Why Windows Sweat Indoors And How To Stop It?
The windows in your home are a portal to the outdoors, a way to draw light in as you enjoy the view of your garden, yard or landscape. The last thing you want to see is a sweaty window coated in a coating of condensation.
Not only are windows plastered with condensation unsightly, they also can be a sign of a more serious air-quality issue within your home. Luckily, there’s multiple things you can attempt to resolve the problem.
What Causes Sweating On Windows?
Condensation on the inner layer of windows is created by the damp warm air inside your home mixing with the colder surface of your windows. It’s particularly prevalent over the winter when it’s much colder outside than it is in your home.
Inside Moisture vs. In Between Panes
When dealing with condensation, it’s necessary to know the contrast between moisture on the inside of your windows in comparison to 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 humid air in your home forming on the glass.
- Existing moisture you notice between windowpanes is formed when the window seal breaks down and moisture seeps between the two panes of glass, and by then the window has to be repaired or replaced.
- Condensation in the windows isn’t a window problem and can instead be solved by fine-tuning the humidity inside your home. Numerous things produce humidity throughout a home, including showers, cooking, laundry or even breathing.
Why Condensation On Windows Can Be An Issue?
Though you might presume condensation inside your windows is a cosmetic issue, it can be a sign your home has high humidity. If this is in fact the case, water might also be accumulating on window frames, cold walls or other surfaces. Even a small film of water can help wood surfaces to mildew or rot over time, increasing the growth of mildew or mold.
How To Decrease Humidity Inside Your Home?
Thankfully there are numerous options for extracting moisture from the air in your home.
If you have a humidifier running in your home – whether it be a small 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, think about purchasing a dehumidifier. While humidifiers adds moisture in your home so the air doesn’t get too dry, a dehumidifier extracts excess moisture out of the air.
Compact, portable dehumidifiers can remove the water from an entire room. However, those units require emptying out water trays and usually service a somewhat limited area. A whole-house dehumidifier will extract moisture across your entire home.
Whole-house dehumidifier systems are regulated by a humidistat, which allows you to set a humidity level just like you would select a temperature with your thermostat. The unit will begin running immediately when the humidity level surpasses the set level. These systems collaborate with your home’s HVAC system, so you will want to contact skilled professionals for whole-house dehumidifier installation Lodi.
Alternative Ways To Decrease Condensation On Windows
- Exhaust fans. Installing exhaust fans in humidity hotspots such as the bathroom, laundry room or above the stove can help by drawing the warm, moist air from these rooms out of your home before it can increase the humidity level throughout your home.
- Ceiling fans. Running ceiling fans can also keep air swirling within the home so humid air doesn’t get caught up in one place.
- Open window treatments. Throwing open the blinds or drapes can reduce condensation by stopping the warm air from being trapped against the windowpane.
By decreasing humidity across your home and dispersing air throughout your home, you can make the most of clear, moisture-free windows even in the middle of the winter.
