The windows of 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 plastered in a film of condensation.
Not only are windows covered in condensation unappealing, they also can be evidence of a more serious air-quality deficit within your home. Fortunately, there’s multiple things you can try to resolve the problem.
What Creates Condensation in Windows
Condensation on the inside of windows is produced by the humid warm air inside your home hitting the colder surface of the windows. It’s especially prevalent during the winter when it’s much chillier outside than it is in your home.
Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes
When discussing condensation, it’s crucial to recognize the difference 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 damp air throughout your home condensing on the glass.
- Any moisture you find between windowpanes is caused when the window seal fails and moisture slips between the two panes of glass, and at that point the window should be repaired or replaced.
- Condensation in the windows isn’t a window situation and can instead be solved by changing the humidity inside your home. Different things produce humidity inside a home, including showers, cooking, taking a bath or even breathing.
Why Condensation on Windows Can Be an Issue
Even though you might think condensation on the inside of your windows is a cosmetic concern, it may also be evidence your home has higher humidity. If this is the case, water might also be condensing on window frames, cold walls or other surfaces. Even a small film of water can encourage wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, increasing the growth of mildew or mold.
How to Lower Humidity Throughout Your Home
Thankfully there are several options for eliminating moisture from the air inside your home.
If you have a humidifier running inside your home – whether it be a small-scale unit or a whole-house humidifier – lower it further so the humidity inside your home goes down.
If you don’t have a humidifier running and your home’s humidity level is higher than you prefer, look into getting a dehumidifier. While humidifiers introduce moisture in your home so the air doesn’t dry out, a dehumidifier draws excess moisture out of the air.
Compact, portable dehumidifiers can remove 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 eliminate moisture across your entire home.
Whole-house dehumidifier systems are controlled by a humidistat, which permits you to set a humidity level just as you would select a temperature with your thermostat. The unit will begin running immediately 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 Phoenix.
Additional Ways to Decrease Condensation on Windows
- Exhaust fans. Installing exhaust fans in humidity hotspots like the bathroom, laundry room or above the stove can help by drawing the warm, moist air from these rooms out of your home before it can elevate the humidity level in your home.
- Ceiling fans. Turning on ceiling fans can also keep air swirling inside the home so humid air doesn’t get trapped in one area.
- Opening your window treatments. Throwing open the blinds or drapes can lower condensation by preventing the damp air from being trapped against the windowpane.
By reducing humidity in your home and moving air throughout your home, you can enjoy clear, moisture-free windows even in the winter.