The windows throughout your home are a portal to the outdoors, a way to draw light in while you take in the view of your garden, yard or scenery. The last thing you need to see is a sweaty window plastered in a film of condensation.

Not only are windows plastered with condensation unsightly, they also can be evidence of a larger air-quality problem inside your home. Luckily, there’s several things you can try to address the problem.

What Causes Sweating along Windows

Condensation on the inside of windows is formed by the humid warm air throughout your home reaching the cold surface of the windows. It’s particularly prevalent 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 important to understand 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 inside a window is produced from the warm humid air throughout your home forming against the glass.
  • Existing moisture you find between windowpanes is formed 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 situation and can instead be fixed by fine-tuning the humidity inside your home. Many things generate humidity in a home, such as showers, cooking, taking a bath or even breathing.

Why Indoor Sweating on Windows Can Be an Issue

Although you might think condensation on the inside of your windows is a cosmetic issue, it can be evidence your home has excess humidity. If this is the case, water could also be accumulating on window frames, cold walls or other surfaces. Even a thin film of water can help wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, fostering the growth of mildew or mold.

How to Lower Humidity Throughout Your Home

Not to worry, because there are various options for eliminating moisture from the air inside your home.

If you have a humidifier operating in your home – whether it be a smaller 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 high, think about installing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers adds moisture inside your home so the air doesn’t dry out, a dehumidifier pulls excess moisture out of the air.

Compact, portable dehumidifiers can eliminate the water from an entire room. However, these units require emptying out water trays and generally service a somewhat limited area. A whole-house dehumidifier will remove moisture throughout your entire home.

Whole-house dehumidifier systems are managed by a humidistat, which enables you to specify a humidity level just like you would choose a temperature with your thermostat. The unit will begin running automatically when the humidity level overtakes the set level. These systems collaborate with your home’s HVAC system, so you will receive the best results if you contact skilled professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Huntingburg.

Alternative Ways to Reduce Condensation on Windows

  • Exhaust fans. Adding exhaust fans near humidity hotspots including the bathroom, laundry room or above the oven can help by pulling the warm, moist air from these rooms out of your home before it can elevate the humidity level in your home.
  • Ceiling fans. Spinning ceiling fans can also keep air flowing throughout the home so humid air doesn’t get trapped in one area.
  • Opening up window treatments. Throwing open the blinds or drapes can reduce condensation by preventing the warm air from being trapped against the windowpane.

By reducing humidity across your home and dispersing air throughout your home, you can enjoy clear, moisture-free windows even in the winter.