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

Not only are windows plastered with condensation unsightly, they also can be evidence of a larger air-quality problem inside your home. Fortunately, there’s numerous things you can try to correct the problem.

What Produces Condensation in Windows

Condensation on the interior of windows is created by the humid warm air inside your home reaching the colder surface of your windows. It’s particularly 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 recognize the distinction 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 caused from the warm moist air in your home condensing on the glass.
  • The moisture you notice between windowpanes is caused when the window seal breaks down and moisture gets in between the two panes of glass, and by then the window has to be repaired or replaced.
  • Condensation on the inside of the windows isn’t a window situation and can instead be resolved by adjusting the humidity inside your home. Numerous things produce humidity throughout a home, including showers, cooking, laundry or even breathing.

Why Sweating Windows Can Be Trouble

Although you might consider condensation inside your windows is a cosmetic issue, it could also be a sign your home has higher humidity. If this is in fact the case, water may 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, fostering the growth of mildew or mold.

How to Lower Humidity in Your Home

Not to worry, because there are several options for removing moisture from the air in your home.

If you have a humidifier operating within 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 running and your home’s humidity level is excessive, consider purchasing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers introduces moisture in your home so the air doesn’t get too dry, a dehumidifier extracts excess moisture out of the air.

Compact, portable dehumidifiers can absorb the water from an entire room. However, those units require emptying water trays and most often service a somewhat limited area. A whole-house dehumidifier will remove moisture throughout your entire home.

Whole-house dehumidifier systems are controlled by a humidistat, which permits you to specify a humidity level precisely like you would select a temperature with your thermostat. The unit will start immediately when the humidity level exceeds the set level. These systems collaborate with your home’s HVAC system, so you should contact qualified professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Port St. Lucie.

Other Ways to Reduce Condensation on Windows

  • Exhaust fans. Adding exhaust fans around humidity hotspots like the bathroom, laundry room or above the oven can help by extracting the warm, humid air from these areas out of your home before it can increase the humidity level across your home.
  • Ceiling fans. Running ceiling fans can also keep air flowing within the home so humid air doesn’t get stuck in one spot.
  • Opening up window treatments. Opening the blinds or drapes can decrease condensation by stopping the damp air from being stuck against the windowpane.

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