The windows throughout your home are a portal to the outdoors, a way to allow light in while you take in the view of your garden, yard or scenery. The last thing you need to see is a sweaty window coated in a layer of condensation.
Not only are windows coated in condensation unsightly, they also can be a sign of a more serious air-quality problem within your home. Fortunately, there’s multiple things you can try to address the problem.
What Causes Condensation along Windows
Condensation on the inner layer of windows is produced by the damp warm air throughout your home reaching the colder surface of the windows. It’s especially common in the winter when it’s much cooler outside than it is inside your home.
Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes
When discussing condensation, it’s necessary to recognize the contrast 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 inside a window is produced from the warm moist air in your home collecting along the glass.
- Existing moisture you notice between windowpanes is produced when the window seal breaks down and moisture gets in between the two panes of glass, and by then the window needs to be repaired or replaced.
- Condensation in the windows isn’t a window issue and can instead be fixed by adjusting the humidity inside your home. Many things cause humidity inside a home, including showers, cooking, laundry or even breathing.
Why Condensation on Windows Can Be a Problem
Though you might think condensation inside your windows is a cosmetic concern, it could also be a sign your home has excess humidity. If this is in fact the case, water might also be collecting on window frames, cold walls or other surfaces. Even a thin film of water can cause wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, increasing the growth of mildew or mold.
How to Lower Humidity Inside Your Home
Thankfully there are various options for extracting moisture from the air in your home.
If you have a humidifier operating in your home – whether it be a small-scale unit or a whole-house humidifier – lower it further so the humidity inside your home decreases.
If you don’t have a humidifier active and your home’s humidity level is higher than you prefer, consider getting a dehumidifier. While humidifiers put moisture into your home so the air doesn’t dry out, a dehumidifier pulls excess moisture out of the air.
Small, portable dehumidifiers can remove the water from one room. However, these units require emptying water trays and usually service a somewhat limited area. A whole-house dehumidifier will remove moisture across your entire home.
Whole-house dehumidifier systems are managed by a humidistat, which permits you to set a humidity level the same as you would pick a temperature on your thermostat. The unit will begin running immediately when the humidity level overtakes the set level. These systems coordinate with your home’s HVAC system, so you will want to contact qualified professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Georgetown.
Additional Ways to Reduce Condensation on Windows
- Exhaust fans. Adding exhaust fans around humidity hotspots including the bathroom, laundry room or above the kitchen range 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. Spinning 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 humid air from being stuck against the windowpane.
By decreasing humidity in your home and moving air throughout your home, you can take advantage of clear, moisture-free windows even in the winter.