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

Not only are windows coated in condensation unattractive, they also can be evidence of a more serious air-quality deficit inside your home. Luckily, there’s several things you can do to address the problem.

What Produces Condensation on Windows

Condensation on the inner layer of windows is formed by the moist warm air in your home hitting the cooler surface of the windows. It’s especially prevalent in the winter when it’s much chillier outside than it is in your home.

Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes

When dealing with condensation, it’s crucial to know the difference 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 on the inside of a window is created from the warm damp air throughout your home collecting on the glass.
  • The moisture you notice between windowpanes is formed when the window seal breaks down and moisture seeps between the two panes of glass, and by then the window has to be repaired or replaced.
  • Condensation inside the windows isn’t a window issue and can instead be fixed by fine-tuning the humidity in your home. Many things produce humidity throughout a home, such as showers, cooking, laundry or even breathing.

Why Condensation on Windows Can Be Trouble

Even though you might consider condensation in your windows is a cosmetic issue, it may also be evidence your home has excess humidity. If this is the case, water could also be collecting on window frames, cold walls or other surfaces. Even a slim film of water can help wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, increasing the growth of mildew or mold.

How to Decrease Humidity in Your Home

Not to worry, because there are various options for eliminating moisture from the air inside your home.

If you have a humidifier active in your home – whether it be a small 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, look into purchasing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers introduces 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 absorb the water from one room. However, these units require emptying 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 regulated by a humidistat, which permits you to set a humidity level just like you would choose a temperature via your thermostat. The unit will start automatically when the humidity level exceeds the set level. These systems work with your home’s HVAC system, so you should contact skilled professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation .

Other Ways to Eliminate Condensation on Windows

  • Exhaust fans. Installing exhaust fans in humidity hotspots like the bathroom, laundry room or above the kitchen range can help by pulling the warm, moist air from these spaces out of your home before it can elevate the humidity level inside your home.
  • Ceiling fans. Spinning ceiling fans can also keep air moving inside the home so humid air doesn’t get trapped in one spot.
  • Opening your window treatments. Pulling open the blinds or drapes can lower condensation by preventing the damp air from being stuck against the windowpane.

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