The windows of your home are a gateway to the outdoors, a way to let light in when you appreciate the view of your garden, yard or landscape. The last thing you want to see is a sweaty window coated in a layer of condensation.

Not only are windows coated in condensation unsightly, they also can be evidence of a larger air-quality deficit throughout your home. Thankfully, there’s several things you can attempt to resolve the problem.

What Causes Sweating in Windows

Condensation on the interior of windows is created by the damp warm air throughout your home mixing with the cooler surface of the windows. It’s notably common in 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 necessary to know 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 within a window is caused from the warm moist air in your home collecting against the glass.
  • Any moisture you find between windowpanes is caused when the window seal stops working and moisture seeps between the two panes of glass, in which case the window has to be repaired or replaced.
  • Condensation inside the windows isn’t a window situation and can instead be resolved by adjusting the humidity inside your home. Numerous things produce humidity inside a home, such as showers, cooking, bathing or even breathing.

Why Condensation on Windows Could Mean Trouble

Although you might presume condensation in your windows is a cosmetic concern, it can be evidence your home has excess humidity. If this is in fact the case, water might also be collecting on window frames, cold walls or other surfaces. Even a slim film of water can cause wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, promoting the growth of mildew or mold.

How to Reduce Humidity in Your Home

Fortunately there are numerous options for removing moisture from the air in your home.

If you have a humidifier running in your home – whether it be a small unit or a whole-house humidifier – lower it further so the humidity inside your home decreases.

If you don’t have a humidifier active and your home’s humidity level is high, consider purchasing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers introduces moisture inside your home so the air doesn’t dry out, a dehumidifier pulls excess moisture out of the air.

Smaller, portable dehumidifiers can remove the water from an entire room. However, those units require emptying 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 allows you to set a humidity level the same like you would select a temperature via your thermostat. The unit will begin running instantly when the humidity level overtakes the set level. These systems collaborate with your home’s HVAC system, so you will receive the best results if you contact qualified professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Reinholds.

Other Ways to Lower Condensation on Windows

  • Exhaust fans. Putting in exhaust fans near 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 increase the humidity level throughout your home.
  • Ceiling fans. Running ceiling fans can also keep air circulating inside the home so humid air doesn’t get trapped in one spot.
  • Opening your window treatments. Opening the blinds or drapes can lower condensation by preventing the warm air from being trapped against the windowpane.

By lowering humidity inside your home and moving air throughout your home, you can enjoy clear, moisture-free windows even in the middle of the winter.