Are your apartment windows rusting? Make sure your home’s air ventilation system is working properly
2023.12.07
When the weather gets colder and the heating season starts, many people have to deal with windows that rust from the inside. One of the most common reasons for this is that the rooms are too tightly sealed and the ventilation is not working properly. Dainius Adomavičius, a building maintenance specialist at Civinity Namai, a multi-family administration and maintenance company, explains why this happens and how to avoid it.
Dewy windows are not just an aesthetic problem. Constant humidity leads to mould, moulding of window frames and wall corners. To avoid mould in the home, it is recommended to first make sure that the home is properly ventilated.
One of the causes of mouldy windows is inadequate air ventilation
Usually, the windows of flats in apartment buildings become mouldy from the inside when there is an increase in humidity in the house that is not properly evaporated due to excessive air tightness.
The rise in humidity is caused by a variety of reasons: insufficient space heating, laundry drying in the flat, radiators being covered, cooking. If the ventilation system in the apartment is not working properly, the apartment is not sufficiently ventilated, so the rising humidity does not go away and begins to accumulate in the coldest part of the apartment – on the windows.
A simple test can help you assess the quality of ventilation
The first thing to do is to check whether the apartment has a properly functioning exhaust ventilation system.
The ventilation system can be tested for proper functioning by using a flame test: place a burning candle or other flame source near the apartment’s ventilation opening and see if the flame is drawn into the ventilation duct or blown into the apartment. If the flame is pointing towards the apartment, the ventilation is not working properly because it is not drawing air into the ventilation duct but blowing air back into the apartment.
You can also attach a piece of paper to the vent – if it sticks, the air draft is good. If it falls off, however, the air ventilation in the house is impaired.
Ventilation ducts must be cleaned on time
According to Dainius Adomavičius, air draught can be reduced due to a dirty ventilation duct grille or a blocked ventilation duct itself. In such cases, it is recommended to contact the building administrator of the apartment building, who will visit the apartment to determine the actual cause of the ventilation problem and arrange for it to be fixed.
“Often it is enough for residents to simply remove and clean the grilles covering the ventilation opening. However, there are also cases where we find dust, waste and grease from cooker hoods in the ventilation ducts. A clogged ventilation system becomes less efficient and reduces natural draught, so it is essential to clean the ventilation duct properly to improve it,” says a Civinity Namai specialist.
Regular ventilation and the right air temperature are essential
Keeping the ventilation ducts working properly in the home also means not forgetting to ventilate the rooms regularly by opening the windows, especially when cooking and more steam is produced in the home, or when laundry is being dried in the apartment.
We recommend measuring not only the air temperature but also the humidity in every home. The temperature should not fall below 18 degrees Celsius and the humidity level should be between 40-60%.
The problem may also be in the windows
If even with proper ventilation, temperature and humidity, dew cannot be prevented, the problem is probably in the windows.
According to Adomavičius, if windows are installed poorly or if the external finish has changed over time, cold air enters the room through the window frames, creating a dew point, freezing and mould build-up. In such cases, it is recommended to contact a window specialist.