The windows in your home are a portal to the outdoors, a way to draw light in while you take in the view of your garden, yard or other surroundings. The last thing you need to see is a sweaty window coated in a layer of condensation.

Not only are windows plastered with condensation unsightly, they also can be evidence of a larger air-quality issue inside your home. Fortunately, there’s several things you can attempt to correct the problem.

What Creates Sweating along Windows

Condensation on the inside of windows is created by the humid warm air throughout your home hitting the cold surface of the windows. It’s especially prevalent during the winter when it’s much cooler outside than it is inside your home.

Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes

When discussing condensation, it’s necessary to recognize the distinction 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 inside a window is created from the warm humid air in your home collecting along the glass.
  • Existing moisture you notice between windowpanes is produced when the window seal fails and moisture seeps between the two panes of glass, and at that point the window should be repaired or replaced.
  • Condensation in the windows isn’t a window issue and can instead be solved by fine-tuning the humidity in your home. Different things cause humidity throughout a home, including showers, cooking, laundry or even breathing.

Why Sweating Windows Can Be Trouble

Even though you might presume condensation on the inside of your windows is a cosmetic problem, it may also be evidence your home has high humidity. If this is in fact the case, water could also be condensing on window frames, cold walls or other surfaces. Even a small film of water can help wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, promoting the growth of mildew or mold.

How to Reduce Humidity Inside Your Home

The good news is there are various options for extracting moisture from the air inside 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 goes down.

If you don’t have a humidifier running and your home’s humidity level is high, consider getting a dehumidifier. While humidifiers put moisture in your home so the air doesn’t get too dry, a dehumidifier draws excess moisture out of the air.

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

Whole-house dehumidifier systems are managed by a humidistat, which allows you to set a humidity level just like you would pick a temperature with your thermostat. The unit will begin running instantly when the humidity level surpasses the set level. These systems work with your home’s HVAC system, so you will receive the best results if you contact skilled professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Lake Worth.

Alternative Ways to Eliminate Condensation on Windows

  • Exhaust fans. Installing exhaust fans near humidity hotspots like the bathroom, laundry room or above the kitchen range can help by extracting the warm, humid air from these spaces out of your home before it can increase the humidity level throughout your home.
  • Ceiling fans. Running ceiling fans can also keep air circulating within the home so humid air doesn’t get trapped in one place.
  • Opening up window treatments. Opening the blinds or drapes can reduce condensation by stopping the warm air from being stuck against the windowpane.

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