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Drafty windows in Condo

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  • Jan 23rd, 2019 6:30 am
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Newbie
Dec 4, 2013
54 posts
33 upvotes
Toronto

Drafty windows in Condo

Hi,

I am in Toronto and this has been my first year of condo ownership. The condo is a two floor unit with tall glass windows. The living room actually has glass on the 2.5 sides. I know inherently with that much glass I have not the best insulation but the my place has been impossible to heat up the last few days. We have zonal heating system meaning I have multiple heat pumps. The main one in the living room running all day refuses to lift the temperature much, the other night it would not go past 18C.
The other day I noticed frost on the inside of my fixed windows, about 2cm thick, this was on about 50% of the windows. There is a also a strong cold air in the corner behind the couch where there is windows. I went to the unit above me which is the same layout and they did not have these issues aside from frost on the sliding windows but nothing on the fixed.

I get that condensation is common with the temperature difference but if it turns to frost i'm starting to think the seal is bad on the windows. It just feels like a lot of cold air on the edges of the glass. Is this my responsibility or the property managements? If it is mine, the plastic wrap isn't very feasible with the quantity of windows, should I caulk the edges? The unit above me does not have any caulk or anything on the edges.

Thanks
10 replies
Deal Expert
User avatar
Feb 11, 2007
21245 posts
25711 upvotes
GTA
What floor are you on? 2cm of ice seems like quite a lot. Even my crappy steel framed basement windows don't get that much ice.
If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.
Newbie
Dec 4, 2013
54 posts
33 upvotes
Toronto
I'm on the second floor, well I guess 3rd maybe given each unit is 2 stories.
Newbie
Sep 26, 2017
83 posts
148 upvotes
I had a similar issue at a condo I once had. Used to get a lot of ice and frost on the window frames. The building recaulked the windows and it still kept happening. My neighbours had the same problem, the consensus was that the building had crappy windows (the building was built in the late 90s).

We used a space heater and would point it at the windows, which helped to keep the frost away. We did the plastic wrap and it helped a bit. I don’t live there anymore, but I can imagine how much ice there would be now with this deep freeze.
Deal Expert
User avatar
Mar 9, 2007
15618 posts
13276 upvotes
Think of the Childre…
Probably looks like an inside igloo.
Landron wrote: I had a similar issue at a condo I once had. Used to get a lot of ice and frost on the window frames. The building recaulked the windows and it still kept happening. My neighbours had the same problem, the consensus was that the building had crappy windows (the building was built in the late 90s).

We used a space heater and would point it at the windows, which helped to keep the frost away. We did the plastic wrap and it helped a bit. I don’t live there anymore, but I can imagine how much ice there would be now with this deep freeze.

WOULD SOMEBODY THINK OF THE CHILDREN!!!
Deal Expert
User avatar
Feb 11, 2007
21245 posts
25711 upvotes
GTA
Just saw the high standards they have for windows in Switzerland. Mandatory triple pane. I bet costs for similar windows are much lower than here as well, due to higher volumes.

If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.
Newbie
Dec 4, 2013
54 posts
33 upvotes
Toronto
Landron wrote: I had a similar issue at a condo I once had. Used to get a lot of ice and frost on the window frames. The building recaulked the windows and it still kept happening. My neighbours had the same problem, the consensus was that the building had crappy windows (the building was built in the late 90s).


Mine was completed in 2002, I'll ask some more neighbors but just standing in my the units above place yesterday was night and day vs mine in terms of temperature.

Yeah have a space heater pointed at the couch so we can at least somewhat sit in the living room

We used a space heater and would point it at the windows, which helped to keep the frost away. We did the plastic wrap and it helped a bit. I don’t live there anymore, but I can imagine how much ice there would be now with this deep freeze.
Deal Addict
Mar 22, 2017
3098 posts
4574 upvotes
West GTA
engineered wrote: Just saw the high standards they have for windows in Switzerland. Mandatory triple pane. I bet costs for similar windows are much lower than here as well, due to higher volumes.

Double pane low-e is okay already though - R-value of about 3.8. Triple-pane no coating is 3.2, though triple-pane with a coating is 5.4, and two coatings is 7+ (center of glass, full pane will be somewhat lower due to edges). Installing triple-pane double-low e coating is really expensive though!
Deal Guru
Jan 25, 2007
12694 posts
7861 upvotes
Paris
engineered wrote: Just saw the high standards they have for windows in Switzerland. Mandatory triple pane. I bet costs for similar windows are much lower than here as well, due to higher volumes.

In 2020 you will see more triple on new builds as the GreenOn standard (which was top 10% of windows) becomes building code.
Deal Expert
User avatar
Jun 9, 2003
25310 posts
2536 upvotes
Markham, ON
....very normal of ice build up in Condos...we use to have it also. We were on the 32 floor too.
Deal Expert
Feb 29, 2008
21738 posts
21353 upvotes
Tarrana & The Ri…
I have a corner unit with windows on 2 walls. Yes there is a bit of cold air that leaks through. I don’t have ice but on cold days a lot of condensation. Never had an issue with achieving a particular temp but I do have to turn the heat up higher if I want to be comfortable which means my home is hotter than it should be and the laminate in some areas has shrunk.

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