Condensation on Bedroom Window

[FresnoBob]

Not sure if this is the correct part of the forum to post in, but I'm sure it'll be moved if it isn't....

We've always had a problem with condensation on a bedroom window, no matter how dry the other windows in the house are, this window is usually wet.

Recently I've been getting stuck into a bit of DIY I noticed something that made me think. The bedroom is directly above the kitchen, and the window in question is directly above the wall where the sink and kettle are located. The plasterboard on the ceiling of the kitchen is the standard stuff used in walls (as opposed to the bathroom ceiling for example where the silver backed vapour control plasterboard is used), and the floor in the bedroom is tongue and groove chipboard.

I read somewhere that moisture passes through plasterboard, might it be that the window being directly above the sink and kettle (and washing machine now I think about it) is what's causing the condensation on this window? If I used a vapour control plasterboard on the kitchen ceiling might this help with this issue?

Thank you.

 

[IJWS15]

Easier to run the extractor in the kitchen!

 

[FresnoBob]

Easier to run the extractor in the kitchen!

Lol There is no extractor in the kitchen, we've lived in the house a decade but only bought it ourselves recently.

You make an interesting point, and maybe one I should have already thought of....extraction facilities in the kitchen....I'll make a note.

The ceiling needs to come down anyway though as it isn't particularly level in places, plus it's got a horrible textured finish (not artex) and 'missing' bits of texture where whoever installed the original (awful) kitchen decided it was a great idea to randomly throw up wall cabinets by themselves nowhere near the main units, then creaet plywood box sections above the cabinets and paint AROUND this.

 

[Richard C]

Are they replacement windows? Is it an original window or has a new window opening been made at some time. Is it double glazed? I doubt boiling kettles in the kitchen has much to do with moisture permeating through the ceiling & floorboards. You could have a problem with damp ingress around the window or across the window reveal. Do you dry washing in the house?

If it only happens at night, have you tried sleeping with the window ajar, two humans sleeping in a room for 7 hours exhale a very large amount of moist warm air, this moisture has to go somewhere & will condense on the nearest cold surface, especially if you sleep with the bedroom door closed. In an unused bedroom, it’s not a good idea to turn the heating off completely, keeping a reasonable ambient temperature in there will raise the dew point & drawing the curtains will also help.

Forced extraction is now a Building Regs requirement in kitchens, bath/shower rooms & utilities as is background ventilation; it makes a huge difference to condensation in modern hermetically sealed homes.

 

[FresnoBob]

Original timber single glazed (to be replaced this year with double glazed upvc hopefully)

I don't think it's just at night, although it certainly is worse at night, there's a little vent about the window (small slidey thing on the frame itself), but I suppose it could be blocked or simply not big enough.

I'll have a try of keeping the window open a tiny bit, the door open just a teensy bit and the heating on low more often (as opposed to off completely when it's warm), see how that helps.

Cheers folks

 

[JohnD]

//www.diynot.com/wiki/building:condensation_in_houses