I noticed that we’ve got frost on our storm windows upstairs. The downstairs ones are fine. Our windows are leaky and our storms are ancient. The windows (wood double hungs) will be refinished, puttied, etc over the next two years and new tru-channel storms will be added.
But as of now, does frost on storms upstairs indicate I have a moisture problem, or does it simply mean the windows are leaky and any amount of moisture in the air, no matter how small, is going to cause frost on the storms?
I haven’t seen any frost in the attic.
We keep the upstairs pretty cool, maybe too cool. not sure if that’s a factor.
Replies
"But as of now, does frost on storms upstairs indicate I have a moisture problem, or does it simply mean the windows are leaky and any amount of moisture in the air, no matter how small, is going to cause frost on the storms?"
Normal with leaky windows. Water condenses on the cold storms, and freezes. Without the storms, you would get frost on the primary windows instead.
Does not happen on lower level windows because air is coming in through those leaky windows, and flowing out through the upstairs leaky windows (due to 'stack affect"). Benefit of sealing upstairs windows in actually higher, even though you 'feel' the cold coming in downstairs.