The windows in your home are a gateway to the outdoors, a way to draw light in while you enjoy the view of your garden, yard or other surroundings. The last thing you want to see is a sweaty window coated in a layer of condensation.
Not only are windows coated in condensation unappealing, they also can be a sign of a more substantial air-quality deficit inside your home. Thankfully, there’s numerous things you can do to correct the problem.
What Produces Condensation in Windows
Condensation on the interior of windows is created by the humid warm air throughout your home mixing with the cold surface of your windows. It’s particularly commonplace in the winter when it’s much cooler outside than it is in your home.
Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes
When talking about condensation, it’s necessary to understand the distinction between moisture on the inside of your windows in comparison to moisture in between the windowpanes. One is an indoor air quality issue and the other is a window issue.
- Moisture inside a window is created from the warm humid air in your home condensing along the glass.
- Any moisture you find between windowpanes is caused when the window seal fails and moisture seeps between the two panes of glass, and by then the window needs to be repaired or replaced.
- Condensation in the windows isn’t a window situation and can instead be fixed by fine-tuning the humidity inside your home. Many things cause humidity inside a home, like showers, cooking, bathing or even breathing.
Why Indoor Sweating on Windows Can Be a Problem
Even though you might think 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 could also be condensing 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 Lower Humidity Throughout Your Home
Not to worry, because there are numerous options for removing moisture from the air inside your home.
If you have a humidifier active inside your home – whether it be a small 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 excessive, consider purchasing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers adds moisture in your home so the air doesn’t dry out, a dehumidifier extracts excess moisture out of the air.
Smaller, portable dehumidifiers can absorb the water from one room. However, these units require emptying out water trays and usually service a fairly small area. A whole-house dehumidifier will eliminate moisture across your entire home.
Whole-house dehumidifier systems are controlled by a humidistat, which permits you to specify a humidity level the same like you would choose a temperature via your thermostat. The unit will start instantly when the humidity level surpasses the set level. These systems work with your home’s HVAC system, so you will want to contact skilled professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Litchfield Park.
Other Ways to Lower Condensation on Windows
- Exhaust fans. Adding exhaust fans around humidity hotspots such as the bathroom, laundry room or above the stove can help by pulling the warm, moist air from these areas out of your home before it can raise the humidity level throughout your home.
- Ceiling fans. Running ceiling fans can also keep air flowing within the home so humid air doesn’t get caught up in one area.
- Opening up window treatments. Pulling open the blinds or drapes can reduce condensation by preventing the humid air from being caught against the windowpane.
By lowering humidity in your home and circulating air throughout your home, you can take advantage of clear, moisture-free windows even during the winter.