Yeah, I’ve had that happen too. The shrink film definitely cut down on the fog in the middle, but then I’d get these weird little pools at the bottom corners. My house is from the 70s, so maybe it’s just drafty frames letting air sneak in. I ended up sticking a towel on the sill just in case... not exactly a fancy fix, but it worked for a while.
I ended up sticking a towel on the sill just in case... not exactly a fancy fix, but it worked for a while.
That’s pretty much what I see all the time in older homes—towels, rags, whatever folks have handy. I get why you’d go that route. But honestly, if you’re still getting “weird little pools at the bottom corners,” it makes me wonder if there’s more going on than just drafts. Ever notice if the corners of your aluminum frames feel colder than the rest? Sometimes those old 70s frames lose their seal (or never had much to begin with) and that’s where condensation loves to collect.
Shrink film helps with the center glass but doesn’t do much for the frames themselves. Did you check if there’s any caulking missing around the outside? I’ve seen plenty of houses where water sneaks in through tiny gaps you’d never notice unless you’re looking for them.
Not saying towels are wrong—they’re just not a long-term fix. I’m always a bit skeptical when folks think plastic film alone will do the trick, especially with older aluminum windows. Have you tried popping off any trim to see what’s underneath? Sometimes it’s just a mess of old insulation or none at all...
Yeah, I’ve seen the same thing—plastic film is great for the glass, but those cold metal corners are always the problem. I had one window where the insulation behind the trim was basically dust, which explained a lot. Did you ever notice if it gets worse after a rainstorm, or is it just every cold morning? Sometimes it’s more about outside moisture than just inside humidity.
- Noticed the same thing with my old aluminum windows—those corners are always icy, even when the glass is fine.
- In my place (built in the 70s), it’s worse after a rainy night. I think the outside moisture just lingers on the frame and seeps through any gaps, especially if the insulation’s shot.
- On dry but cold mornings, I still get some sweating, but not as much. Seems like humidity inside + cold metal = condensation, no matter what.
- Tried stuffing some extra foam back behind the trim last winter—helped a bit, but didn’t totally solve it.
- If you’re seeing dust for insulation, might be worth pulling off the trim and adding new spray foam or those rope caulks. Not fancy, but it makes a difference.
- One thing: if you use a humidifier overnight, that’ll make it worse too. Learned that the hard way with our bedroom window... woke up to puddles more than once.
Not sure there’s a perfect fix short of replacing the windows, but tightening up those gaps does help keep things drier.
Not sure there’s a perfect fix short of replacing the windows, but tightening up those gaps does help keep things drier.
That’s pretty much the story with aluminum frames. I’ve worked on a bunch of these in houses from the 60s and 70s—back then, nobody really cared about thermal breaks. The metal just acts like a bridge for cold air, so even if your glass is double-pane, the frame itself is a magnet for condensation.
Had a job last winter where the client kept finding puddles on the sill every morning. Turns out, their “insulation” was basically shredded newspaper stuffed behind the trim (I wish I was joking). We pulled everything off, cleaned it up, and used low-expansion spray foam around the rough opening. Not glamorous, but it cut down on the sweating by half.
Humidifiers are sneaky culprits too. Folks crank them up thinking it’ll help with dry skin or static shocks, but then you wake up to mini lakes under your windows.
Short of swapping out for vinyl or wood with a thermal break, sealing those gaps and dialing back humidity at night is about as good as it gets. It’s not perfect, but it beats mopping up every morning.
The metal just acts like a bridge for cold air, so even if your glass is double-pane, the frame itself is a magnet for condensation.
Couldn’t agree more. I’ve seen folks throw money at better glass and still end up with soggy sills because that frame is just a cold highway. Even caulking helps only so much—honestly, sometimes it’s just living with it or biting the bullet on new windows.
That’s spot on about the frames being the real culprit. I’ve worked on a lot of window retrofits over the years, and honestly, aluminum frames are notorious for this exact issue. I remember one job in a 1970s ranch where the homeowners had just put in brand new double-pane glass, thinking it would solve their condensation problem. The glass was fine, but every morning, there’d be those little rivers running down the aluminum sills. They were so frustrated—felt like they’d wasted their money.
Thermal bridging is the technical term for what’s happening here. Metal just conducts heat (and cold) like crazy, so even if you’ve got top-notch glass, the frame itself becomes a cold spot where warm indoor air hits and drops its moisture. Caulking helps with drafts but doesn’t really address that temperature difference. You can try insulating strips or thermal breaks, but with older windows, sometimes there’s just not much you can do without replacing them.
I will say, though, not everyone needs to jump straight to new windows. If the sweating isn’t causing mold or rot and you can live with wiping things down now and then, it’s not always worth the investment—especially if your frames are still structurally sound. But if you’re getting water damage or black spots on your trim...that’s when it might be time to start looking at modern options with thermal breaks built into the frame.
Funny enough, I’ve seen some folks try DIY solutions like wrapping towels around their sills overnight or even running a fan at the window to keep air moving. Not elegant, but sometimes you gotta do what works until you’re ready for an upgrade.
Man, the towel trick made me laugh—I’ve totally done that. My windows are like little waterfalls in the winter, especially after cooking pasta or running the shower. I tried putting those cheap foam strips on the frames, but honestly, it just made the windows harder to open and didn’t do much for the sweat. I’m with you—unless there’s actual water damage, I just wipe ‘em down and move on. New windows are pricey, and my 80s house has enough projects already...
Yeah, those cheap foam strips are a pain. I’ve seen people try plastic window film kits too—bit of a hassle but they can help cut down on the condensation if you’re up for it. Honestly though, as long as you’re wiping them down and not seeing mold or rot, you’re probably fine. Aluminum just sweats like crazy in the cold months, especially with showers and pasta steam. New windows are nice but man, they’ll eat your budget fast...
- Yep, plastic film works better than foam strips for me.
- Don’t bother unless you’re okay with a little fuss every fall—hair dryer and all.
- Biggest culprit is indoor humidity, especially after showers or cooking.
- Crack a window or run the vent fan, helps more than people think.
- Replacing windows is pricey, but if you ever see wood trim getting soft or black spots, that’s when I’d worry.
- For now, just keep wiping and keep an eye out for any damage... aluminum’s always gonna sweat a bit in winter.