The windows throughout your home are a portal to the outdoors, a way to allow light in while you enjoy the view of your garden, yard or scenery. The last thing you need to see is a sweaty window plastered in a coating of condensation.

Not only are windows coated in condensation unappealing, they also can be evidence of a more substantial air-quality issue throughout your home. Fortunately, there’s multiple things you can attempt to correct the problem.

What Produces Sweating along Windows

Condensation on the inside of windows is created by the damp warm air inside your home hitting the cold surface of the windows. It’s notably prevalent over 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 crucial to understand the contrast 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 created from the warm damp air in your home forming on the glass.
  • The moisture you see between windowpanes is formed when the window seal fails and moisture seeps between the two panes of glass, and by then the window should be repaired or replaced.
  • Condensation in the windows isn’t a window situation and can instead be solved by fine-tuning the humidity in your home. Different things produce humidity inside a home, like showers, cooking, bathing or even breathing.

Why Indoor Sweating on Windows Could Mean an Issue

Though you might think condensation in your windows is a cosmetic problem, it could also be a sign your home has higher humidity. If this is the case, water could also be accumulating on window frames, cold walls or other surfaces. Even a thin film of water can encourage wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, increasing the growth of mildew or mold.

How to Reduce Humidity in Your Home

Thankfully there are numerous options for eliminating moisture from the air throughout 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 comes down.

If you don’t have a humidifier running and your home’s humidity level is higher than you prefer, think about getting 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.

Small, portable dehumidifiers can eliminate the water from one room. However, those units require clearing 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 regulated by a humidistat, which permits you to specify a humidity level the same like you would choose a temperature with your thermostat. The unit will begin running immediately when the humidity level surpasses the set level. These systems work with your home’s HVAC system, so you will receive the best results if you contact experienced professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Sarasota.

Alternative Ways to Decrease Condensation on Windows

  • Exhaust fans. Adding exhaust fans around humidity hotspots including the bathroom, laundry room or above the kitchen range can help by extracting the warm, moist air from these spaces out of your home before it can raise the humidity level throughout your home.
  • Ceiling fans. Turning on ceiling fans can also keep air swirling within the home so humid air doesn’t get trapped in one place.
  • Opening up window treatments. Throwing open 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 circulating air throughout your home, you can make the most of clear, moisture-free windows even in the middle of the winter.