The windows throughout your home are a portal to the outdoors, a way to allow light in while you appreciate the view of your garden, yard or landscape. The last thing you want to see is a sweaty window covered in a layer of condensation.

Not only are windows coated in condensation unappealing, they also can be a sign of a larger air-quality deficit within your home. Thankfully, there’s multiple things you can do to address the problem.

What Produces Condensation on Windows

Condensation on the inside of windows is formed by the humid warm air in your home reaching the cooler surface of your windows. It’s notably commonplace in the winter when it’s much colder outside than it is inside your home.

Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes

When discussing condensation, it’s necessary to understand the contrast 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 within a window is produced from the warm humid air in your home forming against the glass.
  • Existing moisture you notice between windowpanes is produced when the window seal breaks down and moisture slips between the two panes of glass, and at that point the window needs to be repaired or replaced.
  • Condensation in the windows isn’t a window situation and can instead be solved by changing the humidity in your home. Different things cause humidity throughout a home, such as showers, cooking, taking a bath or even breathing.

Why Sweating Windows Could Mean Trouble

Though you might presume condensation inside your windows is a cosmetic concern, it can be indicating your home has high humidity. If this is in fact the case, water could also be collecting on window frames, cold walls or other surfaces. Even a thin film of water can help wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, increasing the growth of mildew or mold.

How to Decrease Humidity in Your Home

The good news is there are numerous options for extracting moisture from the air inside your home.

If you have a humidifier running within 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 active and your home’s humidity level is high, consider getting a dehumidifier. While humidifiers adds moisture in your home so the air doesn’t become too dry, a dehumidifier pulls excess moisture out of the air.

Small, portable dehumidifiers can absorb the water from a single room. However, those units require emptying out water trays and generally service a fairly small area. A whole-house dehumidifier will extract moisture throughout your entire home.

Whole-house dehumidifier systems are regulated by a humidistat, which enables you to specify a humidity level just like you would choose a temperature on your thermostat. The unit will start instantly when the humidity level overtakes the set level. These systems collaborate with your home’s HVAC system, so you should contact qualified professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Belton.

Other Ways to Reduce Condensation on Windows

  • Exhaust fans. Adding exhaust fans near humidity hotspots including the bathroom, laundry room or above the oven can help by drawing the warm, humid air from these areas out of your home before it can increase the humidity level in your home.
  • Ceiling fans. Spinning ceiling fans can also keep air swirling inside the home so humid air doesn’t get caught up in one spot.
  • Opening your window treatments. Throwing open the blinds or drapes can lower condensation by preventing the warm air from being caught against the windowpane.

By reducing humidity across your home and moving air throughout your home, you can make the most of clear, moisture-free windows even during the winter.