The windows throughout your home are a gateway to the outdoors, a way to draw 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 plastered in a layer of condensation.
Not only are windows covered in condensation unsightly, they also can be a sign of a more serious air-quality issue within your home. Fortunately, there’s multiple things you can do to resolve the problem.
What Causes Condensation in Windows
Condensation on the inner layer of windows is produced by the humid warm air inside your home mixing with the cold surface of the windows. It’s notably commonplace around the winter when it’s much cooler outside than it is within your home.
Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes
When discussing condensation, it’s necessary to understand the difference between moisture on the inside of your windows in comparison to moisture in between the windowpanes. One is an air-quality issue and the other is a window issue.
- Moisture within a window is produced from the warm humid air in your home forming on the glass.
- The moisture you see between windowpanes is produced when the window seal breaks down and moisture seeps 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 fixed by fine-tuning the humidity in your home. Many things generate humidity inside a home, like showers, cooking, laundry or even breathing.
Why Condensation on Windows Can Be Trouble
Though you might consider condensation on the inside of your windows is a cosmetic issue, it could also be evidence your home has higher humidity. If this is the case, water might also be accumulating on window frames, cold walls or other surfaces. Even a slim film of water can help wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, fostering the growth of mildew or mold.
How to Lower Humidity in Your Home
Thankfully there are numerous options for removing moisture from the air throughout 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 active and your home’s humidity level is high, consider getting a dehumidifier. While humidifiers add moisture into your home so the air doesn’t dry out, a dehumidifier extracts excess moisture out of the air.
Compact, portable dehumidifiers can eliminate the water from a single room. However, portable units require emptying out water trays and most often service a fairly small area. A whole-house dehumidifier will eliminate moisture from your entire home.
Whole-house dehumidifier systems are controlled by a humidistat, which permits you to set a humidity level just as you would pick a temperature on your thermostat. The unit will begin running automatically when the humidity level exceeds the set level. These systems coordinate with your home’s HVAC system, so you should contact skilled professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Auburn and Opelika.
Additional Ways to Reduce Condensation on Windows
- Exhaust fans. Putting in exhaust fans in humidity hotspots such as the bathroom, laundry room or above the kitchen range can help by drawing the warm, moist air from these spaces out of your home before it can elevate the humidity level across your home.
- Ceiling fans. Running ceiling fans can also keep air flowing inside the home so humid air doesn’t get caught up in one area.
- Opening your window treatments. Pulling open the blinds or drapes can reduce condensation by preventing the damp air from being caught against the windowpane.
By reducing humidity across your home and dispersing air throughout your home, you can take advantage of clear, moisture-free windows even in the winter.