The windows throughout your home are a gateway to the outdoors, a way to let light in when you take in the view of your garden, yard or other surroundings. The last thing you need to see is a sweaty window coated in a film of condensation.

Not only are windows plastered with condensation unattractive, they also can be a sign of a more substantial air-quality problem throughout your home. Fortunately, there’s numerous things you can do to correct the problem.

What Creates Condensation on Windows

Condensation on the interior of windows is formed by the damp warm air inside your home hitting the cold surface of the windows. It’s particularly prevalent during the winter when it’s much chillier outside than it is inside your home.

Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes

When discussing condensation, it’s necessary to understand the contrast between moisture on the inside of your windows versus 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 produced from the warm humid air inside your home collecting along the glass.
  • Any moisture you see between windowpanes is produced when the window seal stops working and moisture slips between the two panes of glass, in which case the window should be repaired or replaced.
  • Condensation inside the windows isn’t a window problem and can instead be resolved by fine-tuning the humidity across your home. Numerous things produce humidity in a home, like showers, cooking, laundry or even breathing.

Why Condensation on Windows Can Be Trouble

Although you might consider condensation on the inside of your windows is a cosmetic concern, it may also be evidence your home has excess humidity. If this is the case, water might also be condensing on window frames, cold walls or other surfaces. Even a slim film of water can help wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, increasing the growth of mildew or mold.

How to Lower Humidity in Your Home

Not to worry, because there are several options for removing moisture from the air in your home.

If you have a humidifier operating in your home – whether it be a small 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 higher than you prefer, look into installing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers introduces moisture into your home so the air doesn’t become too dry, a dehumidifier pulls excess moisture out of the air.

Smaller, portable dehumidifiers can remove the water from one room. However, those units require emptying out water trays and usually service a small area. A whole-house dehumidifier will remove moisture throughout your entire home.

Whole-house dehumidifier systems are managed by a humidistat, which permits you to establish a humidity level just like you would choose a temperature with your thermostat. The unit will run automatically when the humidity level overtakes the set level. These systems collaborate with your home’s HVAC system, so you will receive the best results if you contact qualified professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation .

Alternative Ways to Decrease Condensation on Windows

  • Exhaust fans. Installing exhaust fans near humidity hotspots like the bathroom, laundry room or above the stove can help by pulling the warm, moist air from these areas out of your home before it can raise the humidity level inside your home.
  • Ceiling fans. Spinning ceiling fans can also keep air swirling within the home so humid air doesn’t get caught up in one place.
  • Opening up window treatments. Opening the blinds or drapes can reduce condensation by preventing the damp air from being caught against the windowpane.

By lowering humidity in your home and moving air throughout your home, you can make the most of clear, moisture-free windows even in the winter.