Condensation

Condensation is the fog that is evident on the glass of your windows. This is the same fog that appears on the outside of a cold glass during the summer.

Condensation is actually the result of high humidity levels in your home. It generally appears as moisture or ice on the interior of the glass. The problem is more visible on the glass of your windows because the surface condenses more easily. This means that the glass has the lowest temperature of any visible surface in your home. It needs to be noted that if moisture is visible here, it could be happening elsewhere as well. Problems such as peeling paint, rotting wood, mildew or moisture spots are typical symptoms of condensation.

The cause of the condensation is too much moisture in the air in relation to the temperature of the surface on which the moisture condenses. When warm air meets a cooler surface, it condenses. This creates the visible moisture you see on the surface of your windows which is similar to your cool glass windshield of your car. Condensation also occurs when the flow of warm air is restricted from reaching window surfaces causing the warm moist air to cool and loose its ability to retain higher moisture levels.

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Humidity

Humidity is the amount of moisture in the air. It may come from various sources. Your home needs a certain amount of moisture, but deciding how much you need is a critical decision.

The following recommended humidity levels will help you with the moisture level of your home; reducing humidity while maintaining comfort. It is based on the inside relative humidity for a 70° indoor temperature. It is also important to note that for each degree cooler than 70° the interior relative humidity should be reduced an extra 2%-4%.

+20° F & Warmer	35-40%
+10° F	30-35%
0° F	25-30%
-10° F	20-25%
-20° F	15-20%

If there is moisture on your windows, it is important to check your entire home. Problem areas could reveal themselves as damp spots on ceilings and walls. The end result could be the moisture passing through the walls, insulation, and to the exterior walls causing peeling or blistering paint or other damage anywhere there is a vapor barrier. This could eventually cause rotting of the frame of the building if left untreated.

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Causes of Humidity

As stated before, moisture may come from a variety of sources. The following is a list of average daily living activities and how much moisture a family of four contributes to their living environment, which can add up to more than 18 gallons of water per week.

Normal Breathing	1/2 pint per hour
Cooking (3 meals a day)	4-5 pints per day
Showering	1/2 pint each
Plants	1 pint per day/per plant

A New Home

When a new home is built, a great deal of moisture is released from the building materials such as wood or plaster. Since newer homes are manufactured more air-tight, there is typically no outlet for the humidity to escape unless steps are taken to vent the moisture during construction and the first few heating and cooling cycles. During the winter months in cooler climates, the moisture will be released into your home. This circumstance usually occurs only during the initial heating season.

Location and Time

Some regions are more prevalent to condensation than others. Generally areas that reach 35° Fahrenheit or below in the winter months are more susceptible to condensation.

Interior condensation is more likely in the initial heating months of winter or during a severe, rapid change in temperature over a short period of time during the winter. This happens when moisture in the air contacts a surface whose temperature is lower than the dew point (the temperature in which air manufactures dew). This symptom should gradually dissipate during the season.

Exterior surface condensation usually occurs on sultry, humid summer days, typically when an air conditioner is being used. This creates a surface temperature on the glass below the dew point.

Humidity within a home will fluctuate at different times of the day as well. Generally the highest humidity readings occur at night or in the morning when the occupants are conducting the daily activities that cause humidity levels to rise such as bathing, cooking and laundry.

Type of Window

Some window types, such as bays and bows, are more subject to condensate. Because they are more exposed to the environment, these windows may be somewhat cooler. Also, due to their shape, there is a lack of air movement within the window.

One solution to this problem is to make sure that the window is properly insulated upon installation. Contact your contractor or insulation specialist for further details. Another solution is to use a fan to promote air circulation.

Window Coverings

Another concern might be the type of window coverings that are being used. Those that are close to the windows restrict the flow of warmer air and can contribute to a condensation problem.

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Reducing Humidity

Existing Homes

There are several steps that you can take to reduce your indoor humidity level. The most important one is to make sure your home is properly vented.

Install vents in all areas such as attics and crawl spaces and make sure they are always unblocked. Many people cover attic vents or louvers for the winter thinking that they are keeping cold air out, not realizing that they are also keeping moisture in.

Install exhaust fans in rooms with high humidity levels such as bathrooms and kitchens. Make sure they are used during and long after taking a bath/shower and cooking. Also make sure that exhaust fans and appliances, such as clothes’ dryers and gas heaters, are properly ducted, sealed and vented to the exterior of the home, not into a crawl space or attic. Gas appliances should be a major concern. Water vapor is one of the by-products of gas combustion.

Lincoln highly recommends the use of an air exchanger. Combined with the use of ceiling fans and dehumidifiers, condensation can be drastically reduced. A temporary solution for severe cases would be to open a window in each effected room for a short period of time.

For more specifics on these and other ideas, we recommend consulting a heating and ventilation specialist.

New Construction Homes

When planning your new home, here are some helpful suggestions that should be considered in addition to those mentioned for existing homes:

Choose a wood window instead of a metal one. Wood is a much better insulator than metal. Also, make sure your windows and doors are Energy Star™ certified. Make sure that your contractor has considered the most appropriate way to keep soil moisture from permeating the basement or foundation. Proper insulation is one of the most valuable tools in any energy efficient residence. But many people often forget their water pipes and cold air ducts. Any pipes (such as cold water pipes) or ducts that condensate in the warmer months should be covered with insulation that has an exterior vapor barrier.

Finishes

Exterior Finishing

Primed/Natural Wood Products

Wood is a natural material and must be protected from the elements. Initial painting/staining and regular maintenance is necessary to achieve a long life product. Failure to paint/stain the exterior of your Lincoln product immediately after installation will void your warranty.

Primed products require painting immediately after installation. Factory priming is intended to protect products during handling and installation only. Primed products should not be subjected to long-term exterior exposure. Prior to painting:

• All wood surfaces must be lightly sanded to remove any dirt or handling marks. After sanding, be sure to clean all surfaces to remove any sanding dust
• All nail holes filled
• All cracks sealed with good quality paintable sealant
• All cellular PVC materials cleaned with a good quality multi-purpose cleaner. See Exterior Finishing – cPVC Components for more information

Two coats of top quality exterior latex paint are recommended. For proper paint selection see a qualified paint professional in your area. Be sure to follow the paint manufacturer’s instructions. NOTE: Top coats must lap on the glass by a minimum of 1/16”.

Note: Simulated Divided Lites are available as either an extruded aluminum bar, which has a pale green primer pre-applied, or as a primed all-wood bar. Either bar type should be treated the same - lightly sanded to remove any dirt or handling marks, wiped clean to remove any sanding dust and finished with two coats of top quality exterior latex paint.

Natural wood products require painting or staining immediately after installation. Prior to painting or staining:

• All wood surfaces must be lightly sanded to remove any dirt or handling marks. After sanding, be sure to clean all surfaces to remove any sanding dust
• All nail holes filled
• All cracks sealed with good quality paintable sealant

Because wood is a natural product, variations of wood grain, color or texture may be experienced. Lincoln cannot be responsible for these color variations, and will not consider them a defect. Refer to Lincoln’s Limited Warranty. Consult with your paint professional for proper preparatory procedures to minimize these differences. A good quality pre-stain sealer is recommended in order to balance stain absorption between different grain densities of wood. Follow the paint manufacturer’s application recommendations for this process.

Pre-stain sealer, stain and two coats of varnish or primer and two finish coats of paint are recommended. NOTE: Top coats must lap on the glass by a minimum of 1/16”.

Sash of windows and panels of doors should be painted/stained in an open position or removed completely from the unit. Allow paint/stain to dry thoroughly before reinstallation or closing of window/door products. Be sure to protect any vinyl parts or weatherstripping from contact with paint/stain. Paint/stain may cause these materials to harden or become brittle and not perform their intended function. Do not paint/stain any parts that rely on friction contact for performance, (i.e. sash edges of glider and double hung windows). On all other units except the glider and double hung, the sash edges should be painted or stained.

Patio door panels must be sealed on all edges. Six sides for wood doors, five sides for clad doors. Patio doors both wood and clad must be sealed immediately after installation (see door sticker). After installation, install handle set to avoid water and moisture from getting into door.

Lincoln Wood Products, Inc. cannot be responsible for a door product that is not properly sealed or maintained. Improper painting or finishing of your Lincoln window/patio door products will void your warranty.

Field applied accessories, such as brickmould, spread mulls, panning systems, etc. and assembly of Lincoln fabricated products by others are not included in Lincoln’s warranty.

cPVC Components

Some Lincoln products utilize Cellular PVC (cPVC) material on exterior parts. Cellular components replace traditional wood materials in rot-prone areas. This may include exterior trims, sills and sill nosing. These white cPVC parts do not require painting (they only need to be cleaned with a good quality multi-purpose cleaner); however we recommend the sealing of all nail holes, cracks and gaps on the exterior.

If you choose to paint the cPVC parts, the use of 100% acrylic latex primer and exterior latex paint is recommended for application of light colors only (L Value of 50 or lighter). Example: Sherwin Williams Duration paint with VinylSafe color technology – available in 100 standard colors or custom colors using their Sher-Color computer custom matching system.

If a dark color (L Value of 50 or darker) paint is used, excess solar heat may be absorbed, subjecting the cPVC material to warping and distortion due to extremes of thermal expansion and contraction. This reaction is even more evident when these parts are exposed to direct sunlight in hot climates. Paint adhesion loss, blistering and peeling could also result.

NOTE: Lincoln does not recommend painting cPVC parts with dark color paints unless a good quality heat reflective paint is used, and that it is applied according to the paint manufacturer’s recommended application instructions. Failure to use heat reflective dark color paints on Cellular PVC parts will void your warranty and Lincoln will not be responsible for repair or replacement of any resulting damage due to distortion, warping, paint blistering, or peeling of paint on the Cellular PVC parts. Consult your paint professional for proper paint selection.

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Interior Finishing

Just as with the exterior wood surfaces, raw interior wood surfaces also require finishing immediately after installation. Lincoln recommends painting over our factory applied primer immediately after installation. FirstFinish interiors require one additional top coat. Prior to painting or staining:

• All wood surfaces must be lightly sanded to remove any dirt or handling marks. After sanding, be sure to clean all surfaces to remove any sanding dust
• All nail holes filled
• Primed interior – Apply two coats of high quality interior paint
• FirstFinish interior – Apply one coat of high quality interior paint

Because wood is a natural product, variations of wood grain, color or texture may be experienced. Lincoln cannot be responsible for these color variations, and will not consider them a defect. Consult with your paint professional for proper preparatory procedures to minimize these differences. A good quality pre-stain sealer is recommended in order to balance stain absorption between different grain densities of wood. Follow the paint manufacturer’s application recommendations for this process.

Pre-stain sealer, stain and two coats of varnish or primer and two finish coats of paint are recommended. NOTE: Top coats must lap on the glass by a minimum of 1/16”.

Sash of windows and panels of doors should be painted/stained in an open position or removed completely from the unit. Allow paint/stain to dry thoroughly before reinstallation or closing of window/door products. Be sure to protect any vinyl parts or weatherstripping from contact with paint/stain. Paint/stain may cause these materials to harden or become brittle and not perform their intended function. Do not paint/stain any parts that rely on friction contact for performance, (i.e. sash edges of glider and double hung windows). On all other units except the glider and double hung, the sash edges should be painted or stained.

Patio door panels must be sealed on all edges. Six sides for wood doors, five sides for clad doors. Patio doors both wood and clad must be sealed immediately after installation (see door sticker). After installation, install handle set to avoid water and moisture from getting into door. Lincoln Wood Products, Inc. cannot be responsible for a door product that is not properly sealed or maintained. Improper painting or finishing of your Lincoln window/patio door products will void your warranty.

Glass Cleaning

Routine Cleaning

Clean the glass as soon as dirt and or debris become apparent. Products such as Windex® and Sparkle® work well for routine hand cleaning. A mixture of one part vinegar with ten parts water is also an excellent cleaning product. Lincoln does not recommend alcohol-based or ammonia-based cleaners as they tend to leave visible streaks.

Start cleaning at the top of a particular wall or window and work your way down. Apply the liquid liberally to the glass surface and wipe with a lint free towel or cloth. Use a squeegee or clean soft cloth with clean water, to remove the cleaning solution from the glass as well as the frame and surrounding materials. To prevent streaking, stop wiping when the glass is almost dry and there is still a uniform film of moisture on the glass. This film will quickly evaporate leaving a clean surface. NOTE: Do not wipe with a dry cloth or when the surface is dry.

Spot Cleaning

For stubborn dirt or foreign materials, such as grease, oil, tape adhesive, paint and even crayons, standard glass cleaner may not suffice. For these instances, products such as Soft Scrub®, Denatured Alcohol, Acetone or Goof-Off® should be used.

Apply a small quantity of the liquid to a clean WET cloth. Rub on the surface requiring spot cleaning. Wipe clean and follow up with the routine cleaning procedure given above. NOTE: Do not wipe with a dry cloth or when the surface is dry.

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Dual Low-E Glass Cleaning

The interior of the surface of the Dual Low-E Glass has a thin pyrolytic coating which gives it an improved thermal performance. The low emissivity coating has a very fine, hard texture which requires a slightly different cleaning procedure when compared to regular glass.

Routine Cleaning and Spot Cleaning

Follow the Glass Cleaning procedures above with one exception - Never use a squeegee on the low emissivity surface.

Specialized Cleaning

While metallic objects, such as razor blades or steel wool should never be used to clean glass surfaces, it is especially important when working with Dual Low-E glass. The low-emissivity surface on the interior of the glass is actually harder than the metallic objects and a thin layer of the metal may be removed from the object and deposited on the surface of the glass which may appear as a ‘stain’ or ‘scratch’. These cannot be removed by routine cleaning. For the removal of metal marks, you will need to use products such as Acid Magic®, Steel Glo® or Muriatic Acid.

Apply a small quantity of the liquid to a clean wet cloth and rub on the glass surface until the mark is removed. Wipe clean and follow up with the routine cleaning procedure to remove any residue left by the specialized cleaning liquids. NOTE: Do not wipe with a dry cloth or when the surface is dry. NOTE: Never spray products such as Acid Magic®, Steel Glo® or Muriatic Acid directly on the glass surface. The over-spray of these liquids may damage non-glass window components such as wood, vinyl or silicone.

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Neat® & Preserve®

Follow the Glass Cleaning procedures for Neat® glass. Neat® glass products should require less maintenance on the exterior.

Lincoln recommends removing Preserve® films within six months of installation. Follow the Glass Cleaning procedures if glass cleaning is required.

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Precautions & Warnings

• Do not use power washers or garden hoses to clean windows
• Do not use metal scrapers of any kind or allow metal parts of cleaning equipment to contact glass. The Lincoln warranties do not cover glass scratched by scrapers, razor blades, or tools
• >Do not use abrasive cleaners on the glass surface
• >Do not clean windows in direct sunlight
• Do not allow cleaning solutions to dry on glass or surrounding surfaces
• Windows and doors should be protected when using abrasive or caustic cleaners on products around windows. Brick wash acids, abrasive cleansers and the like can all damage the surfaces of glass as well as the finish of vinyl and metal parts

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Screen Cleaning

To clean your screen of dust and light debris you may use the upholstery brush supplied with your vacuum cleaner. Heavier debris such as kitchen grease may be removed by gently scrubbing with mild soap and a soft brush. Screens should be rinsed to remove dirt and soap residue. Be sure that screens are dry before they are re-installed.

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General Maintenance

All Lincoln products require periodic inspection and maintenance. Inspect your Lincoln product at least annually. How often maintenance is required will differ based on local climates, exposure, amount and quality of finish used. Should you notice any signs of separation from wood, cracking or peeling paint, or gapping between materials, scrape or sand affected area and reseal with paint or caulk. Caulk all cracks or separations with a paintable quality sealant. Clean aluminum clad and vinyl products with mild soap and water. Aluminum clad can be waxed with a light automotive type wax to renew luster. Failure to properly maintain your Lincoln product will void your warranty.