The windows throughout your home open up to the outdoors, a way to allow light in as you enjoy the view of your garden, yard or landscape. The last thing you would want to see is a sweaty window covered in a layer of condensation.
Not only are windows coated in condensation unappealing, they also can be a sign of a larger air-quality problem inside your home. Luckily, there’s several things you can attempt to correct the problem.
What Creates Condensation in Windows
Condensation on the inside of windows is created by the moist warm air in your home reaching the cold surface of your windows. It’s especially commonplace during the winter when it’s much cooler outside than it is in 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 on the inside of a window is caused from the warm humid air in your home collecting on the glass.
- Any moisture you find between windowpanes is formed when the window seal breaks down and moisture seeps between the two panes of glass, and at that point the window has to be repaired or replaced.
- Condensation in the windows isn’t a window problem and can instead be resolved by fine-tuning the humidity inside your home. Different things cause humidity inside a home, such as showers, cooking, bathing or even breathing.
Why Condensation on Windows Can Be Trouble
Though you might consider condensation inside your windows is a cosmetic issue, it could also be evidence your home has higher humidity. If that’s the case, water could also be accumulating 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 Reduce Humidity Inside Your Home
Not to worry, because there are numerous options for eliminating moisture from the air in your home.
If you have a humidifier active 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 going and your home’s humidity level is excessive, consider purchasing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers put moisture inside your home so the air doesn’t get too dry, a dehumidifier pulls excess moisture out of the air.
Small, portable dehumidifiers can absorb the water from one room. However, portable units require emptying water trays and usually service a fairly small area. A whole-house dehumidifier will eliminate moisture across your entire home.
Whole-house dehumidifier systems are managed by a humidistat, which enables you to specify a humidity level the same as you would select a temperature on your thermostat. The unit will start automatically when the humidity level exceeds the set level. These systems work with your home’s HVAC system, so you will want to contact experienced professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Rapid City.
Additional Ways to Decrease Condensation on Windows
- Exhaust fans. Installing exhaust fans near humidity hotspots such as the bathroom, laundry room or above the stove can help by pulling the warm, moist air from these rooms out of your home before it can increase the humidity level inside your home.
- Ceiling fans. Running ceiling fans can also keep air flowing inside the home so humid air doesn’t get caught up in one spot.
- Opening your window treatments. Pulling open the blinds or drapes can lower condensation by preventing the damp air from being caught against the windowpane.
By decreasing humidity inside your home and circulating air throughout your home, you can take advantage of clear, moisture-free windows even in the middle of the winter.