The windows of your home are a gateway to the outdoors, a way to allow light in while you enjoy the view of your garden, yard or scenery. The last thing you want to see is a sweaty window coated in a layer of condensation.
Not only are windows coated in condensation unattractive, they also can be evidence of a more serious air-quality deficit within your home. Fortunately, there’s several things you can attempt to address the problem.
What Produces Sweating in Windows
Condensation on the interior of windows is formed by the moist warm air in your home mixing with the cooler surface of the windows. It’s notably prevalent over the winter when it’s much chillier outside than it is in your home.
Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes
When dealing with condensation, it’s important to know 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 damp air throughout your home forming along the glass.
- Existing moisture you see between windowpanes is produced when the window seal stops working and moisture seeps 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 problem and can instead be fixed by adjusting the humidity across your home. Different things cause humidity inside a home, like showers, cooking, bathing or even breathing.
Why Sweating Windows Could Mean Trouble
Although you might presume condensation inside your windows is a cosmetic issue, it may also be a sign your home has excess humidity. If that’s the case, water may also be accumulating 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 in Your Home
Fortunately there are several options for extracting moisture from the air in your home.
If you have a humidifier running in your home – whether it be a small-scale unit or a whole-house humidifier – lower it further so the humidity inside your home comes down.
If you don’t have a humidifier running and your home’s humidity level is high, consider getting a dehumidifier. While humidifiers put moisture into your home so the air doesn’t become too dry, a dehumidifier draws excess moisture out of the air.
Smaller, portable dehumidifiers can eliminate the water from one room. However, those units require clearing water trays and most often service a fairly small area. A whole-house dehumidifier will remove moisture throughout your entire home.
Whole-house dehumidifier systems are managed by a humidistat, which enables you to set a humidity level just like you would pick a temperature via your thermostat. The unit will start immediately when the humidity level overtakes the set level. These systems collaborate with your home’s HVAC system, so you will want to contact experienced professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Northridge.
Additional Ways to Eliminate Condensation on Windows
- Exhaust fans. Putting in exhaust fans around humidity hotspots including the bathroom, laundry room or above the stove can help by drawing the warm, humid air from these areas out of your home before it can elevate the humidity level across your home.
- Ceiling fans. Turning on ceiling fans can also keep air circulating within the home so humid air doesn’t get trapped in one spot.
- Opening up window treatments. Opening the blinds or drapes can decrease condensation by stopping the damp air from being trapped against the windowpane.
By reducing humidity inside your home and dispersing air throughout your home, you can enjoy clear, moisture-free windows even in the middle of the winter.
