The windows throughout your home are a gateway to the outdoors, a way to let light in while you appreciate the view of your garden, yard or other surroundings. The last thing you want to see is a sweaty window covered in a layer of condensation.
Not only are windows plastered with condensation unattractive, they also can be a sign of a larger air-quality issue inside your home. Thankfully, there’s several things you can attempt to address the problem.
What Produces Condensation on Windows
Condensation on the inside of windows is created by the humid warm air throughout your home reaching the cold surface of your windows. It’s particularly commonplace over the winter when it’s much colder outside than it is inside your home.
Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes
When discussing condensation, it’s important to recognize the distinction between moisture on the inside of your windows compared to moisture in between the windowpanes. One is an air-quality issue and the other is a window issue.
- Moisture on the inside of a window is created from the warm damp air throughout your home collecting on the glass.
- The moisture you see between windowpanes is produced when the window seal fails and moisture gets in between the two panes of glass, and at that point the window has to be repaired or replaced.
- Condensation inside the windows isn’t a window problem and can instead be fixed by adjusting the humidity in your home. Numerous things generate humidity throughout a home, like showers, cooking, bathing or even breathing.
Why Condensation on Windows Can Be Trouble
Though you might think condensation on the inside of your windows is a cosmetic concern, it could also be a sign your home has high humidity. If that’s the case, water could 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, increasing the growth of mildew or mold.
How to Decrease Humidity in Your Home
Thankfully there are several options for removing moisture from the air inside your home.
If you have a humidifier active within your home – whether it be a small-scale unit or a whole-house humidifier – lower it further so the humidity inside your home comes down.
If you don’t have a humidifier active and your home’s humidity level is high, think about getting a dehumidifier. While humidifiers introduce moisture inside your home so the air doesn’t dry out, a dehumidifier pulls excess moisture out of the air.
Small, portable dehumidifiers can eliminate the water from one room. However, portable units require clearing water trays and generally service a somewhat limited area. A whole-house dehumidifier will remove moisture from 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 choose a temperature via your thermostat. The unit will begin running instantly when the humidity level surpasses the set level. These systems collaborate with your home’s HVAC system, so you should contact qualified professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Mechanicsburg.
Alternative Ways to Eliminate Condensation on Windows
- Exhaust fans. Adding exhaust fans near humidity hotspots like the bathroom, laundry room or above the stove can help by extracting the warm, moist air from these spaces out of your home before it can elevate 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 area.
- Opening your window treatments. Throwing open the blinds or drapes can lower condensation by stopping the warm air from being stuck against the windowpane.
By decreasing humidity inside your home and circulating air throughout your home, you can make the most of clear, moisture-free windows even during the winter.