The windows throughout your home open up 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 coating of condensation.

Not only are windows plastered with condensation unattractive, they also can be a sign of a more substantial air-quality deficit in your home. Fortunately, there’s multiple things you can attempt to address the problem.

What Produces Condensation along Windows

Condensation on the inside of windows is created by the moist warm air in your home hitting the cooler surface of the windows. It’s especially commonplace over the winter when it’s much cooler outside than it is in your home.

Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes

When talking about condensation, it’s crucial to understand the contrast between moisture on the inside of your windows in comparison 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 produced from the warm humid air throughout your home collecting along the glass.
  • Any moisture you notice between windowpanes is caused when the window seal fails and moisture gets in 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 problem and can instead be solved by adjusting the humidity across your home. Many things cause humidity inside a home, like showers, cooking, taking a bath or even breathing.

Why Indoor Sweating on Windows Can Be Trouble

Although you might think condensation inside your windows is a cosmetic problem, it could also be a sign your home has high humidity. If this is the case, water could also be condensing on window frames, cold walls or other surfaces. Even a small film of water can encourage wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, increasing the growth of mildew or mold.

How to Decrease Humidity Throughout Your Home

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

If you have a humidifier running within 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 running and your home’s humidity level is higher than you prefer, think about purchasing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers put moisture into your home so the air doesn’t become too dry, a dehumidifier draws excess moisture out of the air.

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

Whole-house dehumidifier systems are managed by a humidistat, which allows you to set a humidity level the same like you would pick a temperature via your thermostat. The unit will begin running instantly when the humidity level exceeds the set level. These systems work with your home’s HVAC system, so you will want to contact qualified professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Heflin.

Other Ways to Lower Condensation on Windows

  • Exhaust fans. Putting in exhaust fans near humidity hotspots such as the bathroom, laundry room or above the oven can help by pulling the warm, humid air from these spaces out of your home before it can elevate the humidity level in your home.
  • Ceiling fans. Turning on ceiling fans can also keep air moving within the home so humid air doesn’t get caught up in one area.
  • Opening up window treatments. Throwing open the blinds or drapes can reduce condensation by preventing the humid air from being caught against the windowpane.

By decreasing humidity inside your home and moving air throughout your home, you can take advantage of clear, moisture-free windows even in the winter.