The windows in your home open up to the outdoors, a way to let light in while you take in the view of your garden, yard or scenery. The last thing you would want to see is a sweaty window covered in a layer of condensation.

Not only are windows plastered with condensation unsightly, they also can be a symptom of a larger air-quality deficit inside your home. Thankfully, there’s multiple things you can try to correct the problem.

What Produces Sweating on Windows

Condensation on the inside of windows is created by the humid warm air in your home reaching the colder surface of your windows. It’s notably common around the winter when it’s much cooler outside than it is within your home.

Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes

When dealing with 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 air-quality issue and the other is a window issue.

  • Moisture inside a window is caused from the warm damp air inside your home condensing on the glass.
  • Existing moisture you see between windowpanes is caused when the window seal breaks down and moisture seeps between the two panes of glass, and at that point the window should be repaired or replaced.
  • Condensation inside the windows isn’t a window situation and can instead be solved by fine-tuning the humidity in your home. Numerous things cause humidity in a home, like showers, cooking, laundry or even breathing.

Why Condensation on Windows Could Mean Trouble

Although you might presume condensation on the inside of your windows is a cosmetic concern, it may also be a sign your home has high humidity. If this is in fact the case, water could also be accumulating on window frames, cold walls or other surfaces. Even a thin film of water can encourage wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, promoting the growth of mildew or mold.

How to Lower Humidity Inside Your Home

Fortunately there are numerous options for removing moisture from the air in 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 higher than you prefer, consider purchasing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers adds moisture in your home so the air doesn’t dry out, a dehumidifier draws excess moisture out of the air.

Smaller, portable dehumidifiers can absorb the water from one room. However, those units require clearing water trays and most often service a fairly small area. A whole-house dehumidifier will eliminate moisture across your entire home.

Whole-house dehumidifier systems are regulated by a humidistat, which enables you to establish a humidity level precisely like you would pick a temperature on your thermostat. The unit will begin running instantly when the humidity level overtakes 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 Central Point.

Alternative Ways to Reduce Condensation on Windows

  • Exhaust fans. Adding exhaust fans in humidity hotspots like the bathroom, laundry room or above the kitchen range can help by extracting the warm, moist air from these areas out of your home before it can elevate 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 caught up in one place.
  • Opening your window treatments. Throwing open the blinds or drapes can lower condensation by stopping the damp air from being stuck against the windowpane.

By reducing humidity in your home and moving air throughout your home, you can take advantage of clear, moisture-free windows even during the winter.