The windows of your home open up to the outdoors, a way to allow light in while you enjoy the view of your garden, yard or landscape. The last thing you would want to see is a sweaty window plastered in a film of condensation.

Not only are windows coated in condensation unsightly, they also can be a symptom of a more substantial air-quality deficit throughout your home. Thankfully, there’s several things you can do to correct the problem.

What Causes Condensation along Windows

Condensation on the inside of windows is produced by the damp warm air throughout your home reaching the colder surface of your windows. It’s particularly commonplace during the winter when it’s much chillier outside than it is inside your home.

Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes

When talking about condensation, it’s crucial to know the contrast between moisture on the inside of your windows versus 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 moist air in your home forming against the glass.
  • Existing moisture you find between windowpanes is produced when the window seal stops working and moisture slips between the two panes of glass, in which case the window needs to be repaired or replaced.
  • Condensation in the windows isn’t a window problem and can instead be resolved by changing the humidity across your home. Different things cause humidity in a home, such as showers, cooking, taking a bath or even breathing.

Why Sweating Windows Can Be an Issue

Though you might think condensation on the inside of your windows is a cosmetic concern, it could also be evidence your home has excess humidity. If this is the case, water might also be collecting 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 Lower Humidity in Your Home

Thankfully there are various options for eliminating moisture from the air inside your home.

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

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

Compact, portable dehumidifiers can absorb the water from a single room. However, those 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 enables you to set a humidity level the same like you would pick a temperature via your thermostat. The unit will begin running immediately when the humidity level overtakes the set level. These systems work with your home’s HVAC system, so you should contact experienced professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Erie.

Additional Ways to Reduce Condensation on Windows

  • Exhaust fans. Installing exhaust fans near humidity hotspots such as the bathroom, laundry room or above the oven can help by pulling the warm, moist air from these spaces out of your home before it can increase the humidity level inside your home.
  • Ceiling fans. Running ceiling fans can also keep air circulating within the home so humid air doesn’t get stuck in one place.
  • Opening your window treatments. Pulling open the blinds or drapes can decrease condensation by preventing the humid air from being stuck against the windowpane.

By lowering humidity inside your home and moving air throughout your home, you can take advantage of clear, moisture-free windows even in the winter.