The windows of your home are a gateway to the outdoors, a way to allow light in when you take in the view of your garden, yard or other surroundings. The last thing you would want to see is a sweaty window coated in a film of condensation.
Not only are windows plastered with condensation unappealing, they also can be evidence of a larger air-quality deficit inside your home. Luckily, there’s numerous things you can try to address the problem.
What Causes Condensation on Windows
Condensation on the interior of windows is formed by the moist warm air in your home mixing with the colder surface of your windows. It’s notably prevalent around the winter when it’s much cooler outside than it is inside your home.
Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes
When dealing with condensation, it’s necessary 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 within a window is caused from the warm humid air throughout your home forming along 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, in which case the window should be repaired or replaced.
- Condensation inside the windows isn’t a window issue and can instead be resolved by adjusting the humidity inside your home. Numerous things produce humidity throughout a home, including showers, cooking, laundry or even breathing.
Why Condensation on Windows Can Be an Issue
Though you might consider condensation in your windows is a cosmetic issue, it can be evidence your home has excess humidity. If this is the case, water could also be accumulating on window frames, cold walls or other surfaces. Even a slim film of water can encourage wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, promoting the growth of mildew or mold.
How to Reduce Humidity in Your Home
Not to worry, because there are numerous options for extracting moisture from the air inside your home.
If you have a humidifier running in your home – whether it be a smaller 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, consider getting a dehumidifier. While humidifiers put moisture in your home so the air doesn’t get too dry, 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 remove moisture throughout your entire home.
Whole-house dehumidifier systems are managed by a humidistat, which enables you to specify a humidity level the same as you would pick a temperature via your thermostat. The unit will start automatically when the humidity level overtakes the set level. These systems work with your home’s HVAC system, so you will receive the best results if you contact qualified professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Alliance.
Additional Ways to Reduce Condensation on Windows
- Exhaust fans. Putting in exhaust fans in humidity hotspots like 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 increase the humidity level across 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 spot.
- Open window treatments. Pulling open the blinds or drapes can decrease condensation by stopping the humid air from being stuck against the windowpane.
By reducing humidity across your home and dispersing air throughout your home, you can take advantage of clear, moisture-free windows even in the middle of the winter.