The windows throughout your home are a portal to the outdoors, a way to allow 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 unsightly, they also can be a sign of a larger air-quality deficit throughout your home. Luckily, there’s numerous things you can attempt to address the problem.

What Produces Condensation on Windows

Condensation on the interior of windows is formed by the damp warm air throughout your home hitting the cooler surface of your windows. It’s particularly common around the winter when it’s much chillier outside than it is within your home.

Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes

When discussing condensation, it’s important to know the difference 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 caused from the warm damp air throughout your home forming on the glass.
  • Existing moisture you see between windowpanes is caused when the window seal stops working and moisture slips between the two panes of glass, and by then the window should be repaired or replaced.
  • Condensation on the inside of the windows isn’t a window issue and can instead be solved by fine-tuning the humidity inside your home. Many things cause humidity inside a home, like showers, cooking, laundry or even breathing.

Why Sweating Windows Could Mean Trouble

Although you might presume condensation on the inside of your windows is a cosmetic problem, it could also be a sign your home has high humidity. If this is in fact the case, water might also be accumulating on window frames, cold walls or other surfaces. Even a small film of water can encourage wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, promoting the growth of mildew or mold.

How to Decrease Humidity Throughout Your Home

Not to worry, because there are several options for removing moisture from the air in your home.

If you have a humidifier active within your home – whether it be a small unit or a whole-house humidifier – lower it further so the humidity inside your home goes down.

If you don’t have a humidifier running and your home’s humidity level is higher than you prefer, consider installing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers introduces moisture into your home so the air doesn’t dry out, a dehumidifier extracts excess moisture out of the air.

Compact, portable dehumidifiers can remove the water from one room. However, portable units require clearing water trays and most often service a small area. A whole-house dehumidifier will extract moisture across your entire home.

Whole-house dehumidifier systems are controlled by a humidistat, which permits you to specify a humidity level precisely like you would pick a temperature on your thermostat. The unit will start automatically when the humidity level surpasses the set level. These systems work with your home’s HVAC system, so you will want to contact experienced professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Muskogee.

Other Ways to Reduce Condensation on Windows

  • Exhaust fans. Adding exhaust fans in humidity hotspots such as the bathroom, laundry room or above the kitchen range can help by pulling the warm, moist air from these areas out of your home before it can elevate the humidity level inside your home.
  • Ceiling fans. Running ceiling fans can also keep air moving throughout the home so humid air doesn’t get caught up in one spot.
  • Opening your window treatments. Opening the blinds or drapes can reduce condensation by stopping the humid air from being trapped against the windowpane.

By reducing humidity inside your home and circulating air throughout your home, you can enjoy clear, moisture-free windows even during the winter.