The windows throughout your home open up to the outdoors, a way to let light in while you take in the view of your garden, yard or landscape. The last thing you want to see is a sweaty window covered in a layer of condensation.
Not only are windows plastered with condensation unattractive, they also can be a sign of a more serious air-quality issue throughout your home. Thankfully, there’s several things you can do to correct the problem.
What Produces Condensation on Windows
Condensation on the inner layer of windows is formed by the moist warm air inside your home reaching the colder surface of the windows. It’s notably prevalent around the winter when it’s much cooler outside than it is in your home.
Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes
When discussing condensation, it’s important to recognize 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 inside a window is produced from the warm moist air in your home forming on the glass.
- Any moisture you find between windowpanes is formed when the window seal stops working and moisture slips between the two panes of glass, in which case the window has to be repaired or replaced.
- Condensation inside the windows isn’t a window situation and can instead be resolved by adjusting the humidity inside your home. Different things produce humidity in a home, such as showers, cooking, bathing or even breathing.
Why Condensation on Windows Can Be an Issue
Though you might presume condensation inside your windows is a cosmetic issue, it could also be indicating your home has excess 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 help wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, promoting the growth of mildew or mold.
How to Lower Humidity in Your Home
The good news is there are various options for removing moisture from the air throughout your home.
If you have a humidifier active in 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 high, look into getting a dehumidifier. While humidifiers introduce moisture in your home so the air doesn’t become too dry, a dehumidifier pulls excess moisture out of the air.
Small, portable dehumidifiers can remove the water from one room. However, those units require emptying out water trays and usually 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 enables you to specify a humidity level the same as you would pick a temperature on your thermostat. The unit will start instantly when the humidity level overtakes the set level. These systems collaborate with your home’s HVAC system, so you will receive the best results if you contact experienced professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Bloomfield.
Alternative Ways to Lower Condensation on Windows
- Exhaust fans. Adding 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 elevate the humidity level throughout your home.
- Ceiling fans. Turning on ceiling fans can also keep air flowing inside the home so humid air doesn’t get caught up in one area.
- Opening your window treatments. Opening the blinds or drapes can lower condensation by preventing the damp air from being stuck against the windowpane.
By decreasing humidity across your home and moving air throughout your home, you can make the most of clear, moisture-free windows even in the middle of the winter.