The windows in your home are a portal to the outdoors, a way to draw light in when you take in the view of your garden, yard or other surroundings. The last thing you would want to see is a sweaty window plastered in a film of condensation.
Not only are windows covered in condensation unattractive, they also can be a symptom of a more serious air-quality problem inside your home. Fortunately, there’s multiple things you can attempt to correct the problem.
What Creates Condensation on Windows
Condensation on the inside of windows is created by the moist warm air throughout your home hitting the colder surface of the windows. It’s particularly commonplace during the winter when it’s much cooler outside than it is inside your home.
Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes
When talking about condensation, it’s necessary to know the distinction 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 created from the warm humid air in your home forming along the glass.
- Existing moisture you find between windowpanes is produced when the window seal stops working and moisture gets in between the two panes of glass, in which case the window should be repaired or replaced.
- Condensation on the inside of the windows isn’t a window problem and can instead be fixed by changing the humidity across your home. Different things generate humidity throughout a home, such as showers, cooking, laundry or even breathing.
Why Sweating Windows Could Mean Trouble
Although you might think condensation on the inside of your windows is a cosmetic concern, it can be evidence your home has high humidity. If this is in fact the case, water may also be collecting 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 in Your Home
Fortunately there are various options for eliminating moisture from the air inside your home.
If you have a humidifier active in 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 going and your home’s humidity level is excessive, think about getting a dehumidifier. While humidifiers adds moisture into your home so the air doesn’t become too dry, a dehumidifier extracts excess moisture out of the air.
Compact, portable dehumidifiers can remove the water from one room. However, portable units require emptying out water trays and most often 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 establish a humidity level precisely like you would pick a temperature via your thermostat. The unit will start instantly when the humidity level overtakes the set level. These systems coordinate with your home’s HVAC system, so you should contact experienced professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Phoenix.
Other Ways to Lower Condensation on Windows
- Exhaust fans. Putting in exhaust fans near humidity hotspots including the bathroom, laundry room or above the kitchen range can help by extracting the warm, moist air from these spaces out of your home before it can increase the humidity level inside your home.
- Ceiling fans. Spinning ceiling fans can also keep air flowing throughout the home so humid air doesn’t get caught up in one spot.
- Opening your window treatments. Pulling open the blinds or drapes can reduce condensation by preventing the damp air from being trapped against the windowpane.
By reducing humidity across your home and moving air throughout your home, you can take advantage of clear, moisture-free windows even in the winter.