The windows of your home are a portal to the outdoors, a way to allow light in while you take in the view of your garden, yard or landscape. The last thing you want to see is a sweaty window coated in a layer of condensation.
Not only are windows coated in condensation unattractive, they also can be a sign of a larger air-quality problem throughout your home. Luckily, there’s numerous things you can try to correct the problem.
What Produces Condensation on Windows
Condensation on the interior of windows is created by the moist warm air throughout your home mixing with the cold surface of your windows. It’s especially commonplace in 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 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 within a window is produced from the warm damp air throughout your home collecting on the glass.
- The moisture you notice between windowpanes is produced when the window seal fails and moisture slips between the two panes of glass, and at that point the window has to be repaired or replaced.
- Condensation on the inside of the windows isn’t a window situation and can instead be solved by adjusting the humidity across your home. Numerous things produce humidity inside a home, such as showers, cooking, laundry or even breathing.
Why Condensation on Windows Can Be Trouble
Even though you might consider condensation on the inside of your windows is a cosmetic problem, it can be indicating your home has excess humidity. If that’s the case, water may also be condensing on window frames, cold walls or other surfaces. Even a thin film of water can encourage wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, promoting the growth of mildew or mold.
How to Decrease Humidity Throughout Your Home
Fortunately there are numerous options for extracting moisture from the air throughout your home.
If you have a humidifier active in your home – whether it be a smaller unit or a whole-house humidifier – lower it further so the humidity inside your home decreases.
If you don’t have a humidifier running and your home’s humidity level is higher than you prefer, think about getting a dehumidifier. While humidifiers introduce moisture into your home so the air doesn’t dry out, a dehumidifier draws excess moisture out of the air.
Smaller, portable dehumidifiers can eliminate the water from an entire room. However, these units require emptying water trays and usually service a somewhat limited area. A whole-house dehumidifier will remove moisture throughout your entire home.
Whole-house dehumidifier systems are controlled by a humidistat, which enables you to set a humidity level the same as you would choose a temperature via your thermostat. The unit will start automatically when the humidity level surpasses the set level. These systems coordinate with your home’s HVAC system, so you will want to contact skilled professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Siloam Springs.
Additional Ways to Reduce Condensation on Windows
- Exhaust fans. Installing exhaust fans in humidity hotspots like the bathroom, laundry room or above the kitchen range can help by extracting the warm, humid air from these rooms out of your home before it can raise the humidity level throughout your home.
- Ceiling fans. Turning on ceiling fans can also keep air moving throughout the home so humid air doesn’t get caught up in one spot.
- Open window treatments. Pulling open the blinds or drapes can reduce condensation by preventing the humid air from being stuck against the windowpane.
By decreasing humidity in your home and moving air throughout your home, you can make the most of clear, moisture-free windows even in the middle of the winter.