The windows of your home are a gateway to the outdoors, a way to allow light in when you enjoy the view of your garden, yard or scenery. The last thing you need to see is a sweaty window coated in a layer of condensation.

Not only are windows coated in condensation unattractive, they also can be evidence of a larger air-quality problem in your home. Thankfully, there’s numerous things you can attempt to address the problem.

What Produces Sweating in Windows

Condensation on the interior of windows is produced by the humid warm air in your home mixing with the cooler surface of your windows. It’s particularly prevalent over 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 important to understand the distinction between moisture on the inside of your windows versus moisture in between the windowpanes. One is an air-quality issue and the other is a window issue.

  • Moisture within a window is created from the warm damp air inside your home collecting on the glass.
  • Any moisture you see between windowpanes is caused when the window seal breaks down and moisture gets in between the two panes of glass, in which case the window has to be repaired or replaced.
  • Condensation on the inside of the windows isn’t a window issue and can instead be resolved by fine-tuning the humidity in your home. Different things generate humidity in a home, like showers, cooking, taking a bath or even breathing.

Why Condensation on Windows Could Mean Trouble

Though you might presume condensation inside your windows is a cosmetic issue, it may also be evidence your home has excess humidity. If this is in fact the case, water could also be condensing 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 Lower Humidity in Your Home

Thankfully there are various options for removing moisture from the air in your home.

If you have a humidifier running within 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 going and your home’s humidity level is excessive, look into installing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers introduces moisture inside your home so the air doesn’t get too dry, 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 usually service a small area. A whole-house dehumidifier will remove moisture throughout your entire home.

Whole-house dehumidifier systems are controlled by a humidistat, which allows you to establish a humidity level just like you would pick a temperature on your thermostat. The unit will start automatically when the humidity level surpasses the set level. These systems work with your home’s HVAC system, so you will want to contact skilled professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation The Bay Area.

Additional Ways to Reduce Condensation on Windows

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

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