The windows throughout your home are a portal to the outdoors, a way to draw light in when you appreciate the view of your garden, yard or other surroundings. The last thing you need to see is a sweaty window covered in a coating of condensation.
Not only are windows coated in condensation unattractive, they also can be a symptom of a more serious air-quality problem inside your home. Fortunately, there’s numerous things you can try to address the problem.
What Creates 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 particularly prevalent around the winter when it’s much cooler outside than it is in your home.
Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes
When dealing with condensation, it’s important to recognize the contrast between moisture on the inside of your windows in comparison to moisture in between the windowpanes. One is an indoor air quality issue and the other is a window issue.
- Moisture inside a window is produced from the warm damp air inside your home forming against the glass.
- The moisture you find between windowpanes is caused when the window seal fails and moisture gets in between the two panes of glass, and by then the window needs to be repaired or replaced.
- Condensation on the inside of the windows isn’t a window situation and can instead be fixed by adjusting the humidity in your home. Many things cause humidity inside a home, such as showers, cooking, laundry or even breathing.
Why Condensation on Windows Can Be an Issue
Even though you might consider condensation inside your windows is a cosmetic concern, it may also be indicating your home has higher humidity. If this is in fact the case, water could also be condensing on window frames, cold walls or other surfaces. Even a slim film of water can cause wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, fostering the growth of mildew or mold.
How to Lower Humidity Inside Your Home
Thankfully there are numerous options for removing 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 higher than you prefer, think about purchasing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers introduce moisture inside your home so the air doesn’t get too dry, a dehumidifier pulls excess moisture out of the air.
Compact, portable dehumidifiers can absorb the water from a single room. However, these units require emptying water trays and generally service a small area. A whole-house dehumidifier will remove moisture across your entire home.
Whole-house dehumidifier systems are regulated by a humidistat, which permits you to establish a humidity level just as you would choose a temperature with 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 should contact qualified professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Muskogee.
Other Ways to Decrease Condensation on Windows
- Exhaust fans. Putting in exhaust fans in humidity hotspots including the bathroom, laundry room or above the oven can help by pulling the warm, moist air from these spaces out of your home before it can increase the humidity level inside your home.
- Ceiling fans. Running ceiling fans can also keep air swirling inside the home so humid air doesn’t get caught up in one place.
- Open window treatments. Throwing open the blinds or drapes can decrease condensation by preventing the humid 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 winter.