If condensation is forming on your windows, you’re not alone. Understanding its cause and how to manage it can alleviate concerns and help you create a comfortable home.
Condensation on your windows or glass doors can be frustrating because it hinders your view of the outdoors. Read on to learn about its origin and how to deal with it so you can enjoy unobstructed views out your windows.
Condensation’s Cause and Solution
How Condensation Forms Inside Your Windows
What is condensation? When warm, moist air meets cooler surfaces (like your window glass), the excess moisture in the air condenses because the cooler surface—your window—can’t hold as much moisture as the warmer surrounding air, and condensation forms. Moisture on your windows is a form of condensation. It can appear on the interior or exterior of your window glass.
Condensation on your window’s interior is an indication of excess humidity in your house. It can be a warning sign. It may mean that too much humidity indoors is causing damage to various parts of your home. During the winter, condensation can cause ice to form on your windows.
The Problem of Excess Humidity in Your Home
Too much humidity in your home contributes to its deterioration. It can actually pass through your walls and freeze in your insulation. Once the moisture melts in the spring, it causes damage to your home. Mold and mildew can thrive as a result of excess humidity in your house. And that’s not good for your health. When indoor humidity is higher than 65%, upper respiratory illness may occur.
Excess humidity can show up as a “moist feeling” in your house. It can be accompanied by an undesirable “musty smell” in the home. Warping of wood surfaces and staining of interior surfaces may also appear when you have excess humidity in your house. You may notice cracking, peeling, or blistering of your interior or exterior paint. Damp spots on your ceiling may appear, particularly in your closets. And your pipes may look “sweaty.”
Sometimes, getting new windows can demonstrate that these problems have been occurring because the new windows aren’t as leaky or drafty as the old ones, so condensation is noticeable on the glass.
House plants as well as daily activities like cooking, showering, and laundry can all contribute to the humidity levels in your home. Perspiration, breathing, and burning fossil fuels can also factor into the relative humidity level in your interior.
What to Do About Excess Humidity That Causes Condensation on Your Window’s Interior
Aim for ideal humidity levels in your home to minimize condensation on the inside of your windows. In the winter, the goal is for your indoor relative humidity to be between 25% and 60% with an indoor temperature between 65°F and 70°F. During the summer, the goal should be a relative humidity between 25% and 60%, with an indoor temperature between 72°F and 82°F. Many times, a humidifier or dehumidifier can manage sensitive parts of the home. If the problem of excess humidity recurs, there are a few other things you can do to prevent issues:
- Vent your appliances and exhaust fans outside.
- Use exhaust fans in your kitchen and bathrooms.
- Install a fresh air intake or air-to-air heat exchanger if your home is sealed tightly.
How Condensation Forms Outside Your Windows
Exterior condensation is a form of dew, and your window glass is a surface on which the moisture condenses. When condensation forms on the outside of your windows, it is typically harmless. Occasionally on hot and humid summer days, exterior condensation can form on the outside of your window glass, and this is nothing to be alarmed about. It is usually a good indicator that you have energy efficient windows in your home!
Get the Renovations You Desire and Enjoy the Process!
When remodeling your home exterior, simplify the process by finding one company who can install everything you need: new siding, windows, doors, roofing, gutters, and insulation. At Presidential Exteriors, we provide all of these services—simplifying the exterior renovation process.
We’re locally owned and operated, and we love giving back to our community by getting involved with local organizations. We honor our military and first responders by offering them a discount on our services. At Presidential Exteriors, we go above and beyond to meet our customers’ needs. But don’t take our word for it—check out our customer reviews and see for yourself what others are saying.
