Korean Job Discussion Forums

mr. positive · Joined: 02 Jan 2008 Location: a happy place

I moved into a new apartment last early Spring when the weather was just getting warm. Now that things are getting really cold, my windows are sweating like crazy... most every windowsill is puddling with water.

This is not so bad, but the worst part is that my bedroom wall below my bedroom window gets absolutely soaked with water and molded up really bad behind the headboard of my bed before I realized what was happening. I sprayed the mold and what not, but does anyone know any way to cut down on this so that all the wall paper around my windows (and not to mention my health) gets totally ruined?

Thanks in advance for any helpful ideas.

crescent · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Location: yes.

It is absolutely necessary to leave windows open a crack when you see condensation forming. Sure it will let heat escape, but you need the air circulation to prevent mold.

Would you rather pay a little more for heat, or develop chronic lung problems?
Korean construction is piss poor. Walls are not designed to allow air transfer.

Keep your windows open, and pull your furniture away from the wall as much as possible to allow for air circulation and sunlight to hit... and prevent mold.

mr. positive · Joined: 02 Jan 2008 Location: a happy place

Thanks, that's what I was suspecting, that I needed to leave the windows open a crack. Too bad the whole wall under my bedroom window had to get moldy before I realized it... :(

PeteJB · Joined: 06 Jul 2007

Id rather the mold. It's far too cold right now.

rumdiary · Joined: 05 Jun 2006

I tried to crack the window open last night and it was frozen shut.

rumdiary · Joined: 05 Jun 2006

I tried to crack the window open last night and it was frozen shut.

Faunaki · Joined: 15 Jun 2007

I'm glad this subject was brought up because I've been noticing the same thing - and I own the house so it really bothers me to see mold and wet floors. My god.

I've put those closet water eating containers all along the problem walls and have been checking every day and wiping down any water/mold I see. What a pain.

Also noticed that one electrical plug is covered in water sweat. That can't be good.

We've decided to buy a dehumidifer - hopefully that'll put an end to it.

PeteJB · Joined: 06 Jul 2007

My windows still sweat if the window has a crack or not. I think they'd need to be open a lot more, and to be honest I'd rather be nice and warm without the need to wear ten layers of clothes. So what does this menacing mold do to my lungs? I thought it was on the wall, didn't think it would be in the air killing me.

Scotticus · Joined: 18 Mar 2007

Yeah, I had the same issue. All it took was a literal tiny crack in the window and all of the condensation went away.

crescent · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Location: yes.

Faunaki · Joined: 15 Jun 2007

Xuanzang · Joined: 10 Apr 2007 Location: Sadang

The condensation can mix with the glue they use for the wallpaper and turn into mold. Check your closets if they`re next to a sweaty wall as you can have mold growing in there and not even know about it.

aphase · Joined: 27 Apr 2006

the mold feeds off the lignen in the wall paper. Not so sure about the glue. But anyways I would recommend that you get a dehumidifier. It seems like the air inside your house is very humid. When it gets cold outside your walls and windows get cold and then water starts condensing on them from the warm air in your house.

Is there anything in your house causing humidity? Are you running a humidifier? If so, I would reduce the amount of time you use it. If you have a basement apartment/aquarium, those can also be a source of excess humidity in your home. Drying laundry in your place can also cause humidity.

pkang0202 · Joined: 09 Mar 2007

I have these large singlepane officetel windows. When I come home, there are large puddles of water along the window sil and on the floor. Opening the window a little bit doens't do anything, but let cold air in.

I have a dehumidifier, however, its it isn't effective.

The dehumidifier works by having moistuer in the air condense onto its coils, and then having that moisture drip into the waterpan.

My 200cmX250CM windows is acting like a gigantic dehumifier that is taking all the moisture in the room and having it condense on the windows. My electric dehumidifier just can't compete with the windows.

mysterious700 · Joined: 10 Mar 2006

You can spray the mold with mold spray. i spray areas when still wet looking. it seems to help. i get no mold. maybe cover the windows in plastic. only the windows; not the surrounding wall. especially true if you want to open the windows. it's annoying as korean construction is cheap a$$.