The windows in your home are a portal to the outdoors, a way to let light in when you appreciate the view of your garden, yard or other surroundings. The last thing you want to see is a sweaty window covered in a film of condensation.
Not only are windows plastered with condensation unsightly, they also can be a sign of a more serious air-quality problem throughout your home. Luckily, there’s numerous things you can do to resolve the problem.
What Creates Condensation in Windows
Condensation on the interior of windows is produced by the moist warm air throughout your home reaching the colder surface of the windows. It’s notably common during the winter when it’s much colder outside than it is within your home.
Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes
When talking about condensation, it’s necessary to know the distinction between moisture on the inside of your windows compared to moisture in between the windowpanes. One is an air-quality issue and the other is a window issue.
- Moisture within a window is produced from the warm damp air in your home forming along the glass.
- Any moisture you notice between windowpanes is caused when the window seal fails and moisture seeps between the two panes of glass, in which case the window has to be repaired or replaced.
- Condensation inside the windows isn’t a window issue and can instead be resolved by adjusting the humidity inside your home. Different things cause humidity inside a home, including showers, cooking, bathing or even breathing.
Why Condensation on Windows Can Be an Issue
Though you might presume condensation in your windows is a cosmetic problem, it could also be a sign your home has high 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 help wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, increasing the growth of mildew or mold.
How to Reduce Humidity in Your Home
Thankfully there are several options for extracting moisture from the air throughout 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 going and your home’s humidity level is excessive, look into getting a dehumidifier. While humidifiers introduce moisture in your home so the air doesn’t dry out, a dehumidifier pulls excess moisture out of the air.
Small, portable dehumidifiers can eliminate the water from an entire room. However, those units require emptying water trays and most often service a somewhat limited area. A whole-house dehumidifier will eliminate moisture from your entire home.
Whole-house dehumidifier systems are managed by a humidistat, which permits you to specify a humidity level the same as you would choose a temperature with your thermostat. The unit will start immediately when the humidity level exceeds the set level. These systems coordinate with your home’s HVAC system, so you will receive the best results if you contact qualified professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Tuscaloosa.
Other Ways to Decrease Condensation on Windows
- Exhaust fans. Adding exhaust fans near humidity hotspots including the bathroom, laundry room or above the stove can help by drawing the warm, humid air from these spaces out of your home before it can elevate the humidity level throughout your home.
- Ceiling fans. Turning on ceiling fans can also keep air flowing inside the home so humid air doesn’t get caught up in one place.
- Opening up window treatments. Pulling open the blinds or drapes can reduce condensation by preventing the damp air from being stuck against the windowpane.
By lowering humidity across your home and circulating air throughout your home, you can take advantage of clear, moisture-free windows even in the winter.