The windows of your home are a gateway to the outdoors, a way to let light in as you enjoy the view of your garden, yard or landscape. The last thing you would want to see is a sweaty window coated in a film of condensation.

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

What Produces Condensation along Windows

Condensation on the inside of windows is produced by the humid warm air throughout your home reaching the cooler surface of the windows. It’s especially common in the winter when it’s much cooler outside than it is within your home.

Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes

When talking about condensation, it’s necessary to know the distinction 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 damp air in your home collecting along the glass.
  • Any moisture you notice between windowpanes is caused when the window seal stops working and moisture seeps 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 situation and can instead be fixed by fine-tuning the humidity across your home. Many things generate humidity in a home, like showers, cooking, bathing or even breathing.

Why Sweating Windows Can Be a Problem

Although you might think condensation on the inside of your windows is a cosmetic issue, it can be evidence 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 Reduce Humidity Inside Your Home

Thankfully there are several options for eliminating moisture from the air in your home.

If you have a humidifier active 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, look into purchasing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers put moisture into your home so the air doesn’t get too dry, a dehumidifier draws excess moisture out of the air.

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

Whole-house dehumidifier systems are managed by a humidistat, which enables you to specify a humidity level the same like you would choose a temperature on your thermostat. The unit will start immediately when the humidity level surpasses the set level. These systems work with your home’s HVAC system, so you should contact skilled professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Philadelphia.

Additional Ways to Eliminate Condensation on Windows

  • Exhaust fans. Installing exhaust fans around humidity hotspots such as the bathroom, laundry room or above the kitchen range can help by extracting the warm, moist air from these rooms out of your home before it can raise the humidity level in your home.
  • Ceiling fans. Turning on ceiling fans can also keep air moving throughout the home so humid air doesn’t get caught up in one area.
  • Opening your window treatments. Pulling open the blinds or drapes can decrease condensation by stopping the humid air from being stuck against the windowpane.

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