The windows in your home are a gateway to the outdoors, a way to let light in as you appreciate the view of your garden, yard or landscape. The last thing you need to see is a sweaty window covered in a film of condensation.
Not only are windows covered in condensation unattractive, they also can be a sign of a more substantial air-quality deficit within your home. Luckily, there’s numerous things you can try to resolve the problem.
What Produces Condensation in Windows
Condensation on the inside of windows is created by the damp warm air in your home mixing with the cooler surface of the windows. It’s particularly commonplace around 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 important to know the difference 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 damp air throughout your home forming along the glass.
- Any moisture you notice between windowpanes is caused when the window seal stops working and moisture seeps between the two panes of glass, in which case the window should be repaired or replaced.
- Condensation in the windows isn’t a window situation and can instead be solved by fine-tuning the humidity inside your home. Different things produce humidity throughout a home, including showers, cooking, laundry or even breathing.
Why Condensation on Windows Can Be an Issue
Though you might presume condensation in your windows is a cosmetic problem, it could also be a sign your home has high 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, increasing the growth of mildew or mold.
How to Lower Humidity Inside Your Home
Not to worry, because there are several options for extracting moisture from the air inside your home.
If you have a humidifier running within 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 going and your home’s humidity level is excessive, look into purchasing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers add moisture into your home so the air doesn’t dry out, a dehumidifier pulls excess moisture out of the air.
Small, portable dehumidifiers can absorb the water from a single room. However, these units require emptying out water trays and generally service a small area. A whole-house dehumidifier will extract moisture across your entire home.
Whole-house dehumidifier systems are managed by a humidistat, which permits you to specify a humidity level the same as you would pick a temperature on your thermostat. The unit will start instantly when the humidity level exceeds the set level. These systems work with your home’s HVAC system, so you will want to contact experienced professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Central Point.
Alternative Ways to Decrease Condensation on Windows
- Exhaust fans. Putting in exhaust fans in humidity hotspots such as the bathroom, laundry room or above the oven can help by extracting the warm, humid air from these spaces out of your home before it can elevate the humidity level inside your home.
- Ceiling fans. Spinning ceiling fans can also keep air circulating inside the home so humid air doesn’t get caught up in one place.
- Open window treatments. Opening the blinds or drapes can reduce condensation by preventing the damp air from being stuck against the windowpane.
By reducing humidity across your home and moving air throughout your home, you can enjoy clear, moisture-free windows even during the winter.