The windows of your home are a portal to the outdoors, a way to let light in while you take in the view of your garden, yard or landscape. The last thing you need to see is a sweaty window plastered in a coating of condensation.

Not only are windows covered in condensation unsightly, they also can be a sign of a more substantial air-quality problem within your home. Luckily, there’s numerous things you can try to resolve the problem.

What Produces Condensation in Windows

Condensation on the inside of windows is produced by the damp warm air throughout your home mixing with the cold surface of your windows. It’s notably commonplace during the winter when it’s much colder outside than it is in your home.

Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes

When discussing condensation, it’s important to know the contrast 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 caused from the warm damp air in your home condensing along the glass.
  • Existing moisture you notice between windowpanes is produced when the window seal stops working and moisture gets in between the two panes of glass, and by then the window has to be repaired or replaced.
  • Condensation in the windows isn’t a window problem and can instead be fixed by fine-tuning the humidity across your home. Different things cause humidity in a home, like showers, cooking, bathing or even breathing.

Why Condensation on Windows Can Be Trouble

Though you might consider condensation in your windows is a cosmetic concern, it can be indicating your home has higher humidity. If this is in fact the case, water may also be condensing on window frames, cold walls or other surfaces. Even a small film of water can encourage wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, promoting the growth of mildew or mold.

How to Lower Humidity Inside Your Home

Thankfully there are various options for eliminating moisture from the air inside your home.

If you have a humidifier active 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 active and your home’s humidity level is higher than you prefer, think about purchasing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers adds moisture into your home so the air doesn’t dry out, a dehumidifier draws excess moisture out of the air.

Compact, portable dehumidifiers can remove the water from one room. However, these units require emptying water trays and generally service a fairly small area. A whole-house dehumidifier will eliminate moisture across your entire home.

Whole-house dehumidifier systems are controlled by a humidistat, which permits you to specify a humidity level precisely like you would select a temperature on your thermostat. The unit will run immediately 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 qualified professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation .

Additional Ways to Decrease Condensation on Windows

  • Exhaust fans. Adding exhaust fans in humidity hotspots such as the bathroom, laundry room or above the oven can help by drawing the warm, humid air from these spaces out of your home before it can raise the humidity level throughout your home.
  • Ceiling fans. Turning on ceiling fans can also keep air swirling within the home so humid air doesn’t get trapped in one area.
  • Opening up window treatments. Opening the blinds or drapes can lower condensation by preventing the warm air from being stuck against the windowpane.

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