The windows throughout your home are a gateway to the outdoors, a way to draw light in while you take in the view of your garden, yard or scenery. The last thing you need to see is a sweaty window covered in a film of condensation.

Not only are windows plastered with condensation unattractive, they also can be a sign of a larger air-quality problem throughout your home. Fortunately, there’s numerous things you can attempt to correct the problem.

What Produces Condensation on Windows

Condensation on the inside of windows is created by the damp warm air throughout your home reaching the cooler surface of the windows. It’s notably common over the winter when it’s much chillier outside than it is in your home.

Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes

When dealing with condensation, it’s important to understand 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 inside a window is created from the warm damp air in your home condensing along the glass.
  • Any moisture you see between windowpanes is produced when the window seal breaks down and moisture slips between the two panes of glass, and at that point the window should be repaired or replaced.
  • Condensation in the windows isn’t a window problem and can instead be fixed by changing the humidity across your home. Numerous things produce humidity throughout a home, such as showers, cooking, laundry or even breathing.

Why Condensation on Windows Can Be Trouble

Although you might presume condensation on the inside of your windows is a cosmetic concern, it may also be evidence your home has excess humidity. If this is in fact the case, water could also be accumulating on window frames, cold walls or other surfaces. Even a small film of water can cause wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, promoting the growth of mildew or mold.

How to Reduce Humidity Inside Your Home

The good news is there are various options for extracting moisture from the air in your home.

If you have a humidifier operating within 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 going and your home’s humidity level is high, look into getting a dehumidifier. While humidifiers put moisture in your home so the air doesn’t become too dry, a dehumidifier draws excess moisture out of the air.

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

Whole-house dehumidifier systems are managed by a humidistat, which permits you to specify a humidity level precisely like you would select a temperature on your thermostat. The unit will run immediately when the humidity level overtakes the set level. These systems collaborate with your home’s HVAC system, so you will receive the best results if you contact qualified professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Lexington.

Other Ways to Lower Condensation on Windows

  • Exhaust fans. Installing exhaust fans in humidity hotspots including the bathroom, laundry room or above the oven can help by extracting the warm, humid air from these spaces out of your home before it can increase the humidity level in your home.
  • Ceiling fans. Running ceiling fans can also keep air moving inside the home so humid air doesn’t get stuck in one area.
  • Open window treatments. Pulling open the blinds or drapes can decrease condensation by preventing the humid air from being trapped against the windowpane.

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