The windows throughout your home are a gateway to the outdoors, a way to let light in when 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 plastered with condensation unappealing, they also can be evidence of a more substantial air-quality deficit inside your home. Fortunately, there’s several things you can attempt to correct the problem.

What Creates Condensation on Windows

Condensation on the inner layer of windows is created by the moist warm air inside your home reaching the cold surface of your windows. It’s especially common during the winter when it’s much chillier outside than it is within your home.

Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes

When discussing condensation, it’s crucial to understand the contrast between moisture on the inside of your windows compared to moisture in between the windowpanes. One is an air-quality issue and the other is a window issue.

  • Moisture on the inside of a window is produced from the warm moist air in your home condensing along the glass.
  • Existing moisture you see between windowpanes is produced when the window seal fails and moisture slips between the two panes of glass, and at that point the window should be repaired or replaced.
  • Condensation inside the windows isn’t a window problem and can instead be solved by adjusting the humidity across your home. Different things generate humidity throughout a home, like showers, cooking, taking a bath or even breathing.

Why Sweating Windows Could Mean 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 the case, water might 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 Throughout Your Home

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

If you have a humidifier running inside your home – whether it be a small unit or a whole-house humidifier – lower it further so the humidity inside your home comes down.

If you don’t have a humidifier active and your home’s humidity level is excessive, look into purchasing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers put moisture inside your home so the air doesn’t dry out, a dehumidifier pulls excess moisture out of the air.

Smaller, portable dehumidifiers can absorb the water from a single room. However, portable units require emptying out water trays and generally service a somewhat limited area. A whole-house dehumidifier will extract moisture throughout your entire home.

Whole-house dehumidifier systems are regulated by a humidistat, which allows you to set a humidity level precisely like you would pick a temperature via your thermostat. The unit will begin running instantly when the humidity level exceeds the set level. These systems collaborate with your home’s HVAC system, so you will receive the best results if you contact qualified professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation The Bay Area.

Additional Ways to Decrease Condensation on Windows

  • Exhaust fans. Installing exhaust fans near humidity hotspots like the bathroom, laundry room or above the oven can help by drawing the warm, moist air from these areas out of your home before it can raise the humidity level across your home.
  • Ceiling fans. Running ceiling fans can also keep air moving throughout the home so humid air doesn’t get stuck in one place.
  • Open window treatments. Pulling open the blinds or drapes can decrease condensation by stopping the warm air from being trapped against the windowpane.

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