The windows of your home open up to the outdoors, a way to draw light in as you enjoy the view of your garden, yard or landscape. The last thing you would want to see is a sweaty window covered in a coating of condensation.
Not only are windows coated in condensation unattractive, they also can be evidence of a more serious air-quality problem throughout your home. Thankfully, there’s numerous things you can do to address the problem.
What Causes Sweating on Windows
Condensation on the inside of windows is formed by the humid warm air throughout your home reaching the cold surface of your windows. It’s particularly commonplace in 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 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 created from the warm damp air in your home condensing on the glass.
- Any moisture you see between windowpanes is produced when the window seal fails and moisture seeps between the two panes of glass, in which case the window should be repaired or replaced.
- Condensation on the inside of the windows isn’t a window situation and can instead be resolved by changing the humidity across your home. Numerous things produce humidity in a home, like showers, cooking, taking a bath or even breathing.
Why Condensation on Windows Could Mean a Problem
Although you might consider condensation in your windows is a cosmetic concern, it may also be a sign your home has higher 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 cause 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 throughout your home.
If you have a humidifier active in 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 going and your home’s humidity level is high, consider getting a dehumidifier. While humidifiers put moisture in your home so the air doesn’t become too dry, a dehumidifier extracts excess moisture out of the air.
Small, portable dehumidifiers can eliminate the water from an entire room. However, portable units require emptying water trays and most often service a fairly small area. A whole-house dehumidifier will remove moisture throughout your entire home.
Whole-house dehumidifier systems are regulated by a humidistat, which enables you to specify a humidity level just like you would choose a temperature on your thermostat. The unit will run immediately when the humidity level overtakes the set level. These systems work with your home’s HVAC system, so you should contact skilled professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Sandpoint.
Other Ways to Reduce Condensation on Windows
- Exhaust fans. Installing exhaust fans near humidity hotspots like the bathroom, laundry room or above the kitchen range can help by extracting the warm, humid air from these rooms out of your home before it can raise the humidity level inside your home.
- Ceiling fans. Spinning ceiling fans can also keep air swirling inside the home so humid air doesn’t get caught up in one spot.
- Open window treatments. Pulling open the blinds or drapes can reduce condensation by preventing the damp air from being caught against the windowpane.
By decreasing humidity in your home and dispersing air throughout your home, you can take advantage of clear, moisture-free windows even in the middle of the winter.
