The windows of 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 other surroundings. The last thing you need 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 symptom of a more serious air-quality deficit inside your home. Fortunately, there’s multiple things you can do to address the problem.
What Produces Condensation in Windows
Condensation on the interior of windows is created by the humid warm air inside your home reaching the cooler surface of the windows. It’s notably commonplace around 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 important to know the contrast between moisture on the inside of your windows versus moisture in between the windowpanes. One is an indoor air quality issue and the other is a window issue.
- Moisture inside a window is produced from the warm moist air inside your home forming along the glass.
- The moisture you see between windowpanes is caused when the window seal fails and moisture slips between the two panes of glass, and by then the window should be repaired or replaced.
- Condensation in the windows isn’t a window problem and can instead be solved by fine-tuning the humidity across your home. Many things produce humidity throughout a home, such as showers, cooking, taking a bath or even breathing.
Why Condensation on Windows Can Be an Issue
Although you might think condensation in your windows is a cosmetic problem, it could also be evidence your home has excess humidity. If this is the case, water may 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, promoting the growth of mildew or mold.
How to Lower Humidity Throughout Your Home
Thankfully there are numerous options for eliminating moisture from the air in your home.
If you have a humidifier active in 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 going and your home’s humidity level is high, consider purchasing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers put moisture into your home so the air doesn’t get too dry, a dehumidifier draws excess moisture out of the air.
Smaller, portable dehumidifiers can eliminate the water from an entire room. However, portable units require emptying out water trays and usually service a small area. A whole-house dehumidifier will remove moisture from your entire home.
Whole-house dehumidifier systems are regulated by a humidistat, which enables you to specify a humidity level just as you would select a temperature via your thermostat. The unit will start automatically when the humidity level surpasses the set level. These systems collaborate with your home’s HVAC system, so you will receive the best results if you contact experienced professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Stuart.
Alternative Ways to Lower Condensation on Windows
- Exhaust fans. Putting in exhaust fans in humidity hotspots including the bathroom, laundry room or above the kitchen range can help by drawing the warm, humid air from these areas out of your home before it can raise the humidity level inside your home.
- Ceiling fans. Running ceiling fans can also keep air swirling within the home so humid air doesn’t get trapped in one spot.
- Open window treatments. Throwing open the blinds or drapes can reduce condensation by preventing the humid air from being trapped against the windowpane.
By lowering humidity in your home and moving air throughout your home, you can make the most of clear, moisture-free windows even during the winter.