The windows throughout your home are a gateway to the outdoors, a way to allow light in as you enjoy the view of your garden, yard or landscape. 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 more substantial air-quality problem inside your home. Thankfully, there’s multiple things you can attempt to resolve the problem.

What Creates Condensation along Windows

Condensation on the interior of windows is created by the humid warm air in your home reaching the cooler surface of the windows. It’s particularly prevalent during the winter when it’s much colder outside than it is inside your home.

Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes

When talking about condensation, it’s important to know the contrast between moisture on the inside of your windows in comparison to moisture in between the windowpanes. One is an air-quality issue and the other is a window issue.

  • Moisture inside a window is created from the warm humid air inside your home collecting on the glass.
  • Existing moisture you see between windowpanes is formed when the window seal stops working and moisture gets in 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 situation and can instead be resolved by fine-tuning the humidity across your home. Different things cause humidity in a home, such as showers, cooking, laundry or even breathing.

Why Condensation on Windows Can Be Trouble

Even though you might presume condensation inside your windows is a cosmetic problem, it could also be a sign your home has excess humidity. If this is the case, water could also be collecting on window frames, cold walls or other surfaces. Even a thin film of water can cause wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, fostering the growth of mildew or mold.

How to Decrease Humidity Inside Your Home

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

If you have a humidifier running in 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 running and your home’s humidity level is excessive, think about purchasing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers adds moisture into your home so the air doesn’t become too dry, a dehumidifier pulls excess moisture out of the air.

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

Whole-house dehumidifier systems are managed by a humidistat, which allows you to set a humidity level precisely like you would choose a temperature via your thermostat. The unit will run automatically when the humidity level exceeds the set level. These systems work with your home’s HVAC system, so you should contact qualified professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation .

Additional Ways to Decrease Condensation on Windows

  • Exhaust fans. Adding exhaust fans in humidity hotspots including the bathroom, laundry room or above the stove can help by pulling the warm, humid air from these rooms out of your home before it can increase the humidity level inside your home.
  • Ceiling fans. Running ceiling fans can also keep air moving within the home so humid air doesn’t get trapped in one spot.
  • Opening your window treatments. Opening the blinds or drapes can decrease condensation by stopping the humid air from being caught against the windowpane.

By lowering humidity inside your home and dispersing air throughout your home, you can enjoy clear, moisture-free windows even during the winter.