That’s been my experience, too. I got all excited about triple panes when we moved in, but honestly, just sealing up the old single panes and adding proper weatherstripping made a bigger difference than I expected. The humidity thing caught me off guard—our windows barely fogged before, but after tightening everything up, I had to start cracking a window now and then just to keep things balanced. Sometimes the “fancy” upgrades don’t pay off as much as some caulk and a cheap meter.
I get what you’re saying about the old single panes and some elbow grease making a big difference—I did the same thing in my last place. But I gotta say, after moving into a house with triple panes already installed, I noticed a pretty big change, especially during those brutal Midwest winters. Yeah, the initial outlay is wild (my wallet still cries when I think about it), but our furnace barely kicks on now compared to what I was used to.
The humidity thing is real though… ours started fogging up like a sauna after we tightened everything up. Ended up buying one of those little hygrometers and running a dehumidifier in the basement. Not the most elegant solution, but it worked.
Honestly, if you’re in a milder climate or you don’t mind throwing on a sweater, sealing and weatherstripping probably gets you 80% there. But if you’ve got old leaky windows and live somewhere that gets subzero, triple panes can be worth it—just maybe not for the faint of heart (or wallet).
That fogging is a classic sign you’ve really sealed things up tight—sometimes too tight for older houses that used to “breathe” a bit. I’ve run into a lot of folks who don’t realize they’ll need to manage indoor humidity once they upgrade windows. Did you notice any issues with stale air or stuffiness after the install, or was it just the condensation? Sometimes I recommend adding a simple air exchanger if the house starts to feel sealed up like a Tupperware.
Sometimes I recommend adding a simple air exchanger if the house starts to feel sealed up like a Tupperware.
That’s spot on. Once you tighten up an old house with new windows, you really notice how much air used to sneak in and out. I went through something similar after swapping in triple panes a couple winters ago. The energy savings were real, but right away we started seeing more condensation on the glass, especially when cooking or after showers. The place felt warmer but also a bit stuffier, if I’m honest.
I ended up putting in a basic HRV (heat recovery ventilator) and it made a difference—cleared up the fogging and just made the whole house feel fresher. Not the cheapest add-on, but worth it if you’re sealing up tight. If you’re only seeing condensation and not getting that stale air feeling, you might get by with just running bathroom fans more or cracking a window here and there.
Upgrading is definitely worth it for comfort and bills, but yeah, you’ve got to tweak the airflow a bit after.
The energy savings were real, but right away we started seeing more condensation on the glass, especially when cooking or after showers.
That’s actually a common issue after tightening up an older house. Triple panes really cut down on drafts, but that means less natural ventilation, so humidity has nowhere to go. I’ve seen people try to solve it just by running bathroom fans more, but honestly, a dedicated HRV or ERV is usually a better long-term fix if you want to keep the air fresh and avoid moisture headaches. Not cheap, but it pays off in comfort. Sometimes folks don’t expect the extra step after window upgrades, but it’s worth thinking about before you commit.
We ran into the same thing after putting in triple panes a couple winters ago—felt like a win on the heating bill, but suddenly our bathroom mirror was fogging up way more. Took me by surprise, honestly. Ended up cracking a window now and then until we could swing an HRV. It’s a bit of an extra step, yeah, but you’re definitely not alone. Sometimes these upgrades come with side effects nobody warns you about... but it’s fixable. Hang in there, it’s worth it in the long run.
I’ve seen a lot of folks jump straight to HRVs or cracking windows, but honestly, sometimes that’s overkill—especially if you only notice fog in the bathroom. Before investing in more gear, you might want to try bumping up your exhaust fan usage or even upgrading to a higher CFM model. Triple panes really do seal things up, but you can often balance it out with some targeted ventilation instead of opening windows and losing the efficiency you just paid for. Not saying an HRV isn’t a good idea, just that it’s not always the first fix.
I get where you’re coming from about ventilation, but I’ve seen a surprising number of houses where just running the bath fan wasn’t enough after going to triple panes. Sometimes the air just doesn’t move the way you’d expect, especially in older homes with weird duct runs. Upgrading to a higher CFM fan helps for sure, but in some cases, an HRV really does make a noticeable difference—especially if you start seeing condensation on more than just the bathroom window. Not saying everyone needs to drop the cash on one, but I wouldn’t rule it out if you’re still fighting fog even after tweaking the fans.
Upgrading to a higher CFM fan helps for sure, but in some cases, an HRV really does make a noticeable difference—especially if you start seeing condensation on more than just the bathroom window.
I hear you on the HRV making a difference, but honestly, I’ve run into plenty of houses where just fixing the fan setup and running it longer did the trick—even after swapping to triple panes. One old bungalow I worked on had crazy condensation until we found out the vent wasn’t actually reaching outside (just dumping air into the attic). Once that was fixed, no more foggy windows, even in the middle of winter. Sometimes it’s just about tracking down those weird quirks before dropping a bunch of cash on new equipment.
Yeah, I’ve seen that too—sometimes it’s just a goofy venting issue or a fan that’s more for show than anything else. Had a neighbor who swore up and down his new triple panes would fix all the moisture, but turns out his bathroom fan was just pushing steam into the attic like yours. Once we ran some actual ductwork, problem solved. Triple pane windows are great and all, but if the rest of the house is working against you, it’s kinda like putting a fancy hat on a leaky roof.