The windows in your home are a gateway to the outdoors, a way to draw light in while you take in the view of your garden, yard or landscape. The last thing you need to see is a sweaty window coated in a layer of condensation.
Not only are windows covered in condensation unappealing, they also can be evidence of a more serious air-quality problem throughout your home. Luckily, there’s several things you can do to resolve the problem.
What Produces Condensation on Windows
Condensation on the interior of windows is formed by the damp warm air in your home mixing with the colder surface of your windows. It’s particularly commonplace in the winter when it’s much colder outside than it is in your home.
Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes
When dealing with condensation, it’s crucial to know the distinction between moisture on the inside of your windows compared to moisture in between the windowpanes. One is an indoor air quality issue and the other is a window issue.
- Moisture inside a window is caused from the warm moist air throughout your home forming along the glass.
- Existing moisture you see between windowpanes is formed 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 problem and can instead be resolved by fine-tuning the humidity across your home. Different things generate humidity throughout a home, such as showers, cooking, bathing or even breathing.
Why Condensation on Windows Can Be an Issue
Though you might consider condensation inside your windows is a cosmetic concern, it could also be evidence your home has excess humidity. If this is the case, water might also be condensing on window frames, cold walls or other surfaces. Even a thin film of water can cause wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, fostering the growth of mildew or mold.
How to Decrease Humidity Inside Your Home
Not to worry, because there are various options for eliminating moisture from the air throughout your home.
If you have a humidifier running inside your home – whether it be a small-scale 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, look into getting a dehumidifier. While humidifiers add moisture in your home so the air doesn’t get too dry, a dehumidifier extracts excess moisture out of the air.
Compact, portable dehumidifiers can eliminate the water from one room. However, those units require clearing water trays and most often service a somewhat limited area. A whole-house dehumidifier will eliminate moisture across your entire home.
Whole-house dehumidifier systems are regulated by a humidistat, which permits you to establish a humidity level the same as you would select 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 should contact skilled professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Boynton Beach.
Alternative Ways to Decrease Condensation on Windows
- Exhaust fans. Installing exhaust fans around humidity hotspots such as the bathroom, laundry room or above the oven can help by drawing the warm, humid air from these spaces out of your home before it can elevate the humidity level in your home.
- Ceiling fans. Running ceiling fans can also keep air flowing inside the home so humid air doesn’t get trapped in one spot.
- Open window treatments. Pulling open the blinds or drapes can decrease condensation by stopping the warm air from being caught against the windowpane.
By decreasing humidity across your home and moving air throughout your home, you can take advantage of clear, moisture-free windows even in the middle of the winter.