Sheets of ice on inside of windows

[3kids4me]

Some of our windows have sheets of ice on the inside. There's a lot of ice!

Does anyone know what this means...do the windows maybe need to be replaced? (They are original to the house so about 40 years old and wood.)

Thanks,

Sharon

 

[camachinist]

Assuming single glaze/non-insulated and cold weather - condensation from warm/moist air inside is freezing to the cold glass.

Assuming double pane/insulated and same - insulative space has failed.

Applicable to both - structural seal failure or other weather intrusion.

What's the current indoor humidity?

Has it rained/snowed recently?

Any other structural/weather intrusion issues with the home?

Pat

 

["Roger"]

...

Does anyone know what this means...

It means that it is cold outside.

More seriously, if it is cold enough, double and even triple pane windows will form ice along the edges. The cold will transmit itself through the wood(metal windows, more so, much more so) and so on bitterly cold days ice will form along where the wood comes in contact with the glass. Also, if you over humidify, more condensation (ice) will occur.

If you really means sheets of ice (ice covering the entire window), I would consider getting a better set of windows. Even on the most bitter days, that should not happen. You are losing a lot of heat through poorly insulated windows. Over time, better windows will pay for themselves. In addition, you will feel warmer in that your house won't feel so drafty on colder days.

 

[3kids4me]

Yes, they are very old windows...single pane but with a storm window that is pulled down behind it (between window and outside).

My husband thinks that it is because the shades stay pulled down on those windows, thus trapping moisture which ices over. (And yes, I do mean sheets of ice over the entire window.) But...if the windows were better, then there wouldn't be moisture in the first place, right?

 

[Keitht]

Single pane units are much more liable to freeze on the inside due to the lack of insulation. I suspect your husband is also correct about the shades being pulled being a contributory factor. Whilst they help keep the room warm that naturally means less heat between them and the windows.
Different situation, but similar problem - we have a cold water pipe running up the corner of the hallway to an upper floor bathroom. As it's a bit unsightly I boxed it in. A year or so later I noticed damp appearing in that corner. I called in treatment specialists and they said the damp had been caused by boxing the pipe in. The boxing was having a similar effect to your drapes - stopping the heat of the house getting to the pipe (window). Condensation was therefore forming on the pipe and running down to the skirting and into the plaster. The skirting was replaced, as was some plaster, and the boxing removed. No more damp!

 

[tashamen]

Well, I had this problem this morning in my car - so I was hoping this thread was about cars and not houses! Brand new car too (well, 6 months old) - I'm not too happy about having to scrape the inside of the windows off so I could see while driving! I assume it's from the bitter wind last night somehow.

 

[camachinist]

Assuming the car sits outside at night, moisture can invade the interior and settle into porous surfaces. If the phenomenon occurs after evening operations, often that moisture is driven into the interior air and can settle on surfaces which are colder, like glass, and later freeze during sub-freezing temperatures.

Also, if the issue is persistent and one notes an associated odor (musty or chemical), it may be a slight leak in the heater core, where the water would subsequently evaporate and the ethylene/propylene glycol settles/drains.

Pat

 

[ricoba]

Some of our windows have sheets of ice on the inside. There's a lot of ice!

Does anyone know what this means...

It means you have to move to Los Angeles, where the temperature today will be about 75+ degrees.... Sorry.....I just couldn't resist

But to be serious, I have lived in places where ice forms inside on old windows.
I think it's pretty normal for older single pane windows when it's really really cold outside.

 

[LisaH]

It means you have to move to Los Angeles, where the temperature today will be about 75+ degrees.... Sorry.....I just couldn't resist

Totally agree! It's sunny in the upper 60s today in Bay area. No problem with iced windows here

 

[tashamen]

Assuming the car sits outside at night, moisture can invade the interior and settle into porous surfaces. If the phenomenon occurs after evening operations, often that moisture is driven into the interior air and can settle on surfaces which are colder, like glass, and later freeze during sub-freezing temperatures.

Also, if the issue is persistent and one notes an associated odor (musty or chemical), it may be a slight leak in the heater core, where the water would subsequently evaporate and the ethylene/propylene glycol settles/drains.

Thanks - it's the first time it's happened and the car always sits outside at night, though covered by a carport. Last night there were big wind gusts so that's why I'm assuming that had something to do with, it since we've had below zero weather many times this winter and it hasn't happened before. It's just odd that it's only on the passenger side windows.

 

["Roger"]

It means you have to move to Los Angeles, where the temperature today will be about 75+ degrees.... ...

ahhh... but look at what you have to look forward to ...

Hot town, summer in the city
Back of my neck getting dirty and gritty
Been down, isn't it a pity
Doesn't seem to be a shadow in the city

All around, people looking half dead
Walking on the sidewalk, hotter than a match head ...

Lovin' Spoonful

 

[3kids4me]

It means you have to move to Los Angeles, where the temperature today will be about 75+ degrees.... Sorry.....I just couldn't resist

 

[Poobah]

3M Film

We have a 3.95 season porch attached to house and have had condensation problems because it isn't heated other than by some space heaters when we want to use it.

We use the 3M Window film and it seals them perfectly. The room actually feels a little warmer after we put them on. Essentially you get a dead air insulation layer between the glass and the film. I highly reommend them.

They are easy to put on and to remove at the end of the cold season which here in Minnesota can last for awhile It is indeed a bit brisk for today even.

Cheers,

Paul

 

[ricoba]

ahhh... but look at what you have to look forward to ...

Hot town, summer in the city
Back of my neck getting dirty and gritty
Been down, isn't it a pity
Doesn't seem to be a shadow in the city

All around, people looking half dead
Walking on the sidewalk, hotter than a match head ...

Lovin' Spoonful

OK....it ain't perfect here....I just saw online at Forbes that Los Angeles is rated the 7th most miserable city to live in, in the USA!!!..

 

[susieq]

It means you have to move to Los Angeles, where the temperature today will be about 75+ degrees....

Oohh........... You are cruel!!! :ignore:

Sue

 

[TheTimeTraveler]

Ice on the Inside of the Windows

.

Well, years ago I used to have the same problem of ice build up inside the windows on cold winter days.

I purchased replacement windows with Low E glass from Home Depot and replaced all those old "window weight" style windows.

16 years later it was the best move I ever made. House is quieter, fabrics don't wear/fade, house is warmer in winter & cooler in summer, windows operate easily every time, and they are very easy to clean with the tilt-in feature. In 1992 I figured it would take 4 years for them to pay for themselves based upon the then cost of energy use, however with today's energy costs it is likely new windows will pay for themselves in less time (maybe three years).

One other thing; it helps sell the house when it comes to marketing it.

 

[3kids4me]

I've thought about replacing the windows, but it's so expensive...and I think there are a lot of restrictions on what would "work" with a Connecticut colonial house. I have heard my neighbor (a realtor) complain about someone on the block that replaced her windows with vinyl ones and how it actually negatively affected the resale of the house because they weren't wood and didn't have the six pane style. I know nothing about window replacement, but it must be hard to find real wood ones these days...especially that have the little six pane moldings in them, right?

 

[camachinist]

http://www.cchonline.com/windowpack.html

First Google hit. There are more

Pat

 

[3kids4me]

Thanks Pat...but it looks like the company works with builders not with consumers. I couldn't for the life of me find a place to actually have someone come and give an estimate! There were links to other window companies, but I just couldn't figure it out.... I imagine this must cost a small fortune!

 

[camachinist]

Personally, and this comes from actual experience, I'd have a professional contractor manage the entire job. I can tell you the mechanics of proper replacement but can't possibly convey the complexity of doing the job right.

http://www.google.com/search?q=insu...s=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

Yes, it does cost a small fortune to do right, but, if your place is anything like our friend's modest home in Westport, it's worth a small fortune and IMO the expense, in today's energy environment, is worth it, even if you're going to sell in the near future (within 5 years), and definitely worth it if staying for the long haul. I've only done half our house (the south facing side) and it's made a quantum difference. North side is next year;

Pat

 

["Roger"]

Thanks Pat...but it looks like the company works with builders not with consumers...

Pella used to sell only through contractors, but they now have a line of windows that can be bought through places like Home Depot. That having been said, the new line of windows are not nearly as good. It is better to work through a contractor. Check the Yellow Pages and see if there is a Pella dealer anywhere remotely nearby. They can usually recommend a reliable contractor who would be willing to work with you.

Just so that you know, Pella windows are the top of the line. In the long run, they are well worth it, but the initial investment, as you suggest, is high.

As far as resale, a good realitor should be able to mention Pella windows as a selling point.

 

[Rose Pink]

Over a period of several years, we replaced all of the windows in our house. I started with Anderson in the bedrooms and ended up with Pella in the living room and kitchen. I wish I had gone Pella from the start. We do have a Pella distributor nearby. I love, love, love, love the retractable screens. No need to have a screen in place all year, nor is there any need to find a place to store them when not in use. They just retract up into their little hidey place. I also opted to spend extra for the between-the-panes blinds in my kitchen windows.

Yes, they were terribly expensive but I am happy we chose them. Just do one room at a time as finances permit. It took us nearly 15 years to do the whole house (and we don't have a huge house) but now it is done. I did put less expensive vinyl windows in some of the basement applications.

The different brands of the windows does not make a difference from the outside as we chose the same color for the exterior. Someone with a keen eye or a great sensitivity to style may note some differences but I don't.

 

[xzhan02]

Magnetic window

You might want to take a look at magnetic windows that's a piece of clear acrylic magnetically attached to the inside of you window. It's highly sound proof and has good insulation value. It is often used to increase insulation of historical buildings where windows can't be replaced. Recently we used magnetic windows from www.aiwmagneticwindows.com/index.html to seal 5 30"x80" openings in our balcony room. Now the room is usable year round, quieter than any other room, the adjacent room is a lot warmer, and you don't notice the windows are there at all. You can also take it out and put it back in anytime. The cost is ~1/3-1/4 of real windows (<$200 each installed for our super sized opening). This might be a perfect solution for older but beautiful windows if you can find a dealer in your area. One thing to make sure is the material is clear acrylic rather than plexiglass thats thinner and can turn yellow.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

You might want to consider a dehumidifier for those cold winter days!!!

From the Minneapolis Star-Tribune:

A firefighter checking out a call to a White Bear Lake house last month found no flames, but plenty else to arouse suspicion.

There was the heat escaping from the eaves of the house, and frost on the inside of the windows, White Bear Lake Police Chief Lynne Tellers Bankes said Monday.

The homeowner arrived and said he would make sure all was well, Bankes said. But the firefighter described the curious signs to a police investigator, she said, and on Monday, about two weeks later, authorities busted a marijuana-growing operation in the house's basement and seized pot believed to be worth at least a couple of million dollars.

 

[Rose Pink]

You might want to consider a dehumidifier for those cold winter days!!!

From the Minneapolis Star-Tribune:

I used to get ice on the inside of my old single-pane windows. I only got mold, though, no pot.