The windows in your home are a gateway to the outdoors, a way to draw light in when you appreciate the view of your garden, yard or scenery. The last thing you want to see is a sweaty window plastered in a coating of condensation.
Not only are windows coated in condensation unappealing, they also can be a symptom of a more serious air-quality deficit in your home. Thankfully, there’s several things you can do to address the problem.
What Produces Condensation on Windows
Condensation on the inside of windows is created by the moist warm air throughout your home hitting the cooler surface of the windows. It’s particularly common in the winter when it’s much chillier outside than it is within your home.
Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes
When talking about condensation, it’s important to recognize the difference 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 inside a window is caused from the warm moist air inside your home condensing on the glass.
- Any moisture you notice between windowpanes is produced when the window seal breaks down and moisture seeps between the two panes of glass, and at that point the window has to be repaired or replaced.
- Condensation in the windows isn’t a window situation and can instead be resolved by changing the humidity inside your home. Different things cause humidity throughout a home, including showers, cooking, laundry or even breathing.
Why Condensation on Windows Can Be Trouble
Although you might consider condensation inside your windows is a cosmetic problem, it can be indicating your home has high humidity. If that’s the case, water could also be condensing on window frames, cold walls or other surfaces. Even a thin film of water can encourage wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, promoting the growth of mildew or mold.
How to Decrease Humidity Inside Your Home
Thankfully there are several options for removing moisture from the air in 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 goes down.
If you don’t have a humidifier active and your home’s humidity level is high, consider purchasing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers introduce 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, those units require emptying out water trays and most often service a fairly small area. A whole-house dehumidifier will remove moisture from your entire home.
Whole-house dehumidifier systems are controlled by a humidistat, which permits you to set a humidity level precisely as you would choose a temperature via your thermostat. The unit will begin running immediately when the humidity level exceeds the set level. These systems work with your home’s HVAC system, so you will receive the best results if you contact skilled professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Temple/Belton.
Additional Ways to Reduce Condensation on Windows
- Exhaust fans. Putting in exhaust fans in humidity hotspots including the bathroom, laundry room or above the kitchen range can help by extracting the warm, moist air from these rooms out of your home before it can elevate the humidity level in your home.
- Ceiling fans. Spinning ceiling fans can also keep air moving inside the home so humid air doesn’t get stuck in one area.
- Opening up window treatments. Pulling open the blinds or drapes can lower condensation by stopping the warm air from being trapped against the windowpane.
By reducing humidity inside your home and moving air throughout your home, you can enjoy clear, moisture-free windows even during the winter.