The windows of your home are a portal to the outdoors, a way to draw light in as you appreciate the view of your garden, yard or scenery. The last thing you need to see is a sweaty window coated in a film of condensation.
Not only are windows plastered with condensation unattractive, they also can be a symptom of a more substantial air-quality deficit inside your home. Luckily, there’s multiple things you can attempt to correct the problem.
What Produces Condensation on Windows
Condensation on the inner layer of windows is created by the humid warm air in your home reaching the cold surface of the windows. It’s especially prevalent in 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 crucial to recognize 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 within a window is caused from the warm moist air throughout your home forming against the glass.
- The moisture you find between windowpanes is produced when the window seal breaks down 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 issue and can instead be fixed by changing the humidity in your home. Many things generate humidity inside a home, including showers, cooking, laundry or even breathing.
Why Condensation on Windows Can Be a Problem
Although you might consider condensation in your windows is a cosmetic concern, it could also be evidence your home has higher humidity. If this is the case, water could also be collecting 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 Reduce Humidity Throughout Your Home
Thankfully there are several options for removing moisture from the air in your home.
If you have a humidifier operating within your home – whether it be a small unit or a whole-house humidifier – lower it further so the humidity inside your home decreases.
If you don’t have a humidifier running and your home’s humidity level is higher than you prefer, think about installing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers add moisture inside your home so the air doesn’t get too dry, a dehumidifier extracts excess moisture out of the air.
Small, portable dehumidifiers can absorb the water from a single room. However, those units require emptying out water trays and usually service a fairly 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 just as you would pick a temperature on your thermostat. The unit will start automatically 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.
Other Ways to Eliminate Condensation on Windows
- Exhaust fans. Installing exhaust fans in humidity hotspots like the bathroom, laundry room or above the oven can help by drawing the warm, moist air from these rooms out of your home before it can raise the humidity level across your home.
- Ceiling fans. Turning on ceiling fans can also keep air circulating within the home so humid air doesn’t get stuck in one spot.
- Open window treatments. Opening the blinds or drapes can decrease condensation by preventing the humid air from being caught against the windowpane.
By lowering humidity inside your home and circulating air throughout your home, you can enjoy clear, moisture-free windows even during the winter.