The windows of your home open up to the outdoors, a way to let light in when you enjoy the view of your garden, yard or other surroundings. The last thing you would want to see is a sweaty window covered in a coating of condensation.

Not only are windows covered in condensation unappealing, they also can be evidence of a larger air-quality problem in your home. Thankfully, there’s numerous things you can attempt to address the problem.

What Produces Sweating in Windows

Condensation on the inner layer of windows is formed by the damp warm air in your home mixing with the colder surface of the windows. It’s particularly prevalent in the winter when it’s much chillier outside than it is in your home.

Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes

When talking about condensation, it’s important to recognize the contrast between moisture on the inside of your windows versus 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 created from the warm moist air inside your home collecting against the glass.
  • The moisture you find between windowpanes is formed when the window seal fails and moisture slips between the two panes of glass, and by then the window has to be repaired or replaced.
  • Condensation on the inside of the windows isn’t a window problem and can instead be solved by fine-tuning the humidity inside your home. Numerous things produce humidity in a home, including showers, cooking, taking a bath or even breathing.

Why Indoor Sweating on Windows Can Be Trouble

Though you might consider condensation in your windows is a cosmetic issue, it may also be a sign your home has excess 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, promoting the growth of mildew or mold.

How to Lower Humidity Throughout Your Home

The good news is there are several options for extracting moisture from the air inside your home.

If you have a humidifier operating 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 active and your home’s humidity level is high, consider installing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers put moisture inside your home so the air doesn’t get too dry, a dehumidifier pulls excess moisture out of the air.

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

Whole-house dehumidifier systems are regulated by a humidistat, which allows you to specify a humidity level precisely like you would pick a temperature on your thermostat. The unit will start instantly when the humidity level overtakes the set level. These systems coordinate with your home’s HVAC system, so you should contact qualified professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Bartlesville.

Additional Ways to Decrease Condensation on Windows

  • Exhaust fans. Adding exhaust fans in humidity hotspots including the bathroom, laundry room or above the stove can help by pulling the warm, humid air from these spaces out of your home before it can elevate the humidity level throughout your home.
  • Ceiling fans. Running ceiling fans can also keep air flowing throughout the home so humid air doesn’t get caught up in one place.
  • Opening up window treatments. Pulling open the blinds or drapes can reduce condensation by stopping the damp air from being caught against the windowpane.

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