The windows in your home are a portal to the outdoors, a way to draw light in while you enjoy the view of your garden, yard or scenery. The last thing you need to see is a sweaty window plastered in a coating of condensation.
Not only are windows coated in condensation unattractive, they also can be evidence of a more serious air-quality problem in your home. Fortunately, there’s several things you can try to correct the problem.
What Produces Condensation on Windows
Condensation on the inside of windows is formed by the humid warm air throughout your home mixing with the cooler surface of your windows. It’s notably commonplace around the winter when it’s much cooler outside than it is in your home.
Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes
When discussing condensation, it’s crucial to recognize the contrast between moisture on the inside of your windows in comparison to moisture in between the windowpanes. One is an air-quality issue and the other is a window issue.
- Moisture within a window is caused from the warm damp air throughout your home forming along the glass.
- Any moisture you find between windowpanes is formed when the window seal stops working and moisture slips between the two panes of glass, and by then the window should be repaired or replaced.
- Condensation on the inside of the windows isn’t a window issue and can instead be solved by adjusting the humidity in your home. Numerous things produce humidity inside a home, such as showers, cooking, laundry or even breathing.
Why Condensation on Windows Can Be an Issue
Even though you might presume condensation on the inside of your windows is a cosmetic problem, it may also be evidence your home has high humidity. If this is the case, water might also be condensing on window frames, cold walls or other surfaces. Even a small film of water can help wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, fostering the growth of mildew or mold.
How to Reduce Humidity Inside Your Home
Thankfully there are various options for removing moisture from the air in your home.
If you have a humidifier operating within 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 going and your home’s humidity level is excessive, think about purchasing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers add moisture in your home so the air doesn’t become too dry, a dehumidifier draws excess moisture out of the air.
Small, portable dehumidifiers can remove the water from a single room. However, these units require clearing water trays and most often service a small area. A whole-house dehumidifier will extract moisture from your entire home.
Whole-house dehumidifier systems are controlled by a humidistat, which enables you to specify a humidity level precisely as you would pick a temperature on your thermostat. The unit will run automatically when the humidity level exceeds the set level. These systems coordinate with your home’s HVAC system, so you will want to contact experienced professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Reinholds.
Alternative Ways to Reduce Condensation on Windows
- Exhaust fans. Adding exhaust fans in humidity hotspots such as the bathroom, laundry room or above the stove can help by pulling the warm, moist air from these spaces out of your home before it can elevate the humidity level in your home.
- Ceiling fans. Turning on ceiling fans can also keep air flowing inside the home so humid air doesn’t get trapped in one spot.
- Opening your window treatments. Throwing open the blinds or drapes can decrease condensation by stopping the warm air from being caught against the windowpane.
By reducing humidity in 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.