The windows of your home are a portal to the outdoors, a way to allow light in while 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 film of condensation.

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

What Creates Sweating on Windows

Condensation on the interior of windows is created by the moist warm air in your home mixing with the cooler surface of the windows. It’s especially commonplace during the winter when it’s much chillier outside than it is in your home.

Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes

When talking about condensation, it’s crucial to recognize the distinction 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 within a window is produced from the warm moist air in your home forming against the glass.
  • Any moisture you see between windowpanes is caused when the window seal stops working and moisture gets in between the two panes of glass, and by then the window has to be repaired or replaced.
  • Condensation on the inside of the windows isn’t a window issue and can instead be solved by adjusting the humidity inside your home. Numerous things cause humidity throughout a home, such as showers, cooking, bathing or even breathing.

Why Condensation on Windows Can Be Trouble

Even though you might think condensation on the inside of your windows is a cosmetic issue, it could also be evidence your home has excess 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 help wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, fostering the growth of mildew or mold.

How to Decrease Humidity Throughout Your Home

Not to worry, because there are several options for extracting moisture from the air in 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 decreases.

If you don’t have a humidifier running and your home’s humidity level is higher than you prefer, consider installing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers adds moisture in your home so the air doesn’t get too dry, a dehumidifier draws excess moisture out of the air.

Compact, portable dehumidifiers can remove the water from a single room. However, these units require emptying out water trays and generally service a small area. A whole-house dehumidifier will extract moisture throughout your entire home.

Whole-house dehumidifier systems are regulated by a humidistat, which allows you to establish a humidity level the same like you would select a temperature via your thermostat. The unit will begin running immediately when the humidity level overtakes the set level. These systems coordinate with your home’s HVAC system, so you will want to contact experienced professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Omaha.

Other Ways to Lower Condensation on Windows

  • Exhaust fans. Installing exhaust fans around humidity hotspots such as the bathroom, laundry room or above the oven can help by extracting the warm, humid air from these areas out of your home before it can elevate the humidity level inside your home.
  • Ceiling fans. Spinning ceiling fans can also keep air moving throughout the home so humid air doesn’t get trapped in one spot.
  • Open window treatments. Opening the blinds or drapes can reduce condensation by preventing the warm air from being trapped 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.