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

Not only are windows plastered with condensation unattractive, they also can be a sign of a more substantial air-quality problem within your home. Luckily, there’s multiple things you can do to correct the problem.

What Causes Condensation on Windows

Condensation on the interior of windows is produced by the moist warm air throughout your home reaching the cold surface of the windows. It’s particularly commonplace in 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 know the distinction 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 on the inside of a window is caused from the warm damp air throughout your home condensing along the glass.
  • Any moisture you notice between windowpanes is formed when the window seal stops working and moisture seeps between the two panes of glass, in which case the window needs to be repaired or replaced.
  • Condensation in the windows isn’t a window situation and can instead be solved by adjusting the humidity in your home. Different things cause humidity in a home, including showers, cooking, bathing or even breathing.

Why Condensation on Windows Can Be an Issue

Though you might think condensation in your windows is a cosmetic problem, it could also be indicating your home has higher humidity. If this is in fact the case, water might 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 Decrease Humidity in Your Home

The good news is there are numerous options for removing 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 running and your home’s humidity level is higher than you prefer, look into purchasing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers introduces moisture inside your home so the air doesn’t dry out, a dehumidifier extracts excess moisture out of the air.

Compact, portable dehumidifiers can absorb the water from a single room. However, these units require emptying out water trays and usually service a small area. A whole-house dehumidifier will extract moisture from your entire home.

Whole-house dehumidifier systems are managed by a humidistat, which allows you to set a humidity level precisely like you would pick a temperature via your thermostat. The unit will begin running immediately when the humidity level surpasses the set level. These systems work with your home’s HVAC system, so you will receive the best results if you contact qualified professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Marshalltown.

Alternative Ways to Reduce Condensation on Windows

  • Exhaust fans. Adding exhaust fans around humidity hotspots such as the bathroom, laundry room or above the stove can help by extracting the warm, moist air from these rooms out of your home before it can raise the humidity level inside your home.
  • Ceiling fans. Turning on ceiling fans can also keep air swirling throughout the home so humid air doesn’t get trapped in one area.
  • Open window treatments. Throwing open the blinds or drapes can lower condensation by preventing the warm air from being caught 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 middle of the winter.