The windows of your home are a gateway to the outdoors, a way to draw light in when you enjoy 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 unappealing, they also can be a symptom of a more substantial air-quality issue inside your home. Luckily, there’s numerous things you can attempt to resolve the problem.

What Produces Sweating in Windows

Condensation on the interior of windows is produced by the moist warm air in your home reaching the cooler surface of your windows. It’s especially commonplace around the winter when it’s much cooler outside than it is within your home.

Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes

When talking about condensation, it’s necessary to recognize the contrast 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 damp air throughout your home condensing against the glass.
  • The moisture you notice between windowpanes is caused when the window seal breaks down and moisture gets in between the two panes of glass, and at that point the window has to be repaired or replaced.
  • Condensation in the windows isn’t a window problem and can instead be solved by adjusting the humidity across your home. Numerous things produce humidity inside a home, like showers, cooking, bathing or even breathing.

Why Sweating Windows Can Be an Issue

Even though you might presume condensation on the inside of your windows is a cosmetic concern, it could also be a sign your home has high humidity. If this is the case, water could also be collecting on window frames, cold walls or other surfaces. Even a thin 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

The good news is there are various options for extracting moisture from the air inside 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 decreases.

If you don’t have a humidifier going and your home’s humidity level is higher than you prefer, consider getting a dehumidifier. While humidifiers put moisture inside your home so the air doesn’t dry out, a dehumidifier draws excess moisture out of the air.

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

Whole-house dehumidifier systems are regulated by a humidistat, which enables you to set a humidity level just like you would choose a temperature with your thermostat. The unit will run immediately when the humidity level exceeds the set level. These systems work with your home’s HVAC system, so you should contact skilled professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Mankato area.

Alternative Ways to Decrease Condensation on Windows

  • Exhaust fans. Putting in exhaust fans near humidity hotspots including the bathroom, laundry room or above the oven can help by pulling the warm, moist air from these rooms out of your home before it can raise the humidity level in your home.
  • Ceiling fans. Spinning ceiling fans can also keep air circulating inside the home so humid air doesn’t get trapped in one area.
  • Opening your window treatments. Opening the blinds or drapes can reduce condensation by preventing the warm air from being caught against the windowpane.

By decreasing humidity across your home and moving air throughout your home, you can enjoy clear, moisture-free windows even in the winter.