The windows in your home are a gateway to the outdoors, a way to allow light in when you take in the view of your garden, yard or landscape. The last thing you want to see is a sweaty window coated in a film of condensation.
Not only are windows coated in condensation unsightly, they also can be evidence of a more serious air-quality problem within your home. Luckily, there’s multiple things you can try to correct the problem.
What Causes Condensation in Windows
Condensation on the inside of windows is created by the damp warm air in your home reaching the cooler surface of your windows. It’s notably commonplace in the winter when it’s much colder outside than it is in your home.
Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes
When discussing condensation, it’s crucial to know the distinction 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 created from the warm moist air throughout your home condensing against the glass.
- Existing moisture you see between windowpanes is produced when the window seal breaks down and moisture slips between the two panes of glass, in which case the window has to be repaired or replaced.
- Condensation on the inside of the windows isn’t a window situation and can instead be fixed by fine-tuning the humidity inside your home. Different things cause humidity inside a home, such as showers, cooking, laundry or even breathing.
Why Condensation on Windows Can Be Trouble
Although you might consider condensation in your windows is a cosmetic problem, it may also be indicating your home has higher humidity. If that’s the case, water may also be condensing on window frames, cold walls or other surfaces. Even a slim film of water can encourage wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, fostering the growth of mildew or mold.
How to Reduce Humidity Inside Your Home
Not to worry, because there are several options for eliminating moisture from the air inside your home.
If you have a humidifier active inside your home – whether it be a smaller 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 excessive, consider purchasing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers add moisture in your home so the air doesn’t dry out, a dehumidifier pulls excess moisture out of the air.
Small, portable dehumidifiers can eliminate the water from one room. However, those units require emptying water trays and most often 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 allows you to specify a humidity level the same as you would select a temperature on your thermostat. The unit will start instantly when the humidity level surpasses the set level. These systems collaborate with your home’s HVAC system, so you will want to contact skilled professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Bartlesville.
Other Ways to Reduce Condensation on Windows
- Exhaust fans. Putting in exhaust fans in humidity hotspots like the bathroom, laundry room or above the oven can help by drawing the warm, moist air from these areas out of your home before it can raise the humidity level across your home.
- Ceiling fans. Turning on ceiling fans can also keep air moving inside the home so humid air doesn’t get caught up in one area.
- Open window treatments. Opening the blinds or drapes can decrease condensation by stopping the warm air from being trapped 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.