There is a lot of ice building up on the inside of my windows during this cold weather. Most of the ice accumulates on the second floor windows of our house. I melt it with a hair dryer and mop it up every day but I’d like to find a way to stop it. Do you have any suggestions?

This is a common problem during cold weather. In particular, it is a common drawback with single pane windows. Double pane (thermo-pane) windows will not ice up easily because they do not provide a condensing surface for warm moist air to meet the cold exterior air. Although this is an expensive solution to icy windows it definitely pays you back in heat savings over time and it increases your re-sale value. There are also rebate programs like the Federal Government Energuide initiative that will help offset these costs with partial grants. If you have single pane windows and can’t afford this upgrade consider constructing new storm windows or salvaging old single pane windows that fit your frames and installing these “new” storm windows on the outside or inside of your original windows each fall. There is also a heat shrink poly film available at building supply stores that you can use to create a temporary, seasonal storm window.

But it is also worth discussing possible sources of moisture in your home. The usual culprits are laundry washing machines, bathrooms, kitchens and occasionally clothes dryers. The fundamental principle here is to control and eliminate the moisture before it evaporates and re-condenses on your windows. The most effective way of eliminating moist air is an exhaust fan. Install fans in bathrooms, laundry rooms and in your kitchen and vent them all to the outdoors. Inter-connect one fan on each floor to a de-humidistat set to kick the fan on when humidity rises above 30 percent. If you have a humidifier on your furnace, de-activate it. Also, check your dryer vent pipe for leaks and dis-connects.

If you have a basement or crawlspace, moisture from the exterior will wick into these areas. So install gutters on your roof eaves and connect the downspouts to leaders that carry the water well away from your basement walls. This will help control the rising dampness that turns into condensation and ice on your windows. In the short term, as a temporary solution you can purchase an electric de-humidifying moisture-extraction machine and install it on the second floor near the stairwell. Although this doesn’t solve the problem these machines are relatively inexpensive and it will help provide short-term relief from the pooling water on your window sills.

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This article was written by Steven Cannon, a Registered Building Official and partner in Lynch Building Inspection Services Ltd. of Nelson, British Columbia. It originally appeared in The Nelson Express.

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