The windows of your home are a portal to the outdoors, a way to allow light in while you appreciate the view of your garden, yard or other surroundings. The last thing you want to see is a sweaty window covered in a coating of condensation.

Not only are windows plastered with condensation unsightly, they also can be evidence of a more serious air-quality issue throughout your home. Luckily, there’s multiple things you can attempt to correct the problem.

What Produces Condensation along Windows

Condensation on the interior of windows is produced by the humid warm air in your home mixing with the cold surface of your windows. It’s particularly common over the winter when it’s much colder outside than it is inside your home.

Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes

When discussing condensation, it’s important to know 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 humid air throughout your home forming on the glass.
  • Any moisture you notice between windowpanes is produced when the window seal fails and moisture seeps between the two panes of glass, in which case the window has to be repaired or replaced.
  • Condensation on the inside of the windows isn’t a window problem and can instead be fixed by changing the humidity across your home. Numerous things generate humidity in a home, including showers, cooking, bathing or even breathing.

Why Sweating Windows Could Mean Trouble

Even though you might presume condensation on the inside of your windows is a cosmetic concern, it could also be a sign your home has higher humidity. If that’s the case, water may also be condensing on window frames, cold walls or other surfaces. Even a thin film of water can help wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, fostering the growth of mildew or mold.

How to Lower Humidity in Your Home

Fortunately there are several options for removing moisture from the air inside your home.

If you have a humidifier running 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 active and your home’s humidity level is higher than you prefer, think about purchasing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers put moisture inside your home so the air doesn’t get too dry, a dehumidifier extracts excess moisture out of the air.

Small, portable dehumidifiers can absorb the water from an entire room. However, these units require clearing water trays and usually service a small area. A whole-house dehumidifier will eliminate moisture from your entire home.

Whole-house dehumidifier systems are regulated by a humidistat, which enables you to set a humidity level just like you would pick a temperature on your thermostat. The unit will begin running instantly when the humidity level surpasses the set level. These systems collaborate with your home’s HVAC system, so you should contact experienced professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Bishop.

Alternative Ways to Reduce Condensation on Windows

  • Exhaust fans. Adding exhaust fans around humidity hotspots like the bathroom, laundry room or above the oven can help by drawing the warm, moist air from these rooms out of your home before it can raise the humidity level inside your home.
  • Ceiling fans. Running ceiling fans can also keep air swirling within the home so humid air doesn’t get trapped in one spot.
  • Open window treatments. Pulling open the blinds or drapes can decrease condensation by stopping the humid air from being trapped against the windowpane.

By decreasing humidity in your home and dispersing air throughout your home, you can enjoy clear, moisture-free windows even in the middle of the winter.