Condensation on aluminium window frames...

[Externet]

Hi all.

In winter time, aluminium window frames form condensation from any humidity inside the dwelling as cold is easily conducted from the outside exposed metal surfaces, puddling on sills and staining paint, probably causing rot in underlying wood.

Is there any treatment/coating that is usually applied to aluminium frames to avoid that damage ?   The glass does not condense humidity, just the highly conductive Al frames do. 🙁

[studiot]

1 minute ago, Externet said:

Hi all.

In winter time, aluminium window frames form condensation from any humidity inside the dwelling as cold is easily conducted from the outside exposed metal surfaces, puddling on sills and staining paint, probably causing rot in underlying wood.

Is there any treatment/coating that is usually applied to aluminium frames to avoid that damage ?   The glass does not condense humidity, just the highly conductive Al frames do. 🙁

Which is why more expensive aluminium frames have a thermal break. This is usually a plastic section separating the inner and outer aluminium frames.

I take it yours does not?

[Externet]

I assume not; from ~25 years ago when the manufacturer was experimenting? -in summer- with aluminium, migrating from wood framed windows. Perhaps manufacturers now insert a non-metallic gap/break in the frame to avoid what customers found with pain after in$talled.

[studiot]

13 minutes ago, Externet said:

I assume not; from ~25 years ago when the manufacturer was experimenting? -in summer- with aluminium, migrating from wood framed windows. Perhaps manufacturers now insert a non-metallic gap/break in the frame to avoid what customers found with pain after in$talled.

Thermal break technology is much older than 25 years.

But there was a great push by the now infamous double glazing sales brigade in those days.

Sorry there is little you can do except replace the frames or use absorbant cloths.

 

[Externet]

Now it is the triple glaze argon filled push...

Foam tapes do exist, but... is there any silicone self-adhesive tape to apply to the frame ?  That should help somewhat... If exists,  how did they apply the adhesive to silicone ? 🤨

[J.C.MacSwell]

On 7/25/2020 at 10:31 AM, Externet said:

Hi all.

In winter time, aluminium window frames form condensation from any humidity inside the dwelling as cold is easily conducted from the outside exposed metal surfaces, puddling on sills and staining paint, probably causing rot in underlying wood.

Is there any treatment/coating that is usually applied to aluminium frames to avoid that damage ?   The glass does not condense humidity, just the highly conductive Al frames do. 🙁

It does. Just not as nearly as much as aluminum as aluminum conducts heat better (insulates poorer). Any material below the dew point will start to accumulate condensation.

The trick is how to keep it above the dew point of the adjacent air, and how to adequately protect any materials from that condensation if you can't.