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

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

What Causes Sweating along Windows

Condensation on the inner layer of windows is produced by the damp warm air inside your home hitting the colder surface of your windows. It’s especially prevalent during the winter when it’s much colder outside than it is within your home.

Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes

When discussing condensation, it’s crucial 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 on the inside of a window is caused from the warm moist air throughout your home condensing against the glass.
  • Any moisture you see between windowpanes is produced when the window seal fails and moisture seeps 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 solved by fine-tuning the humidity across your home. Numerous things cause humidity in a home, such as showers, cooking, laundry or even breathing.

Why Indoor Sweating on Windows Can Be Trouble

Though you might presume condensation in your windows is a cosmetic concern, it could also be indicating your home has higher humidity. If that’s the case, water may also be accumulating on window frames, cold walls or other surfaces. Even a slim film of water can encourage wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, fostering the growth of mildew or mold.

How to Reduce Humidity Inside Your Home

Thankfully there are numerous options for extracting moisture from the air in your home.

If you have a humidifier active 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 active and your home’s humidity level is higher than you prefer, think about installing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers adds moisture in your home so the air doesn’t become too dry, a dehumidifier extracts excess moisture out of the air.

Smaller, portable dehumidifiers can absorb the water from one room. However, portable units require clearing water trays and generally service a somewhat limited area. A whole-house dehumidifier will remove moisture from your entire home.

Whole-house dehumidifier systems are regulated by a humidistat, which permits you to establish a humidity level precisely like you would choose a temperature via your thermostat. The unit will run immediately when the humidity level overtakes the set level. These systems coordinate with your home’s HVAC system, so you should contact skilled professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Wilkes Barre and Scranton.

Alternative Ways to Decrease Condensation on Windows

  • Exhaust fans. Installing exhaust fans around humidity hotspots like 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 increase the humidity level across your home.
  • Ceiling fans. Spinning ceiling fans can also keep air flowing throughout the home so humid air doesn’t get stuck in one place.
  • Opening your window treatments. Pulling open the blinds or drapes can decrease condensation by preventing the warm air from being caught against the windowpane.

By reducing humidity across your home and dispersing air throughout your home, you can take advantage of clear, moisture-free windows even during the winter.