how do i get rid of condensation from my windows

[andy37g]

[theshedman]

Hi andy, the simple answer would be ventilation. If you have Double Glazing often vents are not put into the windows when they are put in. There are a few different ways to help combat condensation but a bit more information would probably help with an answer.

[andy37g]

hi theshedman, thanks for replying, at the top of my windows i have a 12 inch plastic hinge which opens to the right. but it doesn't seem to do a great deal, been in my flat 2 years and this is the first time it's happened. i also have central heating and double glazing.

[Sandy-Wroe]

Have you thought of buying a dehumidifier? I have one and it's surprising how much moisture it collects from the air.

[buildersmate]

There are multiple strategies required. Water vapour condenses when warm, water-vapour air meets a much colder surface. Therefore one has to consider:
1) try and prevent some of the water vapour getting into the air at source
2) try to raise the temperature in the room if appropriate - to raise the surface temperature on the inside (of the window)
3) increase ventilation into the room - allowing air in which less water vapour is contained
4) insulate better those surfaces exposed to the very cold outside, so as to raise the surface temperature on the inside (the surface exposed to the moisture-laded air).
Numbers 2) and 3) work directly against one another - if you open the window, you may get drier air in, but you also get colder air in. So you see that there are trade-offs.
4) is impractical to do cheaply for windows - if you have DG already, all you can do is improve the quality (by changing to wider DG gaps - not what I am proposing for you - just trying to explain the problem completely).
1) you can do by a combination of extracting the moist air around hobs and showers at source before it gets all around the house, AND (possibly) Sandy's idea of a dehumifier.
2) is possible, but expensive on those bills - a better route would be to put more insulation in OTHER parts of the house which will raise the ambient temperature for the same energy cost.
Hope that helps explain the problem and some solutions. There isn't a silver-bullet solution during these cold times.