That’s the struggle, right? I used to think Energy Star meant magic windows, but condensation still happened every winter in my old place. Turns out, it’s less about the brand and more about managing indoor humidity—especially with humidifiers running. Have you tried a small fan or moving the humidifier farther from the window? It helped a bit for me, though nothing’s perfect. Honestly, I wish there was a fix that didn’t mean sacrificing comfort or warmth.
You nailed it with this:
Turns out, it’s less about the brand and more about managing indoor humidity—especially with humidifiers running.
That’s something I keep running into on jobs. People drop big money on fancy windows thinking they’ll never see condensation again, but if the inside humidity’s too high, even the best glass will sweat. Energy Star is great for efficiency, but it’s not a magic bullet for moisture.
I get where you’re coming from on comfort, too. Folks want to run humidifiers so their skin doesn’t turn to sandpaper in winter, but then the windows fog up. It’s a balancing act. I’ve seen some luck with trickle vents or cracking the window just a hair (even when it feels counterintuitive). Not perfect, but sometimes you have to let a bit of that moisture out.
Honestly, unless you go full tilt with HRVs or whole-house ventilation—which isn’t cheap—there’s always going to be a bit of give and take. At least you’re thinking about it, which puts you ahead of most.
You’re spot on—humidity’s the real culprit, not just the window brand. I’ve seen folks get frustrated after shelling out for triple-pane, only to find their windows still fog up. Finding that balance between comfort and dry glass can be tricky, especially in older homes. It’s a win if you’re even thinking about humidity levels—most people don’t realize how much it matters.
Yeah, humidity’s a sneaky one. I put in new windows thinking that’d fix everything, but nope—still got fog on cold mornings. Turns out my old house just traps moisture like crazy. Dehumidifier helped more than the fancy glass, honestly.
I hear you on that—new windows don’t solve everything. I went with triple-pane Energy Star ones a few years ago, and while they cut drafts, condensation was still an issue until I sealed up some crawlspace vents and ran a basement dehumidifier. Did you look at your indoor humidity levels before and after the install? Sometimes it’s more about ventilation than glass specs...
Funny, I had almost the same experience when I swapped out my old single-pane windows for double-pane Energy Star ones (went with Andersen, if it matters). I thought for sure that was gonna be the end of condensation, but nope—still woke up to foggy glass most winter mornings. It wasn’t until I started tracking humidity with a cheap digital meter that things clicked. The readings were hovering around 55–60% indoors, which is apparently pretty high for cold weather.
Here’s what actually made a difference for me, step by step:
1. Checked all the exhaust fans—turns out my bathroom fan was basically just spinning air around and not venting outside. Fixed that, and ran it longer after showers.
2. Added weatherstripping to the attic hatch and sealed up some gaps in the rim joists down in the basement. Not glamorous work, but it helped.
3. Picked up a small dehumidifier and ran it in the basement like you did. That dropped humidity by about 10% within a week.
4. Only after all that did I notice a real drop in window condensation.
Honestly, I think window brands matter less than the overall “tightness” of the house and how you manage moisture. The glass specs help with drafts and maybe slow down condensation, but if you’ve got a damp crawlspace or poor ventilation, even the fanciest triple-pane isn’t gonna fix it all.
One thing I wish I’d known: those hygrometers are cheap and super useful. Saved me a lot of guesswork.
Curious if anyone’s had luck with those interior storm window kits as a stopgap? I tried one on an old basement window and it seemed to help, but I’m not sure if that’s just in my head...
Honestly, I think window brands matter less than the overall “tightness” of the house and how you manage moisture.
Couldn't agree more. I went through a similar process after installing Marvin double-pane units—looked great, but condensation stuck around until I started paying attention to indoor RH. Tightening up the envelope and making sure my kitchen hood actually vented outside made a bigger difference than any glass upgrade.
As for those interior storm kits, I used the 3M film on a drafty old sash in my mudroom. It definitely cut down on condensation, but mostly by keeping the inside glass warmer. Not a total fix, but better than nothing during a cold snap.
Yeah, I’ve noticed the same thing—brand doesn’t seem to matter as much as folks think. I swapped out all my old single-pane windows for a mix of Andersen and Pella (both Energy Star), hoping it’d solve the condensation problem. Didn’t really work until I got serious about running the bath fan and keeping the humidifier in check during winter. My basement windows still sweat a bit, but that’s mostly because I’m fighting a losing battle with damp down there.
I tried those shrink-wrap kits too, mostly on the north side. They’re a pain to put up every year, but honestly, they do help keep the glass warmer. Not perfect, but better than nothing when it’s below freezing outside.
If you’re dealing with lots of moisture, maybe look at a dehumidifier or check for hidden leaks. Sometimes it’s just too many people breathing in a small space, too—learned that last Christmas when we had a houseful. Windows fogged up no matter what I did.
Didn’t really work until I got serious about running the bath fan and keeping the humidifier in check during winter.
Couldn’t agree more. Swapping windows alone is rarely the magic bullet—humidity control is half the battle. I went with Marvin for a few rooms, and honestly, they’re no miracle either when you’ve got moisture hanging around. Curious if you ever tried insulating the basement walls? I noticed a drop in sweat after adding rigid foam down there, but it’s not totally gone. Wondering if anyone’s had luck with those vented window inserts—seems like they help in theory, but not sure if it’s worth the hassle.
- Absolutely agree—humidity is usually the real culprit, not just the window brand. I’ve swapped out plenty of windows (Marvin, Andersen, some lower-end ones too) and honestly, even the best still sweat if the air’s damp.
- Rigid foam on basement walls does help. I’ve seen it cut down on condensation upstairs, but you’re right—it’s rarely a total fix. Usually need to pair it with better air sealing and sometimes a dehumidifier.
- About those vented inserts: mixed results in my experience. They can reduce drafts, but if you’ve still got high humidity, you might just be trapping moisture inside. Some clients liked them in older homes where replacing windows wasn’t an option, but they’re a bit of a band-aid.
- One thing that made a surprising difference for me was tracking down all the little air leaks—think attic hatches, rim joists, even around outlets. Once those were sealed up, the windows behaved better.
- If you’ve got an older house, sometimes it’s just a battle every winter...but stacking up small improvements usually gets it manageable. Never found one single product that solved everything.