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 landscape. The last thing you want to see is a sweaty window covered in a film of condensation.
Not only are windows plastered with condensation unappealing, they also can be a symptom of a more serious air-quality issue in your home. Thankfully, there’s numerous things you can try to resolve the problem.
What Creates Condensation in Windows
Condensation on the inner layer of windows is created by the humid warm air inside your home reaching the colder surface of your windows. It’s particularly commonplace around the winter when it’s much chillier outside than it is in your home.
Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes
When discussing condensation, it’s important 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 damp air throughout your home condensing along the glass.
- Any moisture you see between windowpanes is caused when the window seal breaks down and moisture seeps between the two panes of glass, and at that point the window has to be repaired or replaced.
- Condensation inside the windows isn’t a window issue and can instead be fixed by fine-tuning the humidity across your home. Different things generate humidity inside a home, like showers, cooking, taking a bath or even breathing.
Why Condensation on Windows Can Be Trouble
Although you might presume condensation in your windows is a cosmetic issue, it may also be evidence your home has excess humidity. If this is in fact the case, water may also be condensing on window frames, cold walls or other surfaces. Even a thin film of water can cause wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, promoting the growth of mildew or mold.
How to Decrease Humidity Inside Your Home
The good news is there are various options for eliminating moisture from the air inside your home.
If you have a humidifier running inside your home – whether it be a smaller unit or a whole-house humidifier – lower it further so the humidity inside your home decreases.
If you don’t have a humidifier going and your home’s humidity level is higher than you prefer, consider getting a dehumidifier. While humidifiers add moisture into 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 one room. However, these units require emptying out water trays and generally service a fairly 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 set a humidity level precisely as you would select a temperature with your thermostat. The unit will start automatically when the humidity level exceeds 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 Rockford.
Other Ways to Decrease Condensation on Windows
- Exhaust fans. Putting in exhaust fans near humidity hotspots like the bathroom, laundry room or above the kitchen range can help by drawing the warm, moist air from these rooms out of your home before it can raise the humidity level in your home.
- Ceiling fans. Spinning ceiling fans can also keep air moving within the home so humid air doesn’t get trapped in one spot.
- Opening your window treatments. Pulling open the blinds or drapes can reduce condensation by preventing the damp air from being caught against the windowpane.
By reducing humidity across your home and moving air throughout your home, you can enjoy clear, moisture-free windows even in the middle of the winter.