The windows in your home open up to the outdoors, a way to allow light in while you enjoy the view of your garden, yard or landscape. The last thing you need to see is a sweaty window coated in a film of condensation.

Not only are windows coated in condensation unsightly, they also can be a sign of a more serious air-quality deficit inside your home. Thankfully, there’s numerous things you can attempt to resolve the problem.

What Causes Condensation on Windows

Condensation on the interior of windows is produced by the humid warm air inside your home mixing with the cooler surface of the windows. It’s particularly commonplace around the winter when it’s much colder outside than it is within your home.

Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes

When discussing 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 indoor air quality issue and the other is a window issue.

  • Moisture inside a window is produced from the warm moist air inside your home collecting on the glass.
  • Existing moisture you notice between windowpanes is formed when the window seal fails and moisture seeps between the two panes of glass, and by then the window needs to be repaired or replaced.
  • Condensation inside the windows isn’t a window situation and can instead be solved by adjusting the humidity inside your home. Numerous things cause humidity inside a home, including showers, cooking, bathing or even breathing.

Why Indoor Sweating on Windows Could Mean Trouble

Even though you might think condensation on the inside of your windows is a cosmetic issue, it may also be a sign your home has higher humidity. If this is in fact the case, water might 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, fostering the growth of mildew or mold.

How to Lower Humidity Inside Your Home

The good news is there are numerous options for extracting moisture from the air throughout your home.

If you have a humidifier operating in 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 running and your home’s humidity level is higher than you prefer, consider installing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers put moisture into your home so the air doesn’t become too dry, a dehumidifier pulls excess moisture out of the air.

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

Whole-house dehumidifier systems are managed by a humidistat, which permits you to establish a humidity level just like you would pick a temperature on your thermostat. The unit will begin running immediately when the humidity level overtakes the set level. These systems coordinate with your home’s HVAC system, so you should contact qualified professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Croydon.

Alternative Ways to Reduce Condensation on Windows

  • Exhaust fans. Adding exhaust fans around humidity hotspots such as the bathroom, laundry room or above the stove can help by pulling the warm, humid air from these spaces out of your home before it can elevate the humidity level throughout your home.
  • Ceiling fans. Running ceiling fans can also keep air swirling inside the home so humid air doesn’t get stuck in one place.
  • Opening your window treatments. Pulling open the blinds or drapes can reduce condensation by stopping the humid air from being caught against the windowpane.

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