The windows in your home open up to the outdoors, a way to let light in while you take in the view of your garden, yard or other surroundings. 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 evidence of a more serious air-quality issue inside your home. Fortunately, there’s numerous things you can attempt to address the problem.
What Produces Sweating along Windows
Condensation on the inside of windows is formed by the moist warm air inside your home mixing with the colder surface of the windows. It’s particularly common over 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 understand the distinction between moisture on the inside of your windows in comparison to moisture in between the windowpanes. One is an air-quality issue and the other is a window issue.
- Moisture inside a window is produced from the warm moist air inside your home condensing against the glass.
- The moisture you find between windowpanes is formed when the window seal stops working and moisture seeps between the two panes of glass, and by then the window needs to be repaired or replaced.
- Condensation in the windows isn’t a window problem and can instead be resolved by adjusting the humidity in your home. Different things produce humidity in a home, like showers, cooking, bathing or even breathing.
Why Indoor Sweating on Windows Could Mean Trouble
Even though you might presume condensation inside your windows is a cosmetic concern, it could also be evidence your home has higher humidity. If this is in fact the case, water may also be collecting on window frames, cold walls or other surfaces. Even a slim film of water can cause wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, promoting the growth of mildew or mold.
How to Lower Humidity Inside Your Home
Not to worry, because there are numerous options for removing moisture from the air throughout your home.
If you have a humidifier operating within 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 active and your home’s humidity level is higher than you prefer, think about installing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers adds moisture into your home so the air doesn’t become too dry, a dehumidifier extracts excess moisture out of the air.
Smaller, portable dehumidifiers can remove the water from a single room. However, portable units require emptying 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 controlled by a humidistat, which allows you to specify a humidity level the same like you would pick a temperature via your thermostat. The unit will start immediately when the humidity level overtakes the set level. These systems work with your home’s HVAC system, so you should contact skilled professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Sussex County.
Other Ways to Lower Condensation on Windows
- Exhaust fans. Putting in exhaust fans around humidity hotspots including the bathroom, laundry room or above the kitchen range can help by drawing the warm, humid air from these rooms out of your home before it can raise the humidity level throughout your home.
- Ceiling fans. Running ceiling fans can also keep air flowing within the home so humid air doesn’t get trapped in one spot.
- Opening your window treatments. Throwing open the blinds or drapes can lower condensation by stopping the damp air from being stuck against the windowpane.
By reducing humidity in your home and circulating air throughout your home, you can take advantage of clear, moisture-free windows even in the middle of the winter.