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

Not only are windows coated in condensation unsightly, they also can be evidence of a more serious air-quality problem inside your home. Luckily, there’s multiple things you can try to resolve the problem.

What Creates Sweating in Windows

Condensation on the inside of windows is created by the moist warm air throughout your home reaching the cooler surface of the windows. It’s notably common around the winter when it’s much colder outside than it is inside your home.

Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes

When discussing condensation, it’s important to understand the difference 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 inside a window is produced from the warm moist air throughout your home forming on the glass.
  • Any moisture you notice between windowpanes is produced when the window seal fails and moisture seeps between the two panes of glass, in which case the window needs to be repaired or replaced.
  • Condensation in the windows isn’t a window issue and can instead be fixed by fine-tuning the humidity in your home. Different things produce humidity throughout a home, such as showers, cooking, bathing or even breathing.

Why Indoor Sweating on Windows Could Mean an Issue

Even though you might think condensation on the inside of your windows is a cosmetic problem, it can be a sign 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 thin film of water can cause wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, promoting the growth of mildew or mold.

How to Lower Humidity Inside Your Home

Thankfully there are numerous options for removing moisture from the air inside your home.

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

If you don’t have a humidifier going and your home’s humidity level is excessive, consider purchasing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers introduces moisture in your home so the air doesn’t become too dry, a dehumidifier draws excess moisture out of the air.

Compact, portable dehumidifiers can absorb the water from a single room. However, those units require clearing water trays and usually service a small area. A whole-house dehumidifier will extract moisture across your entire home.

Whole-house dehumidifier systems are managed by a humidistat, which allows you to establish a humidity level the same like you would choose a temperature via your thermostat. The unit will run automatically when the humidity level overtakes the set level. These systems work with your home’s HVAC system, so you will receive the best results if you contact experienced professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Morgantown.

Additional Ways to Decrease Condensation on Windows

  • Exhaust fans. Adding exhaust fans around humidity hotspots including the bathroom, laundry room or above the oven can help by drawing the warm, humid air from these rooms out of your home before it can increase the humidity level throughout your home.
  • Ceiling fans. Turning on ceiling fans can also keep air flowing throughout the home so humid air doesn’t get caught up in one spot.
  • Opening your window treatments. Throwing open the blinds or drapes can decrease condensation by preventing the damp air from being trapped against the windowpane.

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