The windows throughout your home are a gateway to the outdoors, a way to allow light in as you appreciate the view of your garden, yard or other surroundings. The last thing you need to see is a sweaty window covered in a layer of condensation.

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

What Causes Condensation on Windows

Condensation on the inside of windows is produced by the humid warm air in your home hitting the cooler surface of the windows. It’s especially prevalent during 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 distinction between moisture on the inside of your windows versus moisture in between the windowpanes. One is an indoor air quality issue and the other is a window issue.

  • Moisture within a window is caused from the warm humid air inside your home forming against the glass.
  • Any moisture you notice between windowpanes is caused when the window seal breaks down 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 situation and can instead be resolved by adjusting the humidity in your home. Numerous things cause humidity throughout a home, including showers, cooking, laundry or even breathing.

Why Condensation on Windows Can Be a Problem

Though you might think condensation in your windows is a cosmetic issue, it could also be evidence your home has high humidity. If that’s the case, water could also be accumulating on window frames, cold walls or other surfaces. Even a slim film of water can cause wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, fostering the growth of mildew or mold.

How to Reduce Humidity in Your Home

Fortunately there are several options for extracting moisture from the air throughout your home.

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

If you don’t have a humidifier going and your home’s humidity level is excessive, look into installing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers adds moisture into your home so the air doesn’t dry out, a dehumidifier extracts excess moisture out of the air.

Compact, portable dehumidifiers can eliminate the water from an entire room. However, those units require emptying water trays and usually service a somewhat limited area. A whole-house dehumidifier will remove moisture throughout your entire home.

Whole-house dehumidifier systems are managed by a humidistat, which enables you to specify a humidity level the same like you would select a temperature via your thermostat. The unit will start instantly 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 .

Other Ways to Eliminate Condensation on Windows

  • Exhaust fans. Putting in exhaust fans near humidity hotspots like the bathroom, laundry room or above the stove can help by extracting the warm, moist air from these rooms out of your home before it can increase the humidity level in your home.
  • Ceiling fans. Turning on ceiling fans can also keep air swirling inside the home so humid air doesn’t get caught up in one place.
  • Open window treatments. Pulling open the blinds or drapes can decrease condensation by stopping the humid air from being trapped against the windowpane.

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