A HOME expert has finally settled the long-running debate over whether curtains should be left open or closed to stop condensation.
It’s a massive issue at this time of year, as homeowners struggle to balance heating their property with moisture on the windows.
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And people have long questioned whether it’s better to leave the curtains open in a bid to reduce the water droplets on the inside of their windows.
To answer, home pro Charlie conducted a year-long experiment to find out what measures help reduce condensation – with one of the test regarding the curtains.
“When you go to bed at night and shut your curtains, you’re denying any circulation in that space between the curtains and the window,” he explained in the video on his YouTube page.
“So of course, even with plenty of heating in the house and low relative humidity levels, we aren’t giving our windows any chance to stay free of condensation with the curtains shut.
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“Because what we’re doing is we’re denying the chance for that dryer, warmer air to keep flushing over the window surface to prevent the relative humidity rising to dew point.”
He demonstrated by leaving the curtains on one of his windows open, while the others – on a window just down the hall – were closed.
And the results were conclusive.
On the window where the curtains were left open, the condensation “plummeted from 210ml to zero overnight”, he explained in the video on his Charlie DIYte YouTube page.
People were quick to comment on the video too, with one writing: “Excellent video, Charlie well done!
“I’m a Brit living in Sweden.
“People do not use heavy curtains here, they are normally not drawn, they are lightweight net curtains and for decoration purposes only.”
“Quite possibly the best condensation advice video on YouTube,” another praised.
“Seriously one of the best videos on this topic I’ve seen,” a third commented.
“I’m new to being more humidity aware due to issues at our trailer.
“This explained things so clearly and to the point that I feel like I have a much better base from which to address our issues and less anxiety about unknowns.”
“This was a fantastic video Charlie, and so informative and interesting,” someone else said.
“So helpful. I’ve spoken to several tradesman who’ve never offered this advice. THANK YOU!” another added.
What is condensation?
Condensation is water droplets that form on a window when moist air comes into contact with a cold surface.
Condensation occurs when:
Air cools
Warmer air can hold more moisture than cooler air. When moist air touches a cold surface, like a window, the water vapour in the air turns into liquid water droplets.
Windows are colder than walls
Windows are often colder than insulated walls, so condensation is more likely to occur on them.
Windows are poorly insulated
Poorly insulated windows can lead to condensation, especially if they are made of aluminium, which conducts heat quickly. If left untreated, it can lead to mould and other serious problems.
As someone else wrote: “Your videos have been so helpful.
“And they’ve taught me how to master the humidity and mould problem in my flat.”
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“Compete and exhaustive explanations,” another commented.
“Nice video that opened my eyes and broadened my knowledge on my humidity problems.”
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