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

Not only are windows covered in condensation unsightly, they also can be evidence of a more substantial air-quality issue inside your home. Luckily, there’s several things you can attempt to resolve the problem.

What Creates Sweating in Windows

Condensation on the inner layer of windows is formed by the humid warm air throughout your home reaching the cooler surface of your windows. It’s particularly commonplace over the winter when it’s much colder outside than it is in your home.

Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes

When discussing condensation, it’s crucial 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 caused from the warm damp air inside your home condensing along the glass.
  • The moisture you find between windowpanes is caused when the window seal stops working and moisture slips between the two panes of glass, in which case the window needs to be repaired or replaced.
  • Condensation inside the windows isn’t a window situation and can instead be resolved by adjusting the humidity in your home. Numerous things cause humidity in a home, like showers, cooking, laundry or even breathing.

Why Indoor Sweating on Windows Could Mean a Problem

Though you might think condensation inside your windows is a cosmetic problem, it may also be indicating your home has higher humidity. If this is in fact the case, water could also be collecting on window frames, cold walls or other surfaces. Even a thin film of water can encourage wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, promoting the growth of mildew or mold.

How to Lower Humidity Inside Your Home

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

If you have a humidifier operating in your home – whether it be a small-scale unit or a whole-house humidifier – lower it further so the humidity inside your home decreases.

If you don’t have a humidifier going and your home’s humidity level is high, look into purchasing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers put moisture into your home so the air doesn’t become too dry, a dehumidifier extracts 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 usually service a small area. A whole-house dehumidifier will remove moisture across your entire home.

Whole-house dehumidifier systems are regulated by a humidistat, which enables you to specify a humidity level the same like you would choose a temperature via your thermostat. The unit will run immediately when the humidity level overtakes the set level. These systems collaborate with your home’s HVAC system, so you will want to contact skilled professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Arlington.

Additional Ways to Eliminate Condensation on Windows

  • Exhaust fans. Putting in exhaust fans in humidity hotspots like the bathroom, laundry room or above the stove can help by drawing the warm, moist air from these rooms out of your home before it can raise 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 stuck in one place.
  • Opening your window treatments. Throwing open the blinds or drapes can decrease condensation by preventing the warm air from being caught against the windowpane.

By reducing humidity inside your home and moving air throughout your home, you can take advantage of clear, moisture-free windows even during the winter.