The windows in your home are a portal to the outdoors, a way to allow light in when you appreciate the view of your garden, yard or scenery. The last thing you want to see is a sweaty window coated in a film of condensation.

Not only are windows plastered with condensation unsightly, they also can be a symptom of a larger air-quality problem in your home. Fortunately, there’s multiple things you can try to correct the problem.

What Produces Condensation in Windows

Condensation on the inside of windows is formed by the moist warm air throughout your home reaching the cold surface of the windows. It’s especially commonplace during the winter when it’s much colder outside than it is inside your home.

Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes

When dealing with condensation, it’s necessary to recognize 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 on the inside of a window is produced from the warm humid air in your home collecting against the glass.
  • Any moisture you find between windowpanes is caused when the window seal stops working and moisture slips 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 resolved by adjusting the humidity inside your home. Many things produce humidity inside a home, including showers, cooking, taking a bath or even breathing.

Why Condensation on Windows Can Be an Issue

Even though you might presume condensation inside your windows is a cosmetic problem, it could also be evidence your home has high humidity. If that’s the case, water might also be collecting on window frames, cold walls or other surfaces. Even a small film of water can help wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, increasing the growth of mildew or mold.

How to Decrease Humidity in Your Home

Thankfully there are various options for extracting moisture from the air throughout your home.

If you have a humidifier operating in your home – whether it be a smaller 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 getting a dehumidifier. While humidifiers adds moisture in your home so the air doesn’t dry out, a dehumidifier pulls excess moisture out of the air.

Smaller, portable dehumidifiers can absorb the water from one room. However, those units require emptying out water trays and generally service a small area. A whole-house dehumidifier will extract moisture across your entire home.

Whole-house dehumidifier systems are regulated by a humidistat, which enables you to establish a humidity level precisely like you would select a temperature with 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 Saint Louis.

Other Ways to Decrease Condensation on Windows

  • Exhaust fans. Installing exhaust fans in humidity hotspots including the bathroom, laundry room or above the kitchen range can help by extracting the warm, humid air from these rooms out of your home before it can raise the humidity level inside your home.
  • Ceiling fans. Spinning ceiling fans can also keep air flowing within the home so humid air doesn’t get caught up in one spot.
  • Open window treatments. Opening the blinds or drapes can reduce condensation by preventing the damp air from being trapped against the windowpane.

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