The windows throughout your home open up to the outdoors, a way to draw light in while you take in 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 plastered with condensation unsightly, they also can be evidence of a more serious air-quality deficit within your home. Fortunately, there’s several things you can do to address the problem.

What Causes Condensation on Windows

Condensation on the inner layer of windows is produced by the humid warm air inside your home mixing with the cooler surface of the windows. It’s especially prevalent around the winter when it’s much colder outside than it is inside your home.

Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes

When discussing condensation, it’s crucial to know the contrast between moisture on the inside of your windows compared 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 created from the warm humid air throughout your home collecting against the glass.
  • Any moisture you see between windowpanes is produced when the window seal stops working and moisture slips between the two panes of glass, and by then the window has to be repaired or replaced.
  • Condensation inside the windows isn’t a window situation and can instead be fixed by changing the humidity in your home. Many things generate humidity in a home, including showers, cooking, laundry or even breathing.

Why Condensation on Windows Can Be an Issue

Even though you might presume condensation on the inside of your windows is a cosmetic issue, it could also be indicating your home has higher humidity. If that’s the case, water may also be collecting 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 Decrease Humidity Inside Your Home

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

If you don’t have a humidifier going and your home’s humidity level is excessive, think about installing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers introduces moisture inside your home so the air doesn’t dry out, a dehumidifier draws excess moisture out of the air.

Smaller, portable dehumidifiers can absorb 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 extract moisture from your entire home.

Whole-house dehumidifier systems are controlled by a humidistat, which allows you to establish a humidity level precisely like you would choose a temperature on your thermostat. The unit will begin running instantly when the humidity level surpasses the set level. These systems collaborate with your home’s HVAC system, so you will receive the best results if you contact skilled professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation .

Other Ways to Decrease Condensation on Windows

  • Exhaust fans. Installing exhaust fans around 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 increase the humidity level inside your home.
  • Ceiling fans. Spinning ceiling fans can also keep air moving throughout the home so humid air doesn’t get caught up in one spot.
  • Opening up window treatments. Opening the blinds or drapes can reduce condensation by stopping the warm air from being caught against the windowpane.

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