The windows in your home open up to the outdoors, a way to draw light in as you appreciate the view of your garden, yard or scenery. The last thing you need to see is a sweaty window plastered in a film of condensation.

Not only are windows coated in condensation unappealing, they also can be evidence of a larger air-quality issue inside your home. Luckily, there’s numerous things you can do to correct the problem.

What Causes Sweating on Windows

Condensation on the inside of windows is formed by the moist warm air inside your home mixing with the colder surface of the windows. It’s particularly common in the winter when it’s much cooler outside than it is within your home.

Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes

When discussing condensation, it’s important to recognize the contrast between moisture on the inside of your windows compared to moisture in between the windowpanes. One is an air-quality issue and the other is a window issue.

  • Moisture on the inside of a window is produced from the warm damp air throughout your home forming on the glass.
  • Any moisture you notice between windowpanes is produced when the window seal fails and moisture slips between the two panes of glass, in which case the window needs to be repaired or replaced.
  • Condensation inside the windows isn’t a window situation and can instead be fixed by fine-tuning the humidity inside your home. Different things generate humidity in a home, including showers, cooking, laundry or even breathing.

Why Indoor Sweating on Windows Can Be a Problem

Though you might presume condensation in your windows is a cosmetic issue, it can be evidence your home has higher humidity. If that’s the case, water might also be condensing on window frames, cold walls or other surfaces. Even a thin film of water can help wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, increasing the growth of mildew or mold.

How to Decrease Humidity in Your Home

Fortunately there are various options for eliminating moisture from the air inside your home.

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

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

Whole-house dehumidifier systems are regulated by a humidistat, which permits you to set a humidity level just like you would choose a temperature on your thermostat. The unit will start automatically 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 skilled professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Ellsworth.

Alternative Ways to Decrease Condensation on Windows

  • Exhaust fans. Adding exhaust fans in humidity hotspots like the bathroom, laundry room or above the oven can help by drawing the warm, humid air from these rooms out of your home before it can raise the humidity level in your home.
  • Ceiling fans. Running ceiling fans can also keep air circulating within the home so humid air doesn’t get caught up in one area.
  • Opening your window treatments. Pulling open the blinds or drapes can lower condensation by stopping the warm air from being caught against the windowpane.

By lowering humidity inside your home and dispersing air throughout your home, you can enjoy clear, moisture-free windows even in the middle of the winter.