Condensation inside

[nzwasp]

This winter is our first winter with a working humidifier (it was set at 25% yesterday and i turned it down to 20%) and the condensation is on almost every window, also its very hard to open the sliding door although I think this may be an issue with ice build up under the door somehow. Does anyone also suffer from this? the humidifier and fan run almost constantly.

[ExtraSlow]

Finding the optimal humidity is a little complex, changes for each house. Lowering the humidity in your house is very easy in winter. The air outdoors is dry as a bone in these temps. Turn off humidifier, open one window a crack and run one bathroom exhaust fan for a day and it'll drop.

How shitty are your windows though?

[cyra1ax]

This was the chart that my builder gave me.
https://s3.amazonaws.com/eakes-production/assets/14475/original.jpg?1418404137

[ThePenIsMightier]

The humidistat controller is usually not very accurate. You should get an actual humidistat and use that to gauge what the actual humidity is and then adjust your dial controller to click once you're where you want to be.

It's -25°C at my place with 39%RH inside and I'm definitely getting a bit of fog and ice on mine. Unless your windows were $1 Trillion and your actual RH is down to about 25%, you're going to get fog.

*Note that my wall PoS is saying 30% and it's actually 39%, so that's why I question the controller accuracy.

[ExtraSlow]

Also, some condensation isn't the end of the world. Very normal on windows that don't have much airflow or any behind closed blinds. No biggie.

[nzwasp]

The windows are garbage. Upstairs we want to get them replaced with triple pane but theres a glass shortage and its $$$. The nest gauge is saying its 38% humidity, the humidifier is set to 20% it shouldnt be going at all i would think.

[ThePenIsMightier]

Do you have an HRV? That will help to lower your humidity if it's on during extreme cold.

(Heat Recovery Ventilator)

[bjstare]

Zero chance that 20% is causing that much condensation at relatively mild outside temps like we're currently having. Turn it down until you are getting a manageable amount. You can get a more accurate means of measuring humidity, but that isn't required; it's more a matter of curiosity.

edit: 38% seems more realistic based on what you said.

[cyra1ax]

Didn't see it mentioned yet so I'll say it: humidifier isn't the only source of humidity in the home. Cooking, showers, open toilets, plants are all sources as well. Breathing also contributes marginally as well, so try not to breathe as much.

If you're really that concerned, open a window or get a dehumidifier.

[Tik-Tok]

Zero chance that 20% is causing that much condensation at relatively mild outside temps like we're currently having.

Have you been outside the last two days? It's -23° right now. 20% will definitely give you condensation with old shitty windows.

[nzwasp]

I would note that the condensation isn't freezing on the inside of the my windows its just wet. I just went and wiped down all the windows in the downstairs as this problem was very common when I lived in New Zealand. Unsure if it helps. I turned the humidifer off for now - if its reading the nest right it shouldnt be on at all.

[lilmira]

The cheapo humidistat is highly inaccurate. 20%RH is unlikely. The lowest I had was about 25% with my humidifier off. You'll need a dehumidifier to go lower. I imagine you'll be walking around shooting out lightning bolts like Palpatine.
If your house is at 20C and your RH is about 30%, the dew point is 2C. Anywhere on your window at lower than 2C you'll have condensation. Colder than 0C you'll have frost/ice.

[suntan]

I cannot get the humidity below 32% in my house. If you have wood floors they hold a tremendous amount of moisture.

[ercchry]

Does the MIL have an indoor pond/fountain?

[suntan]

Does the MIL have an indoor pond/fountain?

Sure, in bed.

[killramos]

Greasssssy

[ExtraSlow]

sure, in bed.


greasssssy
lol.

[schurchill39]

Sure, in bed.

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to suntan (and nzwasp's MIL) again

[bjstare]

Have you been outside the last two days? It's -23° right now. 20% will definitely give you condensation with old shitty windows.

Not really actually, I had no idea it was that cold :rofl:

Keep in mind, he lives in Aspen. It's not a 1950's build with original windows, they're "shitty" for a ~10 year old house.

[killramos]

In my 50’s bungalow the ice on the windows just adds insulation value and free privacy glass.

[ExtraSlow]

Aspen houses are shitty. It's a shitty neighborhood.

[ercchry]

Aspen houses are shitty. It's a shitty neighborhood.

The nouveau riche are scum

[Darell_n]

Most humidistats I’ve worked with are very inaccurate, as mentioned. Old reliable commercial ones actually used a strand of horse hair under tension, not going to find one of those around anymore. Haha. It’s not a specific value that matters in a house, just finding consistency with a level that suits your needs. In my 90’s built house I have the furnace fresh air intake opened just enough to drop the humidity over 1 night to accommodate a cold snap, without overworking my heating bill. Took a few years to find the sweet spot using a humidistat with outdoor sensor. (floating control)

[ExtraSlow]

The nouveau riche are scum
Nah, they just have bad taste.

[benyl]

Aspen houses are shitty. It's a shitty neighborhood.

Yup. Had to leave that shithole.

Having your fan run 24/7 isn't going to change the humidity. Also, if you have blinds, leave the bottom up about 1-2" to get the airflowing over the glass.

[suntan]

Yup. Had to leave that shithole.

What was wrong with it? I mean we make fun of it but it doesn't seem all that different than the other umpteenth neighbourhoods not in the NE/SE.

[killramos]

What was wrong with it? I mean we make fun of it but it doesn't seem all that different than the other umpteenth neighbourhoods not in the NE/SE.

It’s not 5 minutes from downtown like airdrie is

[ThePenIsMightier]

....

Having your fan run 24/7 isn't going to change the humidity. Also, if you have blinds, leave the bottom up about 1-2" to get the airflowing over the glass.

But it does help, for the same reason as leaving the blinds up - air circulation.

I assume that The Diffusion Equation plays a role where the most damp air will migrate to the coldest surfaces.
As we're all keenly aware:
103324

*Oops, I hung myself, cut myself into pieces and gathered those pieces into the trash...

[mr2mike]

I know a guy with a garage temp meter. Maybe he can do up a humidity meter on Audrino?

[nzwasp]

So I guess telling nest to not humidify the house doesnt seem to do shit because I went downstairs on saturday morning and found the humidifier still running, I also found the water hose leaking (spraying water) all over the place. I think I need a new filter so ive turned it off for now. Nest is reporting the humidity level in the house at 30%. Before I turned the humifier off it was reporting at 39%. Theres no condensation inside despite it being -20 outside at the moment.

[mr2mike]

For reference, I don't run a humidifier and house is 29% upstairs currently and 21% downstairs.
Do I have hardwood? Yes. Is it warped? Nope.

[ExtraSlow]

Anyone who wants less humidity, you'll get lots of help with that over the next week or so. Just leave a window open a crack overnight when it's -25c and you'll lose lots of moisture.

I try like hell to increase the moisture in my house. We never use the exhaust fan when we shower, and I dry laundry inside every weekend.

different areas of my house fluctuate between 36% and 52% depending on time of day and temp. Obviously at night when I let the temp go down, relative humidity goes up even without more moisture going into the air. That 52% is in the coldest room in my house, under a window, which can be down to 13c overnight. The "main" part of my house is 17C at the same time, and shows much lower RH% at the same time.

[88CRX]

New build house that is super air tight and we have had our humidifier turned off for multiple years and we have plenty of humidity (30-35% +). Most tight homes where people are cooking and bathing don't need much added humidity.

[ThePenIsMightier]

New build house that is super air tight and we have had our humidifier turned off for multiple years and we have plenty of humidity (30-35% +). Most tight homes where people are cooking and bathing don't need much added humidity.

This^

We have to use our HRV to bring the humidity down.

[nzwasp]

The only thing I’ve noticed is some gaps forming between the hardwood boards near the front door

[Darell_n]

Anyone who wants less humidity, you'll get lots of help with that over the next week or so. Just leave a window open a crack overnight when it's -25c and you'll lose lots of moisture.

I try like hell to increase the moisture in my house. We never use the exhaust fan when we shower, and I dry laundry inside every weekend.

different areas of my house fluctuate between 36% and 52% depending on time of day and temp. Obviously at night when I let the temp go down, relative humidity goes up even without more moisture going into the air. That 52% is in the coldest room in my house, under a window, which can be down to 13c overnight. The "main" part of my house is 17C at the same time, and shows much lower RH% at the same time.

A good demonstration why the HVAC industry just speaks dew point. Nothing relative to make things difficult to compare.

[ExtraSlow]

I shoukd see if my sensors can graph dew point.

[ExtraSlow]

Oh neat they can!
103494

What dew point should I be aiming for?

[Darell_n]

Oh neat they can!
103494

What dew point should I be aiming for?

Depends how much win-dew you can tolerate? Try and measure the coldest inside surface temperatures of your windows. If your air dew point is higher than that, it's gonna rain.

[ExtraSlow]

I love rain. That's my goal.

[killramos]

That master bedroom seems steamy

[lilmira]

Just look up dew point calculator. There are many. Enter the air temp and humidity for dew point. If you have an infrared thermometer you can check the suspected area, window frame, door and such.

[ExtraSlow]

That master bedroom seems steamy

Accurate.

- - - Updated - - -

Also I hope y'all know I'm playin.

[mr2mike]

Oh neat they can!
103494

What dew point should I be aiming for?

suntan will tell you as wet as possible between the sheets.

- - - Updated - - -


That master bedroom seems steamy

Gotta level up for the craft room sensors?

[nagooro]

What's has your humidity levels been around the past few days?

Ours is around ~20%, although we have the ecobee set for 36% it never really comes close to that, or even rises much at all (even when the temperature was slightly warmer)

We had an ecobee installed earlier this year, last few winters we used a non-smart thermostat/humidistat and I swear humidity levels never dropped this low. Or if they did, I could atleast bump it up at the humidstat and it would go up. With the ecobee it just seems to stay low regardless of the setting.

We have an evaporative type humidifier, which means it would really only work when the furnace heat/fan are both running, correct?

[nzwasp]

My inside humidity was 30% yesterday - today its 28%.

Its cold again outside but the windows arent all wet so I think we are on the right track.

[killramos]

a+ way to dry out a house. Wood burning fireplace.

Couple long hot fires and my house was sub 20%. Had to turn the humidifier back on lol

[ExtraSlow]

That'll do it. Probably mostly from air exchange.

Anyone who's still wants less moisture, today's a great day lol.

[nagooro]

Im sitting at 15%, I don't even want it this low lol..Tried cranking the humidity target on the ecobee up, but doesn't seem to wanna increase the levels, even before this cold snap.

Will check the humidifier and maybe give it a clean and check the water panel. Excess water is being drained, not sure if its going through the panel or not...

[killramos]

Ecobee uses some smart programming to lower the target humidity based on outside temps.

At -35 like it is now your home can tolerate almost 0 humidity without your windows sweating. So that’s my guess as to what is happening.

[nzwasp]

Currently at 20% inside. No condensation on the windows however I can’t turn the humidifier back on because the place we got it from supplied the wrong sized filters. I have a general aire 570.

[mr2mike]

16% this morning.
Ran hot shower with fan blowing from bathroom into rest of house
Now 44% good enough for rest of day as it drops off.

[suntan]

I placed MIL in the mud room on top of the washer, we're now at 50% humidity.

[nzwasp]

gross and unrealistic

[mr2mike]

I placed MIL in the mud room on top of the washer, we're now at 50% humidity.

I appreciate the continuation of the joke.