The windows of your home are a portal to the outdoors, a way to let light in as you appreciate the view of your garden, yard or scenery. The last thing you would want to see is a sweaty window coated in a film of condensation.
Not only are windows covered in condensation unattractive, they also can be a sign of a more serious air-quality issue in your home. Luckily, there’s numerous things you can try to resolve the problem.
What Causes Condensation in Windows
Condensation on the inside of windows is produced by the humid warm air throughout your home hitting the cooler surface of the windows. It’s especially commonplace during 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 necessary to recognize 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 moist air inside your home condensing against the glass.
- Existing moisture you find between windowpanes is formed when the window seal breaks down and moisture gets in between the two panes of glass, and by then the window needs to be repaired or replaced.
- Condensation inside the windows isn’t a window problem and can instead be resolved by adjusting the humidity in your home. Numerous things cause humidity in a home, like showers, cooking, bathing or even breathing.
Why Condensation on Windows Can Be an Issue
Although you might think condensation on the inside of your windows is a cosmetic concern, it can be indicating your home has high humidity. If this is in fact the case, water might also be condensing on window frames, cold walls or other surfaces. Even a slim film of water can encourage wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, promoting the growth of mildew or mold.
How to Decrease Humidity Throughout Your Home
Not to worry, because there are numerous options for removing moisture from the air throughout your home.
If you have a humidifier running inside your home – whether it be a smaller unit or a whole-house humidifier – lower it further so the humidity inside your home goes down.
If you don’t have a humidifier active and your home’s humidity level is excessive, consider getting a dehumidifier. While humidifiers add moisture inside your home so the air doesn’t get too dry, 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 generally service a 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 specify a humidity level precisely as you would choose a temperature on your thermostat. The unit will run instantly when the humidity level exceeds the set level. These systems collaborate with your home’s HVAC system, so you will want to contact experienced professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Omaha.
Alternative Ways to Reduce Condensation on Windows
- Exhaust fans. Adding exhaust fans near humidity hotspots such as the bathroom, laundry room or above the stove can help by pulling the warm, humid air from these rooms out of your home before it can elevate the humidity level in your home.
- Ceiling fans. Running ceiling fans can also keep air circulating within the home so humid air doesn’t get stuck in one place.
- Opening your window treatments. Pulling open the blinds or drapes can lower condensation by preventing the damp air from being trapped against the windowpane.
By reducing humidity inside your home and dispersing air throughout your home, you can make the most of clear, moisture-free windows even in the winter.