The windows in 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 other surroundings. The last thing you need to see is a sweaty window covered in a coating of condensation.

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

What Produces Condensation in Windows

Condensation on the inner layer of windows is produced by the humid warm air inside your home mixing with the cooler surface of your windows. It’s especially prevalent in the winter when it’s much cooler outside than it is in your home.

Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes

When dealing with condensation, it’s necessary to know 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 within a window is created from the warm moist air throughout your home condensing on the glass.
  • Existing moisture you find between windowpanes is caused when the window seal stops working and moisture gets in between the two panes of glass, in which case the window should be repaired or replaced.
  • Condensation inside the windows isn’t a window issue and can instead be solved by fine-tuning the humidity across your home. Different things cause humidity inside a home, including showers, cooking, bathing or even breathing.

Why Condensation on Windows Can Be an Issue

Although you might presume condensation on the inside of your windows is a cosmetic issue, it can be a sign your home has higher humidity. If this is in fact the case, water could also be accumulating on window frames, cold walls or other surfaces. Even a slim film of water can help wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, fostering the growth of mildew or mold.

How to Lower Humidity Inside Your Home

Thankfully there are various options for extracting moisture from the air throughout your home.

If you have a humidifier running inside 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 high, 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.

Small, portable dehumidifiers can eliminate the water from a single room. However, those units require clearing water trays and most often service a fairly small area. A whole-house dehumidifier will eliminate moisture from your entire home.

Whole-house dehumidifier systems are regulated by a humidistat, which permits you to establish a humidity level the same like you would pick a temperature via your thermostat. The unit will start automatically 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 .

Additional Ways to Reduce Condensation on Windows

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

By reducing humidity across your home and circulating air throughout your home, you can enjoy clear, moisture-free windows even during the winter.