Spring may soon be upon the UK, but the cold and frosty weather is here to stay for a little while longer.
Every winterly morning, we look out of our windows and they might appear frosty, foggy or misty. This can look quite picturesque. However, frost doesn’t seem so pretty when you notice it has destroyed your beautiful delicate flower bed. But can frost cause bigger damage to your home? Maybe to your water pipes, or even, your windows?
Right now, the question that might be lingering in most people’s minds is “can frost damage my windows?”. With that said, what better place to find the answer, than in this article by Salop Glass. Keep on reading to learn more.
Frost can form on your windows when cold air on the outside comes into contact with moist air on the inside. Moisture in air, called water vapour, gets drawn to the inside window pane, and when the outside surface temperature goes below freezing temperatures, this water vapour turns into a liquid. This is called condensation. Then the liquid freezes into ice crystals, causing the appearance of frost. While condensation on your windows isn’t a major problem itself, frost can cause significant damage to your windows and lead to other problems if left untreated.
As the frost melts to water, it can damage the window, the wall, and the air quality of your home. If the window frame is made from timber, it can discolour the varnish, crack the paint, and damage the wooden frame. Frost can also melt off single-paned windows, drip down into a nearby wall, creating dampness in your home.
As we all know, humidity and dampness makes the perfect environment for mould to grow, especially in the bathroom. Mould reduces your home’s air quality and it can be harmful to family members with weak immune systems. Frost damaged windows can easily allow leaks and draughts to enter your home. This can lead to homeowners turning their heating up higher than normal and eventually, facing a hefty energy bill.
If you have single pane windows, you may want to consider upgrading to our energy efficient double glazed windows to prevent frost damage. Double glazed windows feature a pocket of argon gas to help dramatically slow down the forming of condensation and frost.
Frost or moisture build-up between the two panes is usually a sign that the window seal is broken. We see this often in older windows. If you have double glazed windows in your home and you have noticed this happening in a single unit or multiple ones, you might need a replacement unit.
At Salop Glass & Glazing, we are here to help if you are experiencing frost build-up on your windows. For further information, please feel free to get in touch with us.
