companies to observe security and safety procedures and to ensure the quality of the equipment, most particularly the scaffolding. In addition to ensuring the quality, companies should also perform routine maintenance in order to ensure the safety and the lives of workers and bystanders, and train their employees in how to handle any possible malfunction.

1 World Trade Centre Opens For Business

1 World Trade Centre Opens For Business 13 Years After 9/11

1 World Trade Centre Opens For Business 13 Years After 9/11 (NEW YORK): More than 13 years after the Twin Towers toppled, the central building constructed as their replacement finally opened for business on Monday, with workers moving into 1 World Trade Centre. Publisher Condé Nast, which includes titles such as Vanity Fair and Vogue, has moved 175 employees into the building, with the company occupying floors 20 to 44.  Ultimately, Condé Nast will move around 3,400 members of staff to the site in Lower Manhattan, migrating employees from their current Times Square headquarters to 1 World Trade Centre by early next year. Condé Nast spokeswoman Patti Rockenwagner told the New York Post: “Condé Nast is proud to be a part of this important moment of renewal for the city of New York.”

The tower, which is the largest in the western hemisphere, stands 1776-feet tall - the height represents the year of United States independence - and boasts a observation deck on its 102 floor, though this won’t be open to tenants until mid next year. The tower, which costs nearly $4 billion to construct and has 3.5 million square feet of space, was originally scheduled to open in 2006, however the project suffered serious delays over financing and design. Around 60% of the building’s office space has currently been leased, with other tenants including the US Army Corps of Engineers and US Customs and Border Protection.

New York's Number One: At 1,776 feet tall, One World Trade Center  is the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. Developed by The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, this building sets new standards of design, construction, and prestige, and heralds the renaissance of Downtown Manhattan. Managed, operated and leased by The Durst Organization, One World Trade Center is the new icon of New York's skyline and the most recognized and desirable office address in the world.

One World Trade Center (also 1 World Trade Center or 1 WTC; the current building was dubbed the Freedom Tower during initial basework) is the name of two buildings. It most commonly refers to the primary building of the new World Trade Center complex in Lower Manhattan, New York City, and the tallest skyscraper in the Western Hemisphere. The 94-story super tall structure, which shares a name with the northern Twin Tower in the original World Trade Center that was destroyed in the September 11 attacks, stands on the northwest corner of the 16-acre (6.5 ha) World Trade Center site.

The old majestic Twin Towers that became synonymous with the romance, brashness, prosperity, glamour and raw energy of New York City were once the tallest buildings in the world. Designed by architect Minoru Yamasaki, they opened standing at 110 stories in 1973 and were both loved and loathed, depending on who you asked. Here are two window washers cleaning in a cradle.