The windows of 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 landscape. The last thing you want to see is a sweaty window plastered in a coating of condensation.

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

What Produces Sweating along Windows

Condensation on the interior of windows is formed by the moist warm air throughout your home mixing with the cold surface of your windows. It’s notably common around the winter when it’s much cooler outside than it is inside your home.

Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes

When dealing with condensation, it’s crucial to understand the difference between moisture on the inside of your windows in comparison 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 damp air in your home collecting on the glass.
  • The moisture you see between windowpanes is produced when the window seal stops working and moisture slips between the two panes of glass, and at that point the window should be repaired or replaced.
  • Condensation on the inside of the windows isn’t a window issue and can instead be resolved by adjusting the humidity in your home. Different things generate humidity inside a home, including showers, cooking, laundry or even breathing.

Why Sweating Windows Could Mean Trouble

Though you might consider condensation on the inside of your windows is a cosmetic problem, it could also be indicating your home has excess humidity. If this is the case, water could also be condensing on window frames, cold walls or other surfaces. Even a slim film of water can encourage wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, fostering the growth of mildew or mold.

How to Reduce Humidity Inside Your Home

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

If you have a humidifier active within your home – whether it be a smaller 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 higher than you prefer, look into installing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers introduces moisture into your home so the air doesn’t become too dry, a dehumidifier draws excess moisture out of the air.

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

Whole-house dehumidifier systems are regulated by a humidistat, which permits you to specify a humidity level just like you would choose a temperature on your thermostat. The unit will run instantly when the humidity level surpasses the set level. These systems coordinate with your home’s HVAC system, so you should contact skilled professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Weatherford.

Alternative Ways to Lower Condensation on Windows

  • Exhaust fans. Adding exhaust fans around humidity hotspots including the bathroom, laundry room or above the kitchen range can help by extracting the warm, moist air from these areas out of your home before it can elevate the humidity level in your home.
  • Ceiling fans. Spinning ceiling fans can also keep air circulating within the home so humid air doesn’t get stuck in one spot.
  • Opening your window treatments. Opening the blinds or drapes can lower condensation by stopping the humid air from being caught against the windowpane.

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