The windows in your home are a gateway to the outdoors, a way to allow light in when you take in the view of your garden, yard or other surroundings. The last thing you would want to see is a sweaty window covered in a film of condensation.

Not only are windows covered in condensation unattractive, they also can be a sign of a more serious air-quality issue in your home. Fortunately, there’s numerous things you can do to address the problem.

What Causes Sweating along Windows

Condensation on the interior of windows is produced by the moist warm air inside your home mixing with the cold surface of your windows. It’s particularly common over the winter when it’s much chillier outside than it is within your home.

Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes

When dealing with condensation, it’s necessary to understand the distinction 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 caused from the warm humid air in your home forming along the glass.
  • Existing moisture you see between windowpanes is caused when the window seal stops working and moisture gets in 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 fixed by fine-tuning the humidity inside your home. Numerous things generate humidity throughout a home, like showers, cooking, bathing or even breathing.

Why Sweating Windows Can Be an Issue

Although you might think condensation in your windows is a cosmetic problem, it can be a sign your home has higher humidity. If this is 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, promoting the growth of mildew or mold.

How to Lower Humidity Inside Your Home

The good news is there are several 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 goes down.

If you don’t have a humidifier going and your home’s humidity level is high, look into purchasing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers introduces moisture in your home so the air doesn’t get too dry, a dehumidifier extracts excess moisture out of the air.

Small, portable dehumidifiers can remove the water from an entire room. However, those units require clearing water trays and most often 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 permits you to set a humidity level the same like you would pick a temperature via your thermostat. The unit will run immediately when the humidity level exceeds 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 Moline.

Alternative Ways to Eliminate Condensation on Windows

  • Exhaust fans. Putting in exhaust fans in humidity hotspots like the bathroom, laundry room or above the stove can help by extracting the warm, humid air from these rooms out of your home before it can raise the humidity level inside your home.
  • Ceiling fans. Turning on ceiling fans can also keep air circulating inside the home so humid air doesn’t get stuck in one spot.
  • Opening up window treatments. Throwing open the blinds or drapes can lower condensation by stopping the damp air from being caught against the windowpane.

By lowering humidity inside your home and moving air throughout your home, you can take advantage of clear, moisture-free windows even during the winter.