Condensation: why can't we see out of our windows? Your new glazing will comply with Building Regulations specifications for thermal performance. This means they keep more heat inside the house. So the outer panes remain cooler, and dew will form on them regularly during the winter months. This is not an issue that I have ever heard mentioned by double-glazing salesmen, nor by politicians or green activists, funnily enough. But you can take some solace from the fact that your inability to see through your new windows is because you are saving the environment, along with a tiny reduction on your bills. Q. We moved into our new home in 1990 - a four-bedroom, twin-bathroom house with downstairs loo. We are now in our 70s and the sanitary taps all have slight drips, or are very stiff. Also, I assume they have imperial measurements. I have consulted three plumbers who say that they cannot find replacement valves for the taps. As the bathrooms are fully tiled I believe that to rectify the problem would require completely renewing the bathrooms and the downstairs loo. At our age this is a serious expense, and worryingly disruptive. Can you advise if it is possible to obtain replacement valves for the taps? Or are there any other options that will save the cost of total refurbishment? I presume that many other "oldies" are similarly affected, so a solution might be beneficial to many. TL, Bolton A. I first assumed your question was referring to quarter-turn ceramic taps, although these were not common in the UK in 1990. But you have since sent me a picture showing that your taps are in fact the traditional type, with screw-handles, spindles, valve seats and rubber washers. Although I would politely request readers not to email pictures unless asked, thank you. I am astonished that three plumbers have told you that these taps cannot be repaired without wholesale replacement - and that you have therefore considered having your entire bathrooms renewed. Replacing a tap washer is one of the most basic of household maintenance tasks. All you (or one of your so-called "plumbers") would have to do is isolate the water supply, unscrew the body of the tap, unscrew the cartridge, fit a new rubber washer, and reassemble. I first learnt how to do this many years ago, for my Boy Scouts Handyman badge. The price of a tap washer has barely risen since - they still cost less than 5p each. I have recently detected a worrying trend of men who call themselves plumbers, but apparently lack any understanding of the task. I have had several reports that they don't know how to balance a radiator circuit, and now it seems they don't know how to change a tap washer, either. How can this be? I can think of several reasons, and they all begin with £££ . These men are obviously taking you for a sucker. I suggest that all readers would do well to heed my regular advice to use members of the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (01708 472791).