The windows of your home are a portal to the outdoors, a way to draw light in while you appreciate the view of your garden, yard or landscape. The last thing you would want to see is a sweaty window covered in a coating of condensation.
Not only are windows coated in condensation unsightly, they also can be a sign of a more substantial air-quality problem within your home. Luckily, there’s multiple things you can do to correct the problem.
What Creates Condensation along Windows
Condensation on the inner layer of windows is formed by the humid warm air inside your home hitting the colder surface of your windows. It’s notably common in the winter when it’s much colder outside than it is inside your home.
Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes
When dealing with condensation, it’s crucial to know the contrast between moisture on the inside of your windows compared 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 in your home condensing on the glass.
- The moisture you find between windowpanes is produced when the window seal breaks down and moisture slips between the two panes of glass, and by then the window has to be repaired or replaced.
- Condensation on the inside of the windows isn’t a window issue and can instead be fixed by fine-tuning the humidity across your home. Numerous things cause humidity in a home, such as showers, cooking, laundry or even breathing.
Why Condensation on Windows Can Be a Problem
Though you might consider condensation inside your windows is a cosmetic concern, it can be a sign your home has high humidity. If this is in fact the case, water could also be accumulating 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 Throughout Your Home
Fortunately there are several options for removing moisture from the air throughout your home.
If you have a humidifier running in your home – whether it be a small-scale 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 high, consider installing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers add moisture in your home so the air doesn’t dry out, a dehumidifier extracts excess moisture out of the air.
Small, portable dehumidifiers can eliminate the water from a single room. However, portable units require clearing water trays and usually service a 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 set a humidity level just as you would select a temperature on 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 should contact experienced professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Logan.
Other Ways to Decrease Condensation on Windows
- Exhaust fans. Adding exhaust fans around humidity hotspots like the bathroom, laundry room or above the oven can help by pulling the warm, humid air from these rooms out of your home before it can increase the humidity level throughout your home.
- Ceiling fans. Spinning ceiling fans can also keep air flowing inside the home so humid air doesn’t get stuck in one area.
- Opening up window treatments. Opening the blinds or drapes can decrease condensation by stopping the warm air from being caught against the windowpane.
By lowering 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.