The windows of your home are a portal to the outdoors, a way to allow light in while you enjoy the view of your garden, yard or scenery. The last thing you would want to see is a sweaty window coated 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 inside your home. Luckily, there’s numerous things you can try to correct the problem.
What Creates Condensation on Windows
Condensation on the inside of windows is created by the moist warm air inside your home mixing with the cold surface of your windows. It’s notably prevalent around the winter when it’s much cooler outside than it is within your home.
Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes
When dealing with condensation, it’s important to recognize the distinction between moisture on the inside of your windows in comparison to moisture in between the windowpanes. One is an air-quality issue and the other is a window issue.
- Moisture inside a window is caused from the warm damp air in your home forming along the glass.
- Any moisture you find between windowpanes is produced when the window seal fails and moisture seeps between the two panes of glass, and by then the window has to be repaired or replaced.
- Condensation on the inside of the windows isn’t a window issue and can instead be fixed by adjusting the humidity inside your home. Different things produce humidity throughout a home, such as showers, cooking, taking a bath or even breathing.
Why Condensation on Windows Can Be an Issue
Although you might think condensation in your windows is a cosmetic concern, it may also be evidence your home has excess humidity. If that’s the case, water could also be condensing on window frames, cold walls or other surfaces. Even a small film of water can help wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, fostering the growth of mildew or mold.
How to Decrease Humidity in Your Home
Fortunately there are several options for extracting moisture from the air throughout your home.
If you have a humidifier operating inside 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 running and your home’s humidity level is excessive, consider installing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers put moisture into your home so the air doesn’t get too dry, a dehumidifier draws excess moisture out of the air.
Small, portable dehumidifiers can absorb the water from an entire room. However, these units require emptying water trays and usually service a fairly small area. A whole-house dehumidifier will remove moisture throughout your entire home.
Whole-house dehumidifier systems are regulated by a humidistat, which allows you to set a humidity level the same as you would choose a temperature via your thermostat. The unit will run automatically when the humidity level surpasses the set level. These systems collaborate with your home’s HVAC system, so you should contact qualified professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Milledgeville and Middle Georgia.
Alternative Ways to Reduce Condensation on Windows
- Exhaust fans. Adding exhaust fans near humidity hotspots including the bathroom, laundry room or above the stove can help by extracting the warm, humid air from these rooms out of your home before it can raise the humidity level in your home.
- Ceiling fans. Turning on ceiling fans can also keep air swirling inside the home so humid air doesn’t get trapped in one spot.
- Opening up window treatments. Opening the blinds or drapes can lower condensation by preventing the warm air from being caught against the windowpane.
By lowering humidity across your home and circulating air throughout your home, you can enjoy clear, moisture-free windows even in the winter.