The windows in your home are a gateway to the outdoors, a way to draw light in while you take in the view of your garden, yard or other surroundings. The last thing you need to see is a sweaty window covered in a coating of condensation.

Not only are windows plastered with condensation unappealing, they also can be a sign of a more substantial air-quality problem inside your home. Fortunately, there’s multiple things you can attempt to resolve the problem.

What Produces Sweating on Windows

Condensation on the inside of windows is created by the damp warm air inside your home hitting the cold surface of your windows. It’s especially prevalent around the winter when it’s much chillier outside than it is in your home.

Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes

When dealing with condensation, it’s important to recognize the contrast between moisture on the inside of your windows compared to moisture in between the windowpanes. One is an indoor air quality issue and the other is a window issue.

  • Moisture on the inside of a window is produced from the warm moist air throughout your home collecting on the glass.
  • Existing moisture you find between windowpanes is caused when the window seal breaks down and moisture slips between the two panes of glass, and by then the window needs to be repaired or replaced.
  • Condensation inside the windows isn’t a window problem and can instead be fixed by fine-tuning the humidity in your home. Numerous things generate humidity throughout a home, including showers, cooking, laundry or even breathing.

Why Condensation on Windows Could Mean an Issue

Though you might presume condensation in your windows is a cosmetic concern, it may also be a sign your home has high humidity. If this is the case, water may also be collecting 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 in Your Home

The good news is there are numerous options for removing moisture from the air in your home.

If you have a humidifier operating inside your home – whether it be a smaller 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 higher than you prefer, look into installing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers introduces moisture inside your home so the air doesn’t become too dry, a dehumidifier draws excess moisture out of the air.

Compact, portable dehumidifiers can absorb the water from one room. However, portable units require clearing water trays and generally service a somewhat limited area. A whole-house dehumidifier will eliminate moisture throughout your entire home.

Whole-house dehumidifier systems are managed by a humidistat, which enables you to specify a humidity level the same like you would pick a temperature via your thermostat. The unit will start instantly when the humidity level exceeds the set level. These systems collaborate with your home’s HVAC system, so you will want to contact experienced professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Eastland.

Additional Ways to Lower Condensation on Windows

  • Exhaust fans. Putting in exhaust fans in humidity hotspots like the bathroom, laundry room or above the oven can help by drawing the warm, humid air from these spaces out of your home before it can raise the humidity level inside your home.
  • Ceiling fans. Turning on ceiling fans can also keep air swirling within the home so humid air doesn’t get caught up in one area.
  • Opening up window treatments. Throwing open the blinds or drapes can reduce condensation by preventing the humid air from being caught against the windowpane.

By decreasing humidity across your home and circulating air throughout your home, you can take advantage of clear, moisture-free windows even in the middle of the winter.