Yeah, I’ve seen a bit of mold around the window corners during the colder months, especially where the condensation pools. It’s not terrible, but I do wipe it down pretty regularly. Have you tried leaving the window cracked just a bit overnight, or does that make it too cold?
Have you tried leaving the window cracked just a bit overnight, or does that make it too cold?
I’ve definitely tried cracking the window a bit, but man, in my place (12th floor), even a tiny gap turns the whole room into a walk-in fridge by morning. The wind up here is no joke—sometimes it actually whistles through the seals if I don’t close them tight. I get what you mean about the condensation though. Same thing happens for me, especially on the north-facing side. I actually switched to those double-glazed units last year hoping it’d help, and honestly, it cut down on condensation a lot, but didn’t totally solve it.
Funny thing is, I noticed mold only started showing up after I put in blackout curtains. Guess they trap the moisture against the glass? Now I try to pull them back during the day to let things dry out. Still feels like a constant battle between staying warm and keeping things dry... anyone else run into that with heavy curtains?
Funny thing is, I noticed mold only started showing up after I put in blackout curtains. Guess they trap the moisture against the glass?
Yeah, blackout curtains can definitely make it worse by blocking airflow. I had the same issue—ended up switching to thermal curtains that are a bit lighter and leave a gap at the bottom. That helped reduce condensation, but I still have to crack them open during the day or things start smelling musty. Honestly, it’s a trade-off between insulation and letting moisture escape... never found a perfect fix.
I get what you mean about the trade-off. When I moved into my condo on the 10th floor, I thought blackout curtains would be a game changer for sleep, but then the windows started sweating like crazy. Ended up with little spots of mold too. Now I just leave them cracked during the day and run a small fan by the window when it’s humid. Not perfect, but better than scrubbing mold off every few weeks... It’s wild how much difference a tiny airflow gap makes.
That’s interesting—my experience was almost the opposite with blackout curtains. I had them up in my old apartment (8th floor, not quite as high) and didn’t get much condensation at all, but I think it might’ve had to do with the window type? Mine were double-pane, and I guess that extra layer helped keep the temperature difference down. Still, I did notice some musty smell when I left the curtains closed for days on end.
I wonder if using those moisture absorber packs (the silica gel kind) near the window would help at all. Or maybe it’s just a matter of how airtight things are in newer buildings... Sometimes I feel like these energy-efficient windows trap too much humidity inside. The fan idea sounds smart though—airflow really does make a difference, even if it’s just a small desk fan pointed at the sill.
It’s wild how something as simple as curtain choice ends up being such a balancing act between comfort and maintenance.