The windows of your home are a portal to the outdoors, a way to draw light in as you enjoy the view of your garden, yard or scenery. The last thing you need to see is a sweaty window plastered in a coating of condensation.
Not only are windows coated in condensation unattractive, they also can be a sign of a more substantial air-quality deficit in your home. Luckily, there’s numerous things you can attempt to correct the problem.
What Causes Condensation along Windows
Condensation on the inner layer of windows is produced by the moist warm air inside your home reaching the colder surface of the windows. It’s especially commonplace over 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 necessary to understand the difference between moisture on the inside of your windows versus moisture in between the windowpanes. One is an air-quality issue and the other is a window issue.
- Moisture within a window is produced from the warm moist air throughout your home condensing against the glass.
- Any moisture you find between windowpanes is caused when the window seal stops working and moisture slips between the two panes of glass, in which case the window needs to be repaired or replaced.
- Condensation inside the windows isn’t a window issue and can instead be fixed by fine-tuning the humidity inside your home. Numerous things generate humidity throughout a home, such as showers, cooking, laundry or even breathing.
Why Condensation on Windows Can Be an Issue
Even though you might think condensation on the inside of your windows is a cosmetic issue, it may also be a sign your home has excess humidity. If this is the case, water may also be condensing on window frames, cold walls or other surfaces. Even a slim film of water can help wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, fostering the growth of mildew or mold.
How to Lower Humidity Inside Your Home
Thankfully there are numerous options for extracting moisture from the air inside your home.
If you have a humidifier active inside 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 excessive, consider purchasing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers introduce moisture into your home so the air doesn’t dry out, a dehumidifier pulls excess moisture out of the air.
Small, portable dehumidifiers can remove the water from an entire room. However, these units require emptying out water trays and usually service a fairly small area. A whole-house dehumidifier will remove moisture from your entire home.
Whole-house dehumidifier systems are controlled by a humidistat, which permits you to set a humidity level the same as you would select a temperature on your thermostat. The unit will run automatically when the humidity level exceeds the set level. These systems coordinate with your home’s HVAC system, so you will receive the best results if you contact skilled professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Tomball.
Additional Ways to Reduce Condensation on Windows
- Exhaust fans. Installing exhaust fans around humidity hotspots like the bathroom, laundry room or above the oven can help by drawing the warm, moist air from these spaces out of your home before it can raise the humidity level inside your home.
- Ceiling fans. Running ceiling fans can also keep air circulating inside the home so humid air doesn’t get stuck in one place.
- Opening your window treatments. Throwing open the blinds or drapes can decrease condensation by preventing the warm air from being caught against the windowpane.
By lowering humidity across your home and circulating air throughout your home, you can make the most of clear, moisture-free windows even in the winter.