The windows throughout your home are a gateway to the outdoors, a way to draw light in as you take in the view of your garden, yard or scenery. The last thing you would want to see is a sweaty window coated in a film of condensation.

Not only are windows covered in condensation unappealing, they also can be a sign of a more serious air-quality problem within your home. Fortunately, there’s several things you can attempt to address the problem.

What Produces Condensation on Windows

Condensation on the inner layer of windows is produced by the moist warm air in your home mixing with the colder surface of your windows. It’s especially prevalent in the winter when it’s much cooler outside than it is within your home.

Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes

When discussing condensation, it’s necessary to know 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 within a window is caused from the warm humid air throughout your home condensing against the glass.
  • The moisture you find between windowpanes is formed when the window seal stops working and moisture gets in between the two panes of glass, and at that point the window has to be repaired or replaced.
  • Condensation inside the windows isn’t a window problem and can instead be resolved by adjusting the humidity in your home. Numerous things cause humidity inside a home, like showers, cooking, laundry or even breathing.

Why Condensation on Windows Can Be Trouble

Although you might presume condensation on the inside of your windows is a cosmetic issue, it can be evidence your home has higher humidity. If this is the case, water may also be accumulating on window frames, cold walls or other surfaces. Even a thin film of water can encourage wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, increasing the growth of mildew or mold.

How to Lower Humidity Inside Your Home

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

If you have a humidifier active 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 running 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 become too dry, a dehumidifier extracts excess moisture out of the air.

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

Whole-house dehumidifier systems are controlled by a humidistat, which allows you to establish a humidity level just like you would choose a temperature with your thermostat. The unit will run instantly when the humidity level overtakes the set level. These systems coordinate with your home’s HVAC system, so you should contact experienced professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation .

Additional Ways to Reduce Condensation on Windows

  • Exhaust fans. Installing exhaust fans around humidity hotspots such as the bathroom, laundry room or above the kitchen range can help by extracting the warm, moist air from these spaces out of your home before it can raise the humidity level throughout your home.
  • Ceiling fans. Running ceiling fans can also keep air moving inside the home so humid air doesn’t get trapped in one spot.
  • Open window treatments. Throwing open the blinds or drapes can lower condensation by preventing the humid air from being stuck against the windowpane.

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