The windows throughout your home are a gateway to the outdoors, a way to allow light in while you enjoy the view of your garden, yard or other surroundings. The last thing you need to see is a sweaty window coated in a layer of condensation.
Not only are windows plastered with condensation unsightly, they also can be a sign of a more substantial air-quality problem inside your home. Thankfully, there’s numerous things you can attempt to correct the problem.
What Creates Condensation on Windows
Condensation on the inner layer of windows is created by the humid warm air in your home mixing with the cold surface of your windows. It’s especially commonplace around the winter when it’s much chillier outside than it is within your home.
Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes
When talking about condensation, it’s crucial to know the difference between moisture on the inside of your windows compared to moisture in between the windowpanes. One is an indoor air quality issue and the other is a window issue.
- Moisture within a window is created from the warm damp air inside your home condensing on the glass.
- Existing moisture you find between windowpanes is produced when the window seal fails and moisture gets in between the two panes of glass, and by then the window has to be repaired or replaced.
- Condensation inside the windows isn’t a window issue and can instead be resolved by changing the humidity inside your home. Numerous things generate humidity inside a home, like showers, cooking, taking a bath or even breathing.
Why Condensation on Windows Can Be Trouble
Even though you might presume condensation inside your windows is a cosmetic problem, it could also be evidence your home has excess humidity. If that’s the case, water might also be collecting on window frames, cold walls or other surfaces. Even a thin film of water can cause wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, increasing the growth of mildew or mold.
How to Reduce Humidity in Your Home
Thankfully there are numerous options for removing moisture from the air inside your home.
If you have a humidifier active in your home – whether it be a smaller unit or a whole-house humidifier – lower it further so the humidity inside your home comes down.
If you don’t have a humidifier running and your home’s humidity level is higher than you prefer, think about installing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers introduces moisture inside your home so the air doesn’t dry out, a dehumidifier extracts excess moisture out of the air.
Compact, portable dehumidifiers can remove the water from one room. However, these units require clearing water trays and most often service a small area. A whole-house dehumidifier will remove moisture from your entire home.
Whole-house dehumidifier systems are managed by a humidistat, which permits you to establish a humidity level just like you would select a temperature with your thermostat. The unit will begin running immediately when the humidity level exceeds the set level. These systems work with your home’s HVAC system, so you should contact experienced professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation .
Additional Ways to Lower Condensation on Windows
- Exhaust fans. Installing exhaust fans near humidity hotspots like the bathroom, laundry room or above the oven can help by drawing the warm, humid air from these rooms out of your home before it can raise the humidity level inside your home.
- Ceiling fans. Spinning ceiling fans can also keep air circulating inside the home so humid air doesn’t get trapped in one place.
- Opening up window treatments. Throwing open the blinds or drapes can decrease condensation by stopping the warm air from being trapped against the windowpane.
By decreasing humidity in your home and moving air throughout your home, you can enjoy clear, moisture-free windows even in the middle of the winter.