The windows throughout your home are a gateway to the outdoors, a way to draw light in as you take in the view of your garden, yard or landscape. The last thing you would want to see is a sweaty window coated in a coating of condensation.

Not only are windows plastered with condensation unsightly, they also can be evidence of a more substantial air-quality problem throughout your home. Luckily, there’s multiple things you can do to address the problem.

What Creates Condensation on Windows

Condensation on the inside of windows is created by the moist warm air inside your home reaching the cold surface of your windows. It’s notably commonplace during the winter when it’s much chillier outside than it is within your home.

Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes

When discussing condensation, it’s important to recognize the difference between moisture on the inside of your windows in comparison to moisture in between the windowpanes. One is an indoor air quality issue and the other is a window issue.

  • Moisture within a window is created from the warm humid air inside your home condensing on the glass.
  • Any moisture you notice between windowpanes is formed when the window seal fails and moisture gets in between the two panes of glass, and at that point the window needs to be repaired or replaced.
  • Condensation on the inside of the windows isn’t a window situation and can instead be resolved by fine-tuning the humidity in your home. Many things cause humidity inside a home, like showers, cooking, bathing or even breathing.

Why Indoor Sweating on Windows Could Mean an Issue

Although you might think condensation inside your windows is a cosmetic issue, it can be a sign your home has high humidity. If that’s the case, water could also be accumulating on window frames, cold walls or other surfaces. Even a thin film of water can help wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, fostering the growth of mildew or mold.

How to Reduce Humidity in Your Home

Fortunately there are several options for extracting moisture from the air in your home.

If you have a humidifier operating inside your home – whether it be a small 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 high, look into installing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers put moisture in your home so the air doesn’t dry out, a dehumidifier pulls excess moisture out of the air.

Small, portable dehumidifiers can eliminate the water from one room. However, these units require emptying out water trays and usually service a somewhat limited area. A whole-house dehumidifier will remove moisture across your entire home.

Whole-house dehumidifier systems are regulated by a humidistat, which permits you to establish a humidity level just like you would choose 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 will want to contact skilled professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Delray Beach.

Other Ways to Lower Condensation on Windows

  • Exhaust fans. Installing exhaust fans around humidity hotspots such as the bathroom, laundry room or above the oven can help by extracting the warm, moist air from these rooms out of your home before it can raise the humidity level across your home.
  • Ceiling fans. Spinning ceiling fans can also keep air circulating throughout the home so humid air doesn’t get caught up in one spot.
  • Opening up window treatments. Throwing open the blinds or drapes can decrease condensation by stopping the damp air from being trapped against the windowpane.

By reducing humidity in your home and circulating air throughout your home, you can make the most of clear, moisture-free windows even in the winter.