A guest post by Ed.
I like watching Grand Designs: the program with Kevin McCloud about people building houses, where he’s never happier unless there’s the loom of a disaster on the horizon. One of the things I envy are the high tech, triple glazed, argon filled, ultra high performance Swedish windows that everybody seems to install. We don’t have windows like that here. We have Edwardian, single glazed sash windows. The result of this low tech is that in summer, they don’t keep the heat out (hence the hot weather shut up) and in the winter we are swimming in condensation.
I have now found the solution to the condensation lake: the Karcher WV70 window vacuum. Available from Argos (where I bought ours), as well as Amazon and John Lewis, among others s well as IdealWorld TV. It’s not especially small, at 29x13x36cm, or light weighing 700g/1 lb 8 oz but it’s not actually so large or heavy as to be a problem. Using it is a breeze – switch on, and swipe the windows.
It picks up a lot of water, which I suppose shouldn’t surprise me, up until now I’ve been using a window squeegee and a tea towel, with the towel invariably ending up sopping wet. One charge will power the vacuum for about 20 windows. Windows are left completely dry and streak free. You can also use the appliance for mopping up spills and also for cleaning.
We are really impressed, it is well on its way to being an essential and is one of those products that you do not actually know that you need until you discover that they exist, and wondered how you did without before you got it.
I NEED one of these in my life, such a fab idea and solution to the relentless condensation issues of British winter.
I did try and get a review one, but no joy. Well worth the £50 on Amazon.
I suffer from similar issues with Victorian single-glazed windows – this looks like a great little gadget!
We are very very impressed Julie. Well worth the cost.
I need one for sure but my problem is I don’t have the time to hoover up the condensation. The windows are enormous, and there are lots of them and I ned a ladder to get to the top. Still, this is by far the best solution I have seen.
Can you get the children to help with the water hoovering? We our loving our condensation hoover.
We only use a wood burning stove for heating and have very basic windows so like you we are swimming in condensation, even in May. I hated mopping up puddles of icy water every morning so this was one of my best buys x