The windows throughout your home are a gateway to the outdoors, a way to draw light in while you appreciate the view of your garden, yard or scenery. The last thing you would want to see is a sweaty window plastered in a film of condensation.
Not only are windows covered in condensation unappealing, they also can be a symptom of a more substantial air-quality problem in your home. Fortunately, there’s multiple things you can attempt to correct the problem.
What Creates Condensation in Windows
Condensation on the inside of windows is formed by the damp warm air throughout your home hitting the cold surface of your windows. It’s especially prevalent in the winter when it’s much colder 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 air-quality issue and the other is a window issue.
- Moisture inside a window is created from the warm moist air inside your home forming on the glass.
- The moisture you find between windowpanes is formed when the window seal fails and moisture slips between the two panes of glass, and by then the window has to be repaired or replaced.
- Condensation on the inside of the windows isn’t a window situation and can instead be resolved by fine-tuning the humidity across your home. Numerous things produce humidity inside a home, including showers, cooking, laundry or even breathing.
Why Condensation on Windows Can Be a Problem
Even though you might consider condensation on the inside of your windows is a cosmetic problem, it could also be a sign your home has high humidity. If this is the case, water may also be condensing on window frames, cold walls or other surfaces. Even a slim film of water can cause wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, promoting the growth of mildew or mold.
How to Lower Humidity Inside Your Home
Not to worry, because there are several options for extracting 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 goes down.
If you don’t have a humidifier running and your home’s humidity level is higher than you prefer, consider purchasing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers introduce moisture in your home so the air doesn’t get too dry, a dehumidifier extracts excess moisture out of the air.
Smaller, portable dehumidifiers can eliminate the water from a single room. However, portable units require emptying out water trays and usually service a somewhat limited area. A whole-house dehumidifier will eliminate moisture throughout your entire home.
Whole-house dehumidifier systems are regulated by a humidistat, which allows you to specify a humidity level just as you would select a temperature with your thermostat. The unit will begin running immediately when the humidity level exceeds the set level. These systems collaborate with your home’s HVAC system, so you will want to contact qualified professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Savage.
Alternative Ways to Eliminate Condensation on Windows
- Exhaust fans. Adding exhaust fans in humidity hotspots like the bathroom, laundry room or above the kitchen range can help by pulling the warm, moist air from these spaces out of your home before it can elevate the humidity level across your home.
- Ceiling fans. Turning on ceiling fans can also keep air moving within the home so humid air doesn’t get trapped in one area.
- Open window treatments. Pulling open the blinds or drapes can decrease condensation by stopping the warm air from being caught against the windowpane.
By decreasing humidity in your home and circulating air throughout your home, you can enjoy clear, moisture-free windows even in the middle of the winter.