The windows throughout your home open up to the outdoors, a way to let light in when you appreciate the view of your garden, yard or scenery. The last thing you want to see is a sweaty window covered in a film of condensation.
Not only are windows plastered with condensation unsightly, they also can be a sign of a more serious air-quality issue inside your home. Fortunately, there’s multiple things you can attempt to address the problem.
What Produces Condensation in Windows
Condensation on the interior of windows is created by the humid warm air inside your home mixing with the colder surface of the windows. It’s particularly commonplace over the winter when it’s much chillier outside than it is in your home.
Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes
When discussing condensation, it’s important to recognize the distinction 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 on the inside of a window is created from the warm damp air in your home collecting along the glass.
- Existing moisture you find between windowpanes is produced when the window seal fails and moisture seeps between the two panes of glass, and at that point the window needs to be repaired or replaced.
- Condensation on the inside of the windows isn’t a window situation and can instead be fixed by fine-tuning the humidity inside your home. Many things generate humidity in a home, like showers, cooking, taking a bath or even breathing.
Why Condensation on Windows Can Be a Problem
Though you might consider condensation in your windows is a cosmetic concern, it can be indicating your home has excess humidity. If this is in fact 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, promoting the growth of mildew or mold.
How to Decrease Humidity Inside Your Home
Not to worry, because there are various options for removing moisture from the air throughout your home.
If you have a humidifier operating inside your home – whether it be a small-scale unit or a whole-house humidifier – lower it further so the humidity inside your home decreases.
If you don’t have a humidifier active and your home’s humidity level is excessive, consider purchasing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers put moisture into your home so the air doesn’t dry out, a dehumidifier pulls excess moisture out of the air.
Smaller, portable dehumidifiers can remove the water from a single room. However, these units require emptying out water trays and generally service a somewhat limited area. A whole-house dehumidifier will eliminate moisture from your entire home.
Whole-house dehumidifier systems are managed by a humidistat, which allows you to set a humidity level precisely like you would select a temperature with your thermostat. The unit will start automatically when the humidity level overtakes the set level. These systems collaborate with your home’s HVAC system, so you will want to contact experienced professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation .
Other Ways to Eliminate Condensation on Windows
- Exhaust fans. Adding exhaust fans around humidity hotspots like the bathroom, laundry room or above the stove can help by pulling the warm, moist air from these spaces out of your home before it can increase the humidity level across your home.
- Ceiling fans. Spinning ceiling fans can also keep air moving throughout the home so humid air doesn’t get stuck in one place.
- Open window treatments. Throwing open the blinds or drapes can lower condensation by preventing the humid air from being stuck against the windowpane.
By lowering humidity in your home and moving air throughout your home, you can enjoy clear, moisture-free windows even during the winter.