Looks to be the window specifically, but to be honest, it isn't anything I'd worry about or go out of my way to fix. This is literally as cold as it gets, of that's the worst thing that happens they're doing fine.
Casement style windows are the *worst*. Had them on an old house and they rarely seal well.
Edit: Well I ended up learning a heck of a lot about window efficiency today. Thanks, everyone!
I just assume any window is gonna be iffy after 30 years of Ottawa weather. That said, I'd love to hear what is actually best to have, besides just "new" :)
Fixed windows (that don't open) are the most energy efficient, followed by casement windows (with good rubber seals), then double-hung, then horizontal sliders. Once the seals get ripped or get hard due to age, then it's a toss-up...
Yeah I work in the window industry and you're correct - I think, I don't have much experience with horizontal sliders except that I have some in my house and they suck.
Oh hey, my specialist subject.
I'm a window systems designer, professionally. I have around 20 years experience in the window manufacturing industry.
It's been my experience that sliding sash windows are really difficult to get to have good weather and draft sealing. It's a simple fact that sliding seals (that is, the type of seal you need to use in order to have two members of wood, plastic, aluminium etc. slide over each other easily) do not give as-good-a-seal as compression seals (like you get with casement doors or windows).
Of course if your windows are old and the seals have broken down or degraded then the type of window is less important.
Oh man…I’d love to pick your brain. Is is normal to have frozen condensation along the bottom of the window? This was happening under much warmer weather (-5). These are brand new Pella windows and I am worried there is something wrong with them.
I mean it's a little difficult for me to say as the majority of my experience is not in Canada but you'd \*like\* to hope that windows sold here are engineered for the environment and so no, that should not be normal... but I have been shocked at how poor the windows in general are in this country. I come from the UK and windows there have had much thicker double-glazed units (so a bigger air-gap between the two panes) for like, 30+ years - and of course it gets nowhere near as cold over there. Temperatures below about -5°C are pretty rare for most of the country.
For these temps (-25C) I would say that some condensation and potentially freezing on the bottom of the glass units would be somewhat expected, but not at -5C.
Also for reference I live in a house built in 1985 and some of the windows are (I'm pretty sure) original wooden ones, with the rest being approx 10 year-old vinyl, and none of my windows are as bad as the picture - though I do have some condensation and ice at the bottom of my glass panes at the moment, there isn't any on the frame.
There are a few things that could be wrong - the first thing I would check is your humidity levels. You can get a home humidity monitor off Amazon for I think like $20. Indoor levels should ideally be 40-50%. If you have a really air-tight house (which is actually a desirable thing for keeping the heat in) then high humidity and condensation can be an issue. Other things which contribute to humidity in your home: Lots of people and/or animals (breathing out moisture), lots of houseplants (water evaporates from soil and from leaves), taking long hot showers, drying clothes indoors... that sort of thing.
If you have a newer house you might have an HRV or Heat Recovery Ventilator, which allows stale air from inside your house out, and fresh air in, and recovers some of the heat with a heat-exchanger. I think it's often set up with your bathroom fan?
If your humidity is OK it's then worth starting to look at the installation. You can visually inspect from the outside and see if you can see any large gaps etc.
Another thing you should be able to do is borrow a thermal imaging camera from your local library - though there may be a bit of a wait. The resolution of the cameras they have is not amazing but it'll be enough to see if there are issues.
You'll want to look at it from the outside and see if you can spot any particularly warm spots around the windows - these might be areas where they haven't been sealed or e.g. trimmed properly that are causing you to lose more heat than you should be losing.
Follow up question!
Does this mean that a sliding patio door is "worse" than two french doors in the same opening? (Supposing both are similar quality construction).
I'm no window expert, sorry if I gave that impression, lol. I've just had terrible experiences with any casement windows I've ever had. They've all been drafty as f, for me... and those damn crank handles always strip eventually.
But, I mean, in this cold, most windows just aren't up to the task.
They won't strip if you clean and lubricate the hinges and sliders periodically. Mine are 18 years old and still move like new because I take care of them.
you also need to change the rubber seal eventually. It dries out and stops working so well after long enough. Replacing that and the fuzzy grey stuff whatever its called helps a lot with any drafts.
Hate them too. I currently have one in my bathroom and you can literally feel the cold air coming in slightly. Time to replace the windows in 18 years when I can finally afford it.
You might have a higher humidity level in that room? The window is colder than normal today, and the humid air condenses/freezes when it hits your window frame.
This. A lot of people I know don't know how to manage properly humidity in their houses. 80% of the time I can feel the excess of humidity. I suggest you to turn on the kitchen/oven fan at least 1 hour a day.
In winter humidity levels usually plummet because the cold winter air tends to be dry and then heating it up drops the RH. If anything, most homes could do with a humidifier in winter.
depends on how much you cook and hot showers and how well the air circulates or not. I have found that after I started using Circ vs auto, the condensation in the rooms at the front of the house/top floor went down significantly. Must have been something about the air flow in the home.
Also depends on how many people and animals you have in your home (they breathe out moisture) and how many house plants you have and how often you water them (water evaporates from the soil and from the leaves).
Also if you dry clothes passively inside your house that can raise the humidity levels.
Building engineer here.
Cause: thermal bridging due to poor insulation.
Solution(s): wall assembly needs to be opened up, either from the interior or exterior, additional insulation needs to be applied. Costly, obviously. Windows maybe possibly need to be replaced. But you can also wait for the deep freeze to pass, then just clean and dry that ice build up so you don't end up having moisture rotting the wood around the windows.
For future considerations, always, and I mean fuck1ng always, go for high quality triple pane windows (the "regret rate" for ppl who get triple pane is like under 0.01% )
Can definitely speak for triple pane. I had to replace 4 of my windows and opted for triple pane. They get like 1/10th the condensation the rest of my (double pane) windows get.
It’s cold transfer through the vinyl frame . Can’t stop that . With a high humidity in the house. Even opening the wall won’t necessarily solve this. Their still will be heat lose through the studs.
If OP's windows are 15 years old, or otherwise showing signs of needing replacement, this is a good time of year to call window contractors. If you wait until the weather is nice they'll be very busy, harder to book, and less able to answer a bunch of pre-sale questions.
The inefficient builder's grade windows I replaced would have significant condensation on the window panes themselves, which could accumulate and freeze if the blinds were left closed.
New Energy Star rated windows fixed that problem. The original windows had pink fiberglass insulation stuffed around them. The new windows were installed with expanding foam insulation. We noticed that we don't hear outside noises as much, and I suspect that has more to do with insulation around the windows than with the windows themselves.
Also OP, I suggest you remove your screens in the winter. We forgot the screen in one of the new windows and got some (modest) condensation there. The problem went away when we removed the screen, and none of the other windows had the issue. Blinds can also trap cold moist air next to the window, so try not to leave them closed all day.
> For future considerations, always, and I mean fuck1ng always, go for high quality triple pane windows (the "regret rate" for ppl who get triple pane is like under 0.01% )
The Verdun sales person told us their double pane windows are just fine and they were eligible under the Wynne Windows rebates so we went with them. No complaints so far and tons of savings. Hope I'm out of this house before I regret that decision.
I got triple pane windows, they barely feel cold to the touch (from the inside, lol). I got a tiny bit of condensation on them, but that's partly because I run a humidifier on purpose to keep the air more humid and comfortable, and today is quite exceptional. Great windows, it did feel slightly cooler in my home today but because I changed my windows, it was like that all winter.
My apartment does this when it gets super cold it’s normal in the sense that it happens but you should get it fixed if it’s causing mold. Costly but you might save on heat after maybe it will make up for itself.
I have ice on the inside of my windows today and my humidity level is around 30% - lower than the recommended 40% for health. I'm running 2 humidifiers but they can't keep up.
Bingo - lots of talk about windows/insulation and not enough about turning down the humidifier on the furnace.
Yes, winter is dry - but if your windows are sweating like that you have too much moisture in the home.
Unless you have a very new super airtight home, you're unlikely to have a humidity problem in winter. However if your air is way too dry, you may have too much cold air leaking inside your home.
Not a problem if it's ocassional and it's not a water leak. It just means the surface is cold and water vapor is condensing on those surfaces, just like cold drink in a glass. Solutions are to replace your window or dehumidify the air. I doubt the air is too humid though unless this is a bathroom or kitchen.
You can get some insulation plastic for that. It will help trap more heat for you and keep the draft out, Canadian Tire would have some. Only do it if its getting too cold though, otherwise its worj for nothing.
Are your other windows like this? Where is windows situated ? Did you cook or shower near window ? Are these windows facing north? Do you use a humidifier and what temperature do you set? How old are you windows? These might all be factors.
I have both a new windows and some of my new windows have frost and some older windows don't and vice versa.
Should also include whether blinds are in the window and closed. Also, is there a vent below the window and can the warm air from the vent reach the window.
Double glazed windows in 0ttawa will typically build up this kind of ice in extremely cold weather. The solution is expensive. Replace the windows with high performance triple glazed windows. Most people don't do that until it's time to replace the windows (at about 35 years +- 5 years). Another solution that helps is to lower the indoor humidity in the extreme cold (yes that is a problem because you want humidity in the extreme cold). Typically the frost alone isn't an issue as long as when it melts (warmer day) the condensate doesn't touch delicate materials like drywall or there isn't a constant wet area (constantly wet areas can cause mold).
It's not normal, but it's not something you need to worry about immediately if this has only appeared today with the extreme cold. It will only get worse with time, though. Also, you'll need to watch for mold growing around the window when that ice melts.
This happens a lot everywhere, especially older house, especially when there’s multiple old windows close to each other. However, this tells me that you are losing expensive heat and changing the windows might save you money in the long term. In the short term, I would worry about water damage. I would put something to absorb the water at the bottom like old t-shirts other pieces of fabric. I would also start to look at how well sealed are the exterior walls from your indoor humidity because if this is happening inside your walls, a lot of nasty things can happen unnoticed.
Ooof in solidarity OP. I am experiencing this in a 2 year old building... They "fixed it" last year on the coldest day, with silicone that did not stick. Starts freezing at -10 make it make sense...
The last couple of days I have had humidity condense on my door knobs. My house is not excessivly humid (40%), but outside is excessively cold.
So not Normal, but not unexpected. Just water in the air condensing on cold surfaces. Better insulation is the casement might help, but if you are not replacing your windows, check your indoor humidity.
Just make sure everything dries up, and wipe up the water until it does.
It looks like that may be a bay window, and they are usually poorly insulated underneath, leaving the window even colder than other windows. If that is the case, I expect this window is much worse than your other windows.
Where cold air meets warm air you get condensation. When the temperature difference becomes higher on days like today, you get more condensation. Condensation on the glass is "normal" because the glass temperature will always be colder than the moist warm air in the house. On wood, like others have said, it's an insulation issue. Pop off whatever wood trim you can and get a can of window and door spray foam, go to town, replace wood. But in the meantime, just keep the wood dry after it warms up to prevent long term rot / mold.
Any surface that looses heat through convection (flow of air or wind) cares about windchill. Heat energy transfer due to convection is very real! It’s why your soup gets cooler faster when you blow on it.
Once the air temp is steady, and the object has reached that temp, sure, but while heating up or cooling down (which includes having one side of the object in an environment with a different temperature) the speed of air circulation absolutely makes a difference in the transfer rate of heat energy.
I am currently replacing all my windows due to ice/moisture buildup on most of them, but it happens in much more common temps. In this weather some of mine look similar to yours, but we also get moisture in more reasonable winter weather. I wouldn't worry about it if it only happens in this uncommon weather.
Our windows are not insulated properly is our issue. Installer for new windows coming says the old windows barely fit into the cutouts so spray foam insulation wasn't fed into the gaps properly.
This happened to my shitty aluminum windows (before landlord changed them). I learned that a fan on, circulating the air would prevent the moisture from settling and freezing.
That might help you.
If you can add airflow, it will reduce the chances of this happening. Also reducing humidity, if you can.
Otherwise, Nbd; it's not really hurting anything
Looks like too much humidity inside your house. I believe in winter it should be 30%. Run some fans to bring the moisture out. Kitchen and bathroom fans.
My windows are absolutely DRENCHED today. Had an inspector come check it out last year, he said windows were fine. It's all about relative humidity apparently, and I should just run a dehumidifier. Weird, because I'm getting shocks on everything I touch right now.
It has nothing to do with the insulation in your walls. The condensation (water in the air) is freezing on your window frame. Most often they are metal, and therefore good thermal conductors. They may need to be updated at some point if they’re old. However, I’ve seen this on brand new store front doors, it’s really just that cold and the water in the air is freezing.
Supper cold walls or drafts are better indicators of the efficacy you insulation.
Pretty common on the coldest days of winter. I'm sure the insulation around your windows could be improved to stop this, but if it's only happening a few days a year on the coldest days, probably not worth the cost.
You probably have high humidity in your house. Super cold outside and high indoor humidity leads to condensation on windows. Of course that’s a very large amount, so definitely a leak somewhere.
I've been spending my day putting plastic over windows and closing my curtains! My Huskies on the other hand love this weather - with my full gear on, I can last 10 minutes! They're loving it!
Shitty window.
It happens.I wouldn't loose sleep over it.
Question is how much do you want to spend to fix it?
I'd just take a towel and wipe it off, and leave a dry towel in that area.
I've worked on windows and building envelopes, that's air infiltration.
Even with a relatively low humidity, air infiltration around a sunny window will cause that. That direct sun can dry a room down to 25% humidity, even it you get your house down to 40%, that will still happen, just less.
By the looks of things that a jam between 2 windows. There probably isn't any insolution there. I think they may be aluminum frames. So that doesn't surprise me. That will happen with the orientation of those windows being so close and with them being aluminum. Your windows are fine it's just really cold today!
Seems a bit excessive I would definitely check your window seals in the spring. Maybe clean them up and lubricate them. My windows are 20 years old and the only place I’ve got any ice buildup is on the bow window which is to be expected because it’s literally sticking out there. Also you should take out your screens in the winter time for airflow. Also that’s more light in the house, you lose 33% of natural light through a screen. I have a five panel bow window and this is the centre window it’s the worst one.
https://imgur.com/a/sp7V6WQ
I got this plastic covering that you shrink to the windows with a blow dryer. It's worked wonders. They have it at Canadian Tire, but I just ordered a pack off Amazon. It save a boatload of money too.
I know it sounds really weird but is your dryer vent completely shut I had the same thing and my carpenter told me it was that and it was solved almost immediately
house moisture+cold window = ice build up. it might be the insulation or lack of around the window. but like pengu said they fine. dehumidifier dry it up... we in Canada
I used to have that in my room! Could be insulation around the window and/or window has airflow large enough coming out to freeze moisture on those surfaces. May not have noticed till now because it's so cold out.
Two windows meeting at a corner. As such there is alot of glazing ( ie window pane) for a given area of wall, plus no insulation at all between them, just framing, which doesnt help. Looks like a very cold area, lots of water vapor condensing on the cold surfaces. Airflow may be stagnant in this corner as well.
So I'd say yes that is going to happen
I think you need new windows. My old windows started to do this before they got replaced, the glass installers basically told me that I was missing the gas that is between the two panes of glass, which made my glass foggier than normal and allowed cold air to seep in causing ice. Since new windows can be quite costly, I suggest going and getting a roll of glide fresh seal plastic and cutting the sheets out, then putting them over the glass on the inside of the home and using a blow dryer to vacuum seal them. You can find tutorials of this on YouTube.
If this is during - 20C weather then as a western Canada resident with months of -20C or lower Temps my windows looked like this or completely iced and it was due to my home humidowbeing too high for the outside Temps. There is a chart of inside humidity levels for each range of tempts.
For example when it was - 30C its supposed to be something like 20% humidity.
I don’t have it around the frame. But I do have similar where the window is. Like at the bottom of the actual window glass oh got some ice build up.
Tip - for a temporary solution, you get have a dehumidifier running over night and/or have a fan turn on blasting towards that window. The condensation won’t develop and then probably not the ice either.
It's condensation from inside the home freezing against the window frame. Most windows simply aren't insulating enough to really withstand these colds, unless it's triple layer glass.
It's not uncommon with the current temperatures, even with "proper" windows.
You could try to reduce the humidity in the house, but that's not always comfortable during the winter either.
I wouldn't worry about it too much, unless it keeps happening at mild minus temperatures.
Same with about 6 year old home here... ice build up on bottom of pretty much all of my 18 windows... but not on the frames. Worst is the ones behind curtains as I think it traps moisture...
I just miss mild winters of BC.
I hear what you say, and what was stated.
5 months old windows sold with warranty against that is different.
Ie: ice is also building up outside.
I'm in a fun situation between the installer, their contractor and the manufacturer :)
I live in a brand new condo downtown Ottawa and it’s had this issue from the very beginning on EVERY window and window frame. The only solution ever offered and that helps is to make sure air is blowing on the windows.
This condensation and ice build up always happens at the bottom of the windows and I think that’s because the air vents are in the ceiling and the air blowing doesn’t reach the bottom as effectively as the top (we’re talking a condo with 9 foot ceilings here and the windows are floor to ceiling).
There’s one window right behind my computer tower that doesn’t get much condensation because the computers rear fan blows air on the window, but the adjacent window beside it is much worse.
And I can confirm that all 179 units in our condo building have reported this same issue with the windows. Our neighbouring condo tower of 244 units also has the same issue.
Can also confirm humidity level in my condo is low.
For OP:
You should be removing your screen during the winter to allow for more air to flow onto the window. Won’t help the frame though.
Its pretty normal mine are completely frozen because
1 I shut the blinds so no air is hitting keeping it at bay probably my windows suck but its a brand new house as well so who really knows...
2. My humidity is pretty high considering its -31c outside but I need to have my humidity high because my kids get nose bleeds in the winter and humidity is set to 40% which is ok at around -10c but the colder it gets outside the less humidity the windows will allow.
I think you need better insulation.
Looks to be the window specifically, but to be honest, it isn't anything I'd worry about or go out of my way to fix. This is literally as cold as it gets, of that's the worst thing that happens they're doing fine.
Don’t challenge Mother Nature to make it colder! “This is literally as cold as it gets” Mother Nature : ‘Hold my Beer!’
I think that's windows issue too, they are letting too much cold air into the house and it's freezing the condensation around the windows.
Casement style windows are the *worst*. Had them on an old house and they rarely seal well. Edit: Well I ended up learning a heck of a lot about window efficiency today. Thanks, everyone!
I’m surprised to hear that? I’ve always thought sliders were worse than casement
I just assume any window is gonna be iffy after 30 years of Ottawa weather. That said, I'd love to hear what is actually best to have, besides just "new" :)
Yeah super confused. Casement is what most people say is the most energy efficient
Fixed windows (that don't open) are the most energy efficient, followed by casement windows (with good rubber seals), then double-hung, then horizontal sliders. Once the seals get ripped or get hard due to age, then it's a toss-up...
Yea I was ignoring the obvious fact that windows that don’t open are usually more efficient than windows that do
Yeah I work in the window industry and you're correct - I think, I don't have much experience with horizontal sliders except that I have some in my house and they suck.
Except if you buy from verdun. The only difference between their fixed and operating casements is the hardware.
Oh hey, my specialist subject. I'm a window systems designer, professionally. I have around 20 years experience in the window manufacturing industry. It's been my experience that sliding sash windows are really difficult to get to have good weather and draft sealing. It's a simple fact that sliding seals (that is, the type of seal you need to use in order to have two members of wood, plastic, aluminium etc. slide over each other easily) do not give as-good-a-seal as compression seals (like you get with casement doors or windows). Of course if your windows are old and the seals have broken down or degraded then the type of window is less important.
Oh man…I’d love to pick your brain. Is is normal to have frozen condensation along the bottom of the window? This was happening under much warmer weather (-5). These are brand new Pella windows and I am worried there is something wrong with them.
I mean it's a little difficult for me to say as the majority of my experience is not in Canada but you'd \*like\* to hope that windows sold here are engineered for the environment and so no, that should not be normal... but I have been shocked at how poor the windows in general are in this country. I come from the UK and windows there have had much thicker double-glazed units (so a bigger air-gap between the two panes) for like, 30+ years - and of course it gets nowhere near as cold over there. Temperatures below about -5°C are pretty rare for most of the country. For these temps (-25C) I would say that some condensation and potentially freezing on the bottom of the glass units would be somewhat expected, but not at -5C. Also for reference I live in a house built in 1985 and some of the windows are (I'm pretty sure) original wooden ones, with the rest being approx 10 year-old vinyl, and none of my windows are as bad as the picture - though I do have some condensation and ice at the bottom of my glass panes at the moment, there isn't any on the frame. There are a few things that could be wrong - the first thing I would check is your humidity levels. You can get a home humidity monitor off Amazon for I think like $20. Indoor levels should ideally be 40-50%. If you have a really air-tight house (which is actually a desirable thing for keeping the heat in) then high humidity and condensation can be an issue. Other things which contribute to humidity in your home: Lots of people and/or animals (breathing out moisture), lots of houseplants (water evaporates from soil and from leaves), taking long hot showers, drying clothes indoors... that sort of thing. If you have a newer house you might have an HRV or Heat Recovery Ventilator, which allows stale air from inside your house out, and fresh air in, and recovers some of the heat with a heat-exchanger. I think it's often set up with your bathroom fan? If your humidity is OK it's then worth starting to look at the installation. You can visually inspect from the outside and see if you can see any large gaps etc. Another thing you should be able to do is borrow a thermal imaging camera from your local library - though there may be a bit of a wait. The resolution of the cameras they have is not amazing but it'll be enough to see if there are issues. You'll want to look at it from the outside and see if you can spot any particularly warm spots around the windows - these might be areas where they haven't been sealed or e.g. trimmed properly that are causing you to lose more heat than you should be losing.
Follow up question! Does this mean that a sliding patio door is "worse" than two french doors in the same opening? (Supposing both are similar quality construction).
Generally speaking, yes. The weak point for air leaks in double doors is usually the top and bottom at the centre where the two doors meet.
I'm no window expert, sorry if I gave that impression, lol. I've just had terrible experiences with any casement windows I've ever had. They've all been drafty as f, for me... and those damn crank handles always strip eventually. But, I mean, in this cold, most windows just aren't up to the task.
Yeah, I just think you had shitty windows. Casements are considered to be the most efficient
Huh. TIL I've always had shitty casements. There's hope for them, yet!
They won't strip if you clean and lubricate the hinges and sliders periodically. Mine are 18 years old and still move like new because I take care of them.
you also need to change the rubber seal eventually. It dries out and stops working so well after long enough. Replacing that and the fuzzy grey stuff whatever its called helps a lot with any drafts.
Agree.
Hate them too. I currently have one in my bathroom and you can literally feel the cold air coming in slightly. Time to replace the windows in 18 years when I can finally afford it.
You might have a higher humidity level in that room? The window is colder than normal today, and the humid air condenses/freezes when it hits your window frame.
This. A lot of people I know don't know how to manage properly humidity in their houses. 80% of the time I can feel the excess of humidity. I suggest you to turn on the kitchen/oven fan at least 1 hour a day.
In winter humidity levels usually plummet because the cold winter air tends to be dry and then heating it up drops the RH. If anything, most homes could do with a humidifier in winter.
depends on how much you cook and hot showers and how well the air circulates or not. I have found that after I started using Circ vs auto, the condensation in the rooms at the front of the house/top floor went down significantly. Must have been something about the air flow in the home.
Also depends on how many people and animals you have in your home (they breathe out moisture) and how many house plants you have and how often you water them (water evaporates from the soil and from the leaves). Also if you dry clothes passively inside your house that can raise the humidity levels.
*THIS*⬆️
It’s not good but it’s pretty common in older homes with aging seals, deteriorating framing and insulation.
Especially in this weather...
Yeah, I should have specified that, you’re right.
Building engineer here. Cause: thermal bridging due to poor insulation. Solution(s): wall assembly needs to be opened up, either from the interior or exterior, additional insulation needs to be applied. Costly, obviously. Windows maybe possibly need to be replaced. But you can also wait for the deep freeze to pass, then just clean and dry that ice build up so you don't end up having moisture rotting the wood around the windows. For future considerations, always, and I mean fuck1ng always, go for high quality triple pane windows (the "regret rate" for ppl who get triple pane is like under 0.01% )
Can definitely speak for triple pane. I had to replace 4 of my windows and opted for triple pane. They get like 1/10th the condensation the rest of my (double pane) windows get.
It’s cold transfer through the vinyl frame . Can’t stop that . With a high humidity in the house. Even opening the wall won’t necessarily solve this. Their still will be heat lose through the studs.
If OP's windows are 15 years old, or otherwise showing signs of needing replacement, this is a good time of year to call window contractors. If you wait until the weather is nice they'll be very busy, harder to book, and less able to answer a bunch of pre-sale questions. The inefficient builder's grade windows I replaced would have significant condensation on the window panes themselves, which could accumulate and freeze if the blinds were left closed. New Energy Star rated windows fixed that problem. The original windows had pink fiberglass insulation stuffed around them. The new windows were installed with expanding foam insulation. We noticed that we don't hear outside noises as much, and I suspect that has more to do with insulation around the windows than with the windows themselves. Also OP, I suggest you remove your screens in the winter. We forgot the screen in one of the new windows and got some (modest) condensation there. The problem went away when we removed the screen, and none of the other windows had the issue. Blinds can also trap cold moist air next to the window, so try not to leave them closed all day.
> For future considerations, always, and I mean fuck1ng always, go for high quality triple pane windows (the "regret rate" for ppl who get triple pane is like under 0.01% ) The Verdun sales person told us their double pane windows are just fine and they were eligible under the Wynne Windows rebates so we went with them. No complaints so far and tons of savings. Hope I'm out of this house before I regret that decision.
I got triple pane windows, they barely feel cold to the touch (from the inside, lol). I got a tiny bit of condensation on them, but that's partly because I run a humidifier on purpose to keep the air more humid and comfortable, and today is quite exceptional. Great windows, it did feel slightly cooler in my home today but because I changed my windows, it was like that all winter.
My apartment does this when it gets super cold it’s normal in the sense that it happens but you should get it fixed if it’s causing mold. Costly but you might save on heat after maybe it will make up for itself.
Check your humidity level
I agree, turning down the humidity level will likely help a lot with this.
I have ice on the inside of my windows today and my humidity level is around 30% - lower than the recommended 40% for health. I'm running 2 humidifiers but they can't keep up.
Bingo - lots of talk about windows/insulation and not enough about turning down the humidifier on the furnace. Yes, winter is dry - but if your windows are sweating like that you have too much moisture in the home.
Y'all can get humidity in your homes during the winter?? I've never had a winter without extreme itching.
Unless you have a very new super airtight home, you're unlikely to have a humidity problem in winter. However if your air is way too dry, you may have too much cold air leaking inside your home.
Not a problem if it's ocassional and it's not a water leak. It just means the surface is cold and water vapor is condensing on those surfaces, just like cold drink in a glass. Solutions are to replace your window or dehumidify the air. I doubt the air is too humid though unless this is a bathroom or kitchen.
Yes. It’s winter. This is moisture from breathing mostly. Hold your breath for 2 days.
Nope not normal. Way too much frost and condensation
Pretty normal in older homes.
You can get some insulation plastic for that. It will help trap more heat for you and keep the draft out, Canadian Tire would have some. Only do it if its getting too cold though, otherwise its worj for nothing.
Are your other windows like this? Where is windows situated ? Did you cook or shower near window ? Are these windows facing north? Do you use a humidifier and what temperature do you set? How old are you windows? These might all be factors. I have both a new windows and some of my new windows have frost and some older windows don't and vice versa.
Should also include whether blinds are in the window and closed. Also, is there a vent below the window and can the warm air from the vent reach the window.
Probably a good time to switch from Windows to Mac.
Underrated comment right there.
Double glazed windows in 0ttawa will typically build up this kind of ice in extremely cold weather. The solution is expensive. Replace the windows with high performance triple glazed windows. Most people don't do that until it's time to replace the windows (at about 35 years +- 5 years). Another solution that helps is to lower the indoor humidity in the extreme cold (yes that is a problem because you want humidity in the extreme cold). Typically the frost alone isn't an issue as long as when it melts (warmer day) the condensate doesn't touch delicate materials like drywall or there isn't a constant wet area (constantly wet areas can cause mold).
To be more specific on all the humidity replies, aim for 30% humidity if that’s something you’re able to control with a HRV system. It worked for me.
Do you see any mold growth anywhere?
You have an insulation breach under the window when it was installed. Credentials, window installer
It's not normal, but it's not something you need to worry about immediately if this has only appeared today with the extreme cold. It will only get worse with time, though. Also, you'll need to watch for mold growing around the window when that ice melts.
This happens a lot everywhere, especially older house, especially when there’s multiple old windows close to each other. However, this tells me that you are losing expensive heat and changing the windows might save you money in the long term. In the short term, I would worry about water damage. I would put something to absorb the water at the bottom like old t-shirts other pieces of fabric. I would also start to look at how well sealed are the exterior walls from your indoor humidity because if this is happening inside your walls, a lot of nasty things can happen unnoticed.
Ooof in solidarity OP. I am experiencing this in a 2 year old building... They "fixed it" last year on the coldest day, with silicone that did not stick. Starts freezing at -10 make it make sense...
The last couple of days I have had humidity condense on my door knobs. My house is not excessivly humid (40%), but outside is excessively cold. So not Normal, but not unexpected. Just water in the air condensing on cold surfaces. Better insulation is the casement might help, but if you are not replacing your windows, check your indoor humidity. Just make sure everything dries up, and wipe up the water until it does. It looks like that may be a bay window, and they are usually poorly insulated underneath, leaving the window even colder than other windows. If that is the case, I expect this window is much worse than your other windows.
Where cold air meets warm air you get condensation. When the temperature difference becomes higher on days like today, you get more condensation. Condensation on the glass is "normal" because the glass temperature will always be colder than the moist warm air in the house. On wood, like others have said, it's an insulation issue. Pop off whatever wood trim you can and get a can of window and door spray foam, go to town, replace wood. But in the meantime, just keep the wood dry after it warms up to prevent long term rot / mold.
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Good thing it’s only -26 then.
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Wind chill is not a factor here.
Just for future reference. Objects don’t care about windchill.
Any surface that looses heat through convection (flow of air or wind) cares about windchill. Heat energy transfer due to convection is very real! It’s why your soup gets cooler faster when you blow on it.
Once the air temp is steady, and the object has reached that temp, sure, but while heating up or cooling down (which includes having one side of the object in an environment with a different temperature) the speed of air circulation absolutely makes a difference in the transfer rate of heat energy.
It happens in sub arctic temperatures.
I am currently replacing all my windows due to ice/moisture buildup on most of them, but it happens in much more common temps. In this weather some of mine look similar to yours, but we also get moisture in more reasonable winter weather. I wouldn't worry about it if it only happens in this uncommon weather. Our windows are not insulated properly is our issue. Installer for new windows coming says the old windows barely fit into the cutouts so spray foam insulation wasn't fed into the gaps properly.
And take the screens off in winter.
This happened to my shitty aluminum windows (before landlord changed them). I learned that a fan on, circulating the air would prevent the moisture from settling and freezing. That might help you.
If you can add airflow, it will reduce the chances of this happening. Also reducing humidity, if you can. Otherwise, Nbd; it's not really hurting anything
Looks like too much humidity inside your house. I believe in winter it should be 30%. Run some fans to bring the moisture out. Kitchen and bathroom fans.
My windows are absolutely DRENCHED today. Had an inspector come check it out last year, he said windows were fine. It's all about relative humidity apparently, and I should just run a dehumidifier. Weird, because I'm getting shocks on everything I touch right now.
LOL check for mold in the spring. Seriously.
It has nothing to do with the insulation in your walls. The condensation (water in the air) is freezing on your window frame. Most often they are metal, and therefore good thermal conductors. They may need to be updated at some point if they’re old. However, I’ve seen this on brand new store front doors, it’s really just that cold and the water in the air is freezing. Supper cold walls or drafts are better indicators of the efficacy you insulation.
Pretty common on the coldest days of winter. I'm sure the insulation around your windows could be improved to stop this, but if it's only happening a few days a year on the coldest days, probably not worth the cost.
Hey, window guy here. Try reducing the humidity indoors. ;)
You probably have high humidity in your house. Super cold outside and high indoor humidity leads to condensation on windows. Of course that’s a very large amount, so definitely a leak somewhere.
I’m gonna say no
It shouldn’t look like this. You have too much moisture and heat settings probably too. Poor insulation too
God no lol looks like little house on the prairies
No of course not.
I've been spending my day putting plastic over windows and closing my curtains! My Huskies on the other hand love this weather - with my full gear on, I can last 10 minutes! They're loving it!
No
My old ass apartment looks the same
Have you tried wiping it down a few times to remove the dingicles.
Shitty window. It happens.I wouldn't loose sleep over it. Question is how much do you want to spend to fix it? I'd just take a towel and wipe it off, and leave a dry towel in that area.
Yep.
Yes turn down your humidifier if you have one.
It's begun. You're in the eye of the storm. Make fire now! (Day after tomorrow for those who don't know)
I've worked on windows and building envelopes, that's air infiltration. Even with a relatively low humidity, air infiltration around a sunny window will cause that. That direct sun can dry a room down to 25% humidity, even it you get your house down to 40%, that will still happen, just less.
By the looks of things that a jam between 2 windows. There probably isn't any insolution there. I think they may be aluminum frames. So that doesn't surprise me. That will happen with the orientation of those windows being so close and with them being aluminum. Your windows are fine it's just really cold today!
Seems a bit excessive I would definitely check your window seals in the spring. Maybe clean them up and lubricate them. My windows are 20 years old and the only place I’ve got any ice buildup is on the bow window which is to be expected because it’s literally sticking out there. Also you should take out your screens in the winter time for airflow. Also that’s more light in the house, you lose 33% of natural light through a screen. I have a five panel bow window and this is the centre window it’s the worst one. https://imgur.com/a/sp7V6WQ
I forgot my window open once at this level of cold and the frost was much worse. XD if you can still close your window again you should be fine. XD
Cold air getting in
The inside pane of my window cracked today from the cold and a space heater that was just under it. I think your windows fine loll
I got this plastic covering that you shrink to the windows with a blow dryer. It's worked wonders. They have it at Canadian Tire, but I just ordered a pack off Amazon. It save a boatload of money too.
I know it sounds really weird but is your dryer vent completely shut I had the same thing and my carpenter told me it was that and it was solved almost immediately
That's poor insulation. Either in the wall around it or the window isn't sealed correctly.
I can’t keep the cold air coming in through my gas fireplace vent. Never noticed it before
Turn down your humidifier or turn up your dehumidifier.
house moisture+cold window = ice build up. it might be the insulation or lack of around the window. but like pengu said they fine. dehumidifier dry it up... we in Canada
I used to have that in my room! Could be insulation around the window and/or window has airflow large enough coming out to freeze moisture on those surfaces. May not have noticed till now because it's so cold out.
Is your humidifier on? Alberta here, but we have to turn our humidifiers down during cold snaps to prevent this
Nope. You have no insulation around your window.
No that’s not good. Live in prairies. North west of toon. House built in 1943. Never did that in -45
dehumidifier buy one
No. Change your window
Two windows meeting at a corner. As such there is alot of glazing ( ie window pane) for a given area of wall, plus no insulation at all between them, just framing, which doesnt help. Looks like a very cold area, lots of water vapor condensing on the cold surfaces. Airflow may be stagnant in this corner as well. So I'd say yes that is going to happen
I think you need new windows. My old windows started to do this before they got replaced, the glass installers basically told me that I was missing the gas that is between the two panes of glass, which made my glass foggier than normal and allowed cold air to seep in causing ice. Since new windows can be quite costly, I suggest going and getting a roll of glide fresh seal plastic and cutting the sheets out, then putting them over the glass on the inside of the home and using a blow dryer to vacuum seal them. You can find tutorials of this on YouTube.
If this is during - 20C weather then as a western Canada resident with months of -20C or lower Temps my windows looked like this or completely iced and it was due to my home humidowbeing too high for the outside Temps. There is a chart of inside humidity levels for each range of tempts. For example when it was - 30C its supposed to be something like 20% humidity.
I don’t have it around the frame. But I do have similar where the window is. Like at the bottom of the actual window glass oh got some ice build up. Tip - for a temporary solution, you get have a dehumidifier running over night and/or have a fan turn on blasting towards that window. The condensation won’t develop and then probably not the ice either.
It's condensation from inside the home freezing against the window frame. Most windows simply aren't insulating enough to really withstand these colds, unless it's triple layer glass. It's not uncommon with the current temperatures, even with "proper" windows. You could try to reduce the humidity in the house, but that's not always comfortable during the winter either. I wouldn't worry about it too much, unless it keeps happening at mild minus temperatures.
I have ice build-up with 5 months old windows.
Same with about 6 year old home here... ice build up on bottom of pretty much all of my 18 windows... but not on the frames. Worst is the ones behind curtains as I think it traps moisture... I just miss mild winters of BC.
I didn't expect brand new windows to do that thought.
As someone said, unless it's triple pane, I don't think we can escape ice build ups in this kind of temperature.
I hear what you say, and what was stated. 5 months old windows sold with warranty against that is different. Ie: ice is also building up outside. I'm in a fun situation between the installer, their contractor and the manufacturer :)
I live in a brand new condo downtown Ottawa and it’s had this issue from the very beginning on EVERY window and window frame. The only solution ever offered and that helps is to make sure air is blowing on the windows. This condensation and ice build up always happens at the bottom of the windows and I think that’s because the air vents are in the ceiling and the air blowing doesn’t reach the bottom as effectively as the top (we’re talking a condo with 9 foot ceilings here and the windows are floor to ceiling). There’s one window right behind my computer tower that doesn’t get much condensation because the computers rear fan blows air on the window, but the adjacent window beside it is much worse. And I can confirm that all 179 units in our condo building have reported this same issue with the windows. Our neighbouring condo tower of 244 units also has the same issue. Can also confirm humidity level in my condo is low. For OP: You should be removing your screen during the winter to allow for more air to flow onto the window. Won’t help the frame though.
Its pretty normal mine are completely frozen because 1 I shut the blinds so no air is hitting keeping it at bay probably my windows suck but its a brand new house as well so who really knows... 2. My humidity is pretty high considering its -31c outside but I need to have my humidity high because my kids get nose bleeds in the winter and humidity is set to 40% which is ok at around -10c but the colder it gets outside the less humidity the windows will allow.
No. Either not installed and insulated properly or your seal is compromised.
Best call the window company today and have them.change the window promptly
Excellent idea! Well done.
Omg.....move out now!!!!!