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

Not only are windows covered in condensation unsightly, they also can be a symptom of a more substantial air-quality issue in your home. Luckily, there’s numerous things you can attempt to address the problem.

What Causes Condensation on Windows

Condensation on the inside of windows is formed by the damp warm air in your home mixing with the cooler surface of your windows. It’s notably prevalent during the winter when it’s much cooler outside than it is within your home.

Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes

When dealing with condensation, it’s necessary to understand the difference 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 moist air in your home collecting along the glass.
  • Existing moisture you notice between windowpanes is produced when the window seal stops working and moisture gets in between the two panes of glass, and by then the window needs to 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 in your home. Different things generate humidity in a home, including showers, cooking, laundry or even breathing.

Why Sweating Windows Can Be Trouble

Although you might think condensation in your windows is a cosmetic issue, it may 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 slim 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

Fortunately there are various options for removing moisture from the air in your home.

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

If you don’t have a humidifier going and your home’s humidity level is higher than you prefer, look into installing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers adds moisture in your home so the air doesn’t get 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 clearing water trays and generally service a fairly small area. A whole-house dehumidifier will eliminate moisture across your entire home.

Whole-house dehumidifier systems are managed by a humidistat, which enables you to establish a humidity level just like you would pick a temperature with your thermostat. The unit will start immediately when the humidity level exceeds the set level. These systems coordinate with your home’s HVAC system, so you should contact qualified professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Kearney.

Additional Ways to Decrease Condensation on Windows

  • Exhaust fans. Installing exhaust fans around humidity hotspots including the bathroom, laundry room or above the kitchen range can help by pulling the warm, moist air from these rooms out of your home before it can raise the humidity level in your home.
  • Ceiling fans. Running ceiling fans can also keep air flowing inside the home so humid air doesn’t get caught up in one area.
  • Opening up window treatments. Opening the blinds or drapes can lower condensation by stopping the warm air from being caught against the windowpane.

By decreasing humidity in your home and circulating air throughout your home, you can make the most of clear, moisture-free windows even during the winter.