Here it goes. I am advising a friend with a concrete poured house, including insulation blocks and 2″ styrofoam sheets for insulation. they’ve got “Marvin” double glazed window, wood interior trim. the wood is full of mold, and during the rains, it puddles all along the wood window sill. I think the house may be so tight, with no place for the moist air to go, so it’s collecting at the windows, and thus the problem. The window installer accuses the contractor of not making a break under the windows between the outer and inner sill supports, and the contractor accuses the window installer of not preparing the window installation properly. any thoughts on this?
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t, a little more background would help. Is this a new house? what part of the country? Forced air? Driving rain?
New houses are full of moisture from dw compound, latex paint etc. In the winter heating months as it gives off that moisture you might find droplets forming on the bottom of the glass as the air condences on a cool surface. In the summer, water on the sill when it rains? Sounds like the frame or sash are leaking. Describe this problem a little more.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
this is a relatively new house, In Israel,.rain is for a short time here, but it gets really penetrating dampness in the air.
Ma nish ma? Tee,
I gather you're talking coastal or previous swamp, not desert. I think you guessed right about it being too tight. Tight is fine but only if the air system is well designed. Let me guess, there isn't one?
If one gets to dew point inside a house there can be serious consequences. Do it often and there will be serious consequences. Solution is to prevent it.PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
Baruch Hashem! shavua tov. The area in question is Gush Etzion, and the rainy seaason, if you probably know, can be so "wet."i think he needs to run an indoor de-humidifiier, but also a ventilation unit as well. He's got 5 bedrooms, large living room and kitchen, so in meters i would say he's got 180. been here 27 years, how to figure in feet , i don't know. but he probably needs a large ventilating system to change the air. dov
Hi Dov,
Your hotmail account doesn't seem to be working. I tried direct and also from this web site. Both bounced. Got something else to try? I sent a brief description of my air system. Got your note.
VaTomPAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
I think my hotmail box was too full. send me via [email protected].
what's PAHS? see ya. dov
Hi t2,
I have LOTS of thoughts on this as I live in a cast-in-place underground (PAHS) house. All houses need air changes. I plan for a total change every 2 hrs. All houses should also be able to deal with excess humidity. I have a heat pump water heater that does the majority of our dehumidifying, a standard dehumidifier does the remainder. We live comfortably sans AC in an AC climate. 73*/60%rh at present.
This is no accident. Both here and my client house, similar design, have no mildew problems. First step is to measure the humidity. Next is to do something about it. What you have is faulty design of the house. Now you get to retrofit as best you can. Without more systems description I can't offer a better prescription. Problem is with the house, not the windows.
Our head building inspector once told me that he would NEVER recommend a concrete house, due to moisture problems. I asked him what they were and he said all he knew was they were always wet. After seeing the results of my houses he's changed his tune, 180*.
PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!