You open your curtains and try to look through the window, but you only see a blur. The glass is fogged up and covered in water droplets. You grab a strip of paper towel and wipe the moisture away. Now, you can see.
Not long after, you notice that the window is fogged up all over again. And not just that window — other windows in your house are coated with water droplets and streaks from the inside. You need a better solution than paper towel to fix this.
Why Are Your Windows Doing That?
What you’re dealing with is window condensation. It happens more often in the winter because of frigid temperatures. The warm indoor air hits the cold surface of the window and forms fog. Eventually, the fog turns into water droplets that roll down the glass. It’s the same thing that happens when you take a hot shower and your bathroom mirror clouds over.
What’s the Big Deal?
At first glance, this seems like nothing more than an annoyance, but sweaty windows can lead to bigger problems down the line. A house with excessive moisture becomes the perfect environment for mould and mildew to take over — soon enough, your window frames could be dotted with black spots and your home could carry a lingering odour.
Household mould is also a health risk, especially for infants, young children and seniors. Here are some symptoms of mould exposure:
- Eye irritation
- Coughing
- Wheezing
- Shortness of breath
So, if you don’t feel like scrubbing at your walls every weekend with water and bleach, you should deal with your sweaty windows now and prevent future moisture damage.
How Do You Fix Them?
Try the simple answers first. Turn down the thermostat by a few degrees and ease off the humidifier. Turn on the exhaust fans when you take showers and cook in the kitchen. If that doesn’t work, you will need to do a little more intervention.
Get Better Windows
Heavy condensation can be a sign that you need better windows. Look at replacement options offered at a trusted window and door company with insulating features like low-emissivity glass and Warm Edge Technology spacers. These will be more effective at blocking the cold from outside and handling the humidity inside. They cannot stop condensation from happening altogether. For that to happen, you need to increase your home’s ventilation.
Increase the Ventilation
Is the vent fan on your bathroom ceiling or above your kitchen stove not working properly? You need to get it repaired. Is your clothes dryer venting indoors? It needs to direct that flow outside. Do you have fixed windows? You should pick a style that encourages airflow:
- Slider windows
- Awning windows
- Casement windows
- Double-hung windows
You should also think about getting a Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV) installed to improve the home ventilation. The HRV pulls out the stale air, replenishing the house with fresher air. Some systems have a humidistat that checks the indoor humidity levels and automatically reacts when it detects too much moisture.
Sometimes a small annoyance is actually an important clue in disguise. Your sweaty windows are doing more than blocking your view outside — they’re telling you that something is wrong with your house and you need to fix it fast.
