The windows of your home open up to the outdoors, a way to draw light in as you take in the view of your garden, yard or other surroundings. The last thing you would want to see is a sweaty window covered in a film of condensation.

Not only are windows coated in condensation unsightly, they also can be a sign of a more substantial air-quality deficit within your home. Thankfully, there’s several things you can try to resolve the problem.

What Causes Condensation in Windows

Condensation on the inner layer of windows is created by the damp warm air inside your home mixing with the colder surface of your windows. It’s especially common over the winter when it’s much chillier outside than it is within your home.

Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes

When talking about condensation, it’s crucial to understand the distinction between moisture on the inside of your windows compared to moisture in between the windowpanes. One is an indoor air quality issue and the other is a window issue.

  • Moisture inside a window is created from the warm humid air in your home collecting along the glass.
  • Existing moisture you find between windowpanes is caused when the window seal stops working and moisture gets in between the two panes of glass, and at that point the window has to be repaired or replaced.
  • Condensation inside the windows isn’t a window problem and can instead be fixed by fine-tuning the humidity in your home. Many things produce humidity in a home, including showers, cooking, bathing or even breathing.

Why Condensation on Windows Can Be a Problem

Even though you might consider condensation in your windows is a cosmetic problem, it can be evidence your home has excess humidity. If that’s the case, water may also be condensing on window frames, cold walls or other surfaces. Even a slim film of water can help wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, promoting the growth of mildew or mold.

How to Reduce Humidity in Your Home

Thankfully there are various 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 goes down.

If you don’t have a humidifier running and your home’s humidity level is excessive, consider purchasing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers adds 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 remove the water from an entire room. However, portable units require emptying water trays and generally service a small area. A whole-house dehumidifier will eliminate moisture across your entire home.

Whole-house dehumidifier systems are managed by a humidistat, which permits you to establish a humidity level precisely like you would choose a temperature via your thermostat. The unit will start instantly when the humidity level overtakes the set level. These systems collaborate with your home’s HVAC system, so you will want to contact experienced professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation .

Other Ways to Reduce Condensation on Windows

  • Exhaust fans. Installing exhaust fans around humidity hotspots such as the bathroom, laundry room or above the kitchen range can help by pulling the warm, moist air from these spaces out of your home before it can raise the humidity level throughout your home.
  • Ceiling fans. Running ceiling fans can also keep air swirling within the home so humid air doesn’t get stuck in one spot.
  • Open window treatments. Pulling open the blinds or drapes can lower condensation by stopping the humid air from being stuck against the windowpane.

By decreasing humidity inside your home and moving air throughout your home, you can take advantage of clear, moisture-free windows even during the winter.