Narrative:

Iad ATC moved into new tower. On 4 occasions since then the tower cabin attendant windows have been totally obscured by condensation which formed on the outside due to high humidity and the cold temperature inside the tower. When this occurs; controllers cannot see anything outside of the tower cabin attendant. Metropolitan washington airport authority/authorized (mwaa) engineers are attempting to address the issue so far without success. To clear the windows; we must call custodial service. They send a custodian over who must obtain the catwalk key from security; then go out and wipe the condensation off the windows. Most times; the condensation comes right back. Something needs to be done quickly about this.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IAD CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING CONDENSATION THAT FORMS ON THE TWR WINDOWS; LIMITING VISIBILITY.

Narrative: IAD ATC MOVED INTO NEW TWR. ON 4 OCCASIONS SINCE THEN THE TWR CAB WINDOWS HAVE BEEN TOTALLY OBSCURED BY CONDENSATION WHICH FORMED ON THE OUTSIDE DUE TO HIGH HUMIDITY AND THE COLD TEMP INSIDE THE TWR. WHEN THIS OCCURS; CTLRS CANNOT SEE ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF THE TWR CAB. METROPOLITAN WASHINGTON ARPT AUTH (MWAA) ENGINEERS ARE ATTEMPTING TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE SO FAR WITHOUT SUCCESS. TO CLR THE WINDOWS; WE MUST CALL CUSTODIAL SVC. THEY SEND A CUSTODIAN OVER WHO MUST OBTAIN THE CATWALK KEY FROM SECURITY; THEN GO OUT AND WIPE THE CONDENSATION OFF THE WINDOWS. MOST TIMES; THE CONDENSATION COMES RIGHT BACK. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE QUICKLY ABOUT THIS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.