The windows throughout your home open up to the outdoors, a way to draw light in when you take in the view of your garden, yard or other surroundings. The last thing you want to see is a sweaty window plastered in a film of condensation.

Not only are windows coated in condensation unappealing, they also can be a symptom of a more substantial air-quality problem throughout your home. Luckily, there’s multiple things you can do to correct the problem.

What Causes Sweating in Windows

Condensation on the interior of windows is produced by the damp warm air inside your home hitting the colder surface of the windows. It’s especially prevalent over the winter when it’s much cooler outside than it is inside your home.

Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes

When dealing with condensation, it’s important to recognize the difference between moisture on the inside of your windows in comparison to moisture in between the windowpanes. One is an air-quality issue and the other is a window issue.

  • Moisture inside a window is created from the warm humid air inside your home forming along the glass.
  • Existing moisture you find between windowpanes is caused when the window seal fails and moisture gets in 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 across your home. Different things produce humidity inside a home, like showers, cooking, taking a bath or even breathing.

Why Condensation on Windows Could Mean a Problem

Although you might think condensation inside your windows is a cosmetic concern, it can be evidence your home has high humidity. If this is in fact the case, water may also be collecting on window frames, cold walls or other surfaces. Even a slim film of water can cause wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, fostering the growth of mildew or mold.

How to Reduce Humidity Inside Your Home

Fortunately there are numerous options for extracting moisture from the air inside your home.

If you have a humidifier active inside your home – whether it be a small unit or a whole-house humidifier – lower it further so the humidity inside your home comes down.

If you don’t have a humidifier going and your home’s humidity level is high, consider getting a dehumidifier. While humidifiers introduces moisture inside your home so the air doesn’t become too dry, a dehumidifier pulls excess moisture out of the air.

Smaller, portable dehumidifiers can eliminate the water from an entire room. However, those units require clearing 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 controlled by a humidistat, which permits you to set a humidity level precisely like you would choose a temperature via your thermostat. The unit will run immediately when the humidity level overtakes the set level. These systems coordinate with your home’s HVAC system, so you should contact skilled professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Jefferson City.

Additional Ways to Decrease Condensation on Windows

  • Exhaust fans. Installing exhaust fans near humidity hotspots including the bathroom, laundry room or above the oven can help by drawing the warm, humid air from these rooms out of your home before it can increase 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 place.
  • Opening up window treatments. Opening the blinds or drapes can decrease condensation by preventing the damp air from being stuck against the windowpane.

By decreasing humidity inside your home and circulating air throughout your home, you can take advantage of clear, moisture-free windows even in the middle of the winter.