The windows throughout your home open up to the outdoors, a way to draw light in while you take in the view of your garden, yard or scenery. The last thing you want to see is a sweaty window coated in a coating of condensation.
Not only are windows covered in condensation unappealing, they also can be a sign of a larger air-quality deficit throughout your home. Luckily, there’s numerous things you can try to resolve the problem.
What Creates Condensation along Windows
Condensation on the interior of windows is created by the damp warm air throughout your home reaching the cooler surface of your windows. It’s particularly prevalent over the winter when it’s much colder outside than it is within your home.
Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes
When dealing with condensation, it’s necessary to know the difference between moisture on the inside of your windows versus moisture in between the windowpanes. One is an indoor air quality issue and the other is a window issue.
- Moisture within a window is caused from the warm humid air inside your home collecting on the glass.
- The moisture you see between windowpanes is caused when the window seal stops working and moisture seeps between the two panes of glass, and by then the window has to be repaired or replaced.
- Condensation in the windows isn’t a window problem and can instead be solved by changing the humidity inside your home. Numerous things produce humidity throughout a home, such as showers, cooking, laundry or even breathing.
Why Condensation on Windows Can Be an Issue
Even though you might think condensation in your windows is a cosmetic problem, it could also be indicating your home has excess humidity. If this is in fact the case, water might also be accumulating on window frames, cold walls or other surfaces. Even a small film of water can encourage wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, fostering the growth of mildew or mold.
How to Decrease Humidity in Your Home
The good news is there are several options for eliminating moisture from the air inside your home.
If you have a humidifier active inside your home – whether it be a small-scale unit or a whole-house humidifier – lower it further so the humidity inside your home goes down.
If you don’t have a humidifier running and your home’s humidity level is high, consider installing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers adds moisture in your home so the air doesn’t get too dry, a dehumidifier extracts excess moisture out of the air.
Smaller, portable dehumidifiers can eliminate the water from an entire room. However, these units require clearing water trays and generally service a fairly small area. A whole-house dehumidifier will extract moisture throughout your entire home.
Whole-house dehumidifier systems are managed by a humidistat, which enables you to establish a humidity level the same like you would choose a temperature on your thermostat. The unit will begin running instantly when the humidity level exceeds 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 Reduce Condensation on Windows
- Exhaust fans. Installing exhaust fans in humidity hotspots like the bathroom, laundry room or above the kitchen range can help by pulling the warm, moist air from these areas out of your home before it can raise the humidity level inside your home.
- Ceiling fans. Turning on ceiling fans can also keep air swirling inside the home so humid air doesn’t get trapped in one spot.
- Opening your window treatments. Pulling open the blinds or drapes can decrease condensation by preventing the humid air from being trapped against the windowpane.
By reducing humidity inside your home and circulating air throughout your home, you can make the most of clear, moisture-free windows even in the middle of the winter.