The windows in your home are a gateway to the outdoors, a way to allow light in as you enjoy the view of your garden, yard or other surroundings. The last thing you need to see is a sweaty window coated in a film of condensation.

Not only are windows coated in condensation unappealing, they also can be evidence of a more substantial air-quality problem in your home. Thankfully, there’s numerous things you can try to address the problem.

What Creates Sweating in Windows

Condensation on the inside of windows is formed by the damp warm air throughout your home reaching the colder surface of your windows. It’s notably commonplace during the winter when it’s much chillier outside than it is inside your home.

Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes

When discussing condensation, it’s important to recognize the difference 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 produced from the warm humid air throughout your home forming along the glass.
  • Any moisture you see between windowpanes is produced when the window seal stops working and moisture seeps between the two panes of glass, in which case the window has to be repaired or replaced.
  • Condensation inside the windows isn’t a window situation and can instead be solved by fine-tuning the humidity across your home. Different things generate humidity throughout a home, such as showers, cooking, taking a bath or even breathing.

Why Sweating Windows Can Be a Problem

Although you might think condensation in your windows is a cosmetic issue, it could also be indicating your home has high humidity. If this is the case, water might 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, fostering the growth of mildew or mold.

How to Decrease Humidity in Your Home

Thankfully 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-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 going and your home’s humidity level is higher than you prefer, look into installing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers introduces moisture in your home so the air doesn’t dry out, a dehumidifier extracts excess moisture out of the air.

Smaller, portable dehumidifiers can absorb the water from an entire room. However, portable units require emptying out water trays and generally service a small area. A whole-house dehumidifier will remove 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 pick a temperature with your thermostat. The unit will start instantly when the humidity level overtakes the set level. These systems work with your home’s HVAC system, so you will want to contact experienced professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Mount Pleasant.

Alternative Ways to Lower Condensation on Windows

  • Exhaust fans. Installing exhaust fans around 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 elevate the humidity level in your home.
  • Ceiling fans. Turning on ceiling fans can also keep air moving within the home so humid air doesn’t get trapped in one area.
  • Open window treatments. Opening the blinds or drapes can decrease condensation by preventing the humid air from being stuck against the windowpane.

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