The windows in your home are a portal to the outdoors, a way to draw light in while you enjoy the view of your garden, yard or other surroundings. The last thing you want to see is a sweaty window coated in a coating of condensation.
Not only are windows covered in condensation unsightly, they also can be a sign of a more substantial air-quality issue throughout your home. Fortunately, there’s multiple things you can try to address the problem.
What Creates Condensation on Windows
Condensation on the inside of windows is formed by the humid warm air inside your home hitting the colder surface of the windows. It’s particularly commonplace in the winter when it’s much cooler outside than it is inside your home.
Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes
When dealing with 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 indoor air quality issue and the other is a window issue.
- Moisture on the inside of a window is produced from the warm damp air inside your home condensing on the glass.
- Existing moisture you find between windowpanes is caused when the window seal stops working 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 problem and can instead be resolved by adjusting the humidity across your home. Many things generate humidity throughout a home, including showers, cooking, taking a bath or even breathing.
Why Condensation on Windows Can Be a Problem
Though you might presume condensation in your windows is a cosmetic problem, it may also be indicating your home has excess humidity. If that’s the case, water could also be accumulating on window frames, cold walls or other surfaces. Even a thin film of water can help wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, fostering the growth of mildew or mold.
How to Reduce Humidity Inside Your Home
The good news is there are several options for eliminating moisture from the air throughout your home.
If you have a humidifier operating in your home – whether it be a smaller 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 higher than you prefer, think about purchasing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers put moisture inside your home so the air doesn’t dry out, a dehumidifier extracts excess moisture out of the air.
Small, portable dehumidifiers can eliminate the water from one room. However, these units require clearing water trays and usually service a fairly small area. A whole-house dehumidifier will extract moisture across your entire home.
Whole-house dehumidifier systems are regulated by a humidistat, which allows you to set a humidity level just as you would pick a temperature on your thermostat. The unit will begin running automatically when the humidity level surpasses the set level. These systems collaborate with your home’s HVAC system, so you should contact skilled professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Albuquerque.
Additional Ways to Lower Condensation on Windows
- Exhaust fans. Adding exhaust fans around humidity hotspots including the bathroom, laundry room or above the stove can help by extracting the warm, humid air from these areas out of your home before it can elevate the humidity level across your home.
- Ceiling fans. Spinning ceiling fans can also keep air swirling within the home so humid air doesn’t get caught up in one area.
- Opening up window treatments. Opening the blinds or drapes can reduce condensation by preventing the humid air from being caught against the windowpane.
By reducing humidity inside your home and circulating air throughout your home, you can make the most of clear, moisture-free windows even during the winter.