The windows of your home are a portal to the outdoors, a way to allow light in while you enjoy the view of your garden, yard or other surroundings. The last thing you would want to see is a sweaty window plastered in a coating of condensation.

Not only are windows coated in condensation unappealing, they also can be evidence of a more substantial air-quality issue in your home. Thankfully, there’s multiple things you can try to resolve the problem.

What Causes Sweating along Windows

Condensation on the interior of windows is formed by the moist warm air in your home mixing with the cold surface of your windows. It’s notably prevalent over the winter when it’s much cooler outside than it is within your home.

Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes

When dealing with condensation, it’s crucial to understand the contrast 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 within a window is produced from the warm moist air in your home collecting along the glass.
  • Any moisture you notice between windowpanes is produced when the window seal breaks down and moisture gets in between the two panes of glass, and at that point the window should be repaired or replaced.
  • Condensation in the windows isn’t a window problem and can instead be solved by adjusting the humidity across your home. Many things produce humidity inside a home, including showers, cooking, taking a bath or even breathing.

Why Sweating Windows Could Mean a Problem

Although you might think condensation in your windows is a cosmetic issue, it could also be indicating your home has high humidity. If this is in fact the case, water may also be accumulating on window frames, cold walls or other surfaces. Even a thin film of water can encourage wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, fostering the growth of mildew or mold.

How to Reduce Humidity in Your Home

Thankfully there are several options for extracting moisture from the air throughout 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 comes down.

If you don’t have a humidifier active and your home’s humidity level is excessive, consider purchasing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers adds moisture inside your home so the air doesn’t dry out, a dehumidifier extracts excess moisture out of the air.

Smaller, portable dehumidifiers can eliminate the water from a single room. However, those units require emptying water trays and most often service a fairly small area. A whole-house dehumidifier will extract moisture across your entire home.

Whole-house dehumidifier systems are regulated by a humidistat, which permits you to specify a humidity level the same like you would pick a temperature with your thermostat. The unit will run immediately when the humidity level exceeds the set level. These systems coordinate with your home’s HVAC system, so you will receive the best results if you contact qualified professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Holbrook.

Alternative Ways to Reduce Condensation on Windows

  • Exhaust fans. Installing exhaust fans in humidity hotspots such as the bathroom, laundry room or above the stove can help by extracting the warm, moist air from these areas out of your home before it can raise the humidity level throughout your home.
  • Ceiling fans. Running ceiling fans can also keep air swirling throughout the home so humid air doesn’t get trapped in one spot.
  • Opening your window treatments. Pulling open the blinds or drapes can lower condensation by stopping the humid air from being stuck against the windowpane.

By decreasing humidity inside your home and circulating air throughout your home, you can enjoy clear, moisture-free windows even in the middle of the winter.