Condensation on home windows doesn’t just leave ugly water stains and ruin sills and trim. It can facilitate mold growth and erode your air quality too. Since condensation is just a symptom of a more serious problem, it’s crucial to understand the possible underlying causes to get it under control.
Inefficient Single-Pane Windows
You’re more likely to see sweating on single pane windows as a reaction to the temperature difference between the air and the glass. To control condensation and reap energy-saving benefits too, consider replacing your old windows with energy efficient versions.
Insufficient Air Exchange
The moisture generated by respiration and all the activities of daily life can build up quickly if adequate ventilation is lacking. To improve ventilation:
- Run your kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans strategically but make sure they’re vented outside.
- Check that your clothes dryer is venting outdoors. Also ensure that the ducting is in good condition, properly attached to the dryer and that you clean out lint accumulations regularly.
- Add a source of controlled air exchange with a whole-house ventilation unit. If it’s a filtered system, it can also boost indoor air quality by trapping pollutant particles and allergens.
Cooling System Deficiencies
Whether your window condensation is an ongoing problem or a recent development, it’s wise to have your HVAC pro inspect the cooling system to diagnose if it’s not removing humidity properly and offer solutions.
- If your A/C is too large for your home it will cycle on, meet the thermostat temperature setting and then shut off without tackling humidity as it should. In this case, you’ll need to replace it with a properly-sized unit.
- Certain repairable problems such as thermostat malfunctions that shorten the cooling cycle, or airflow restrictions that reduce the flow rate over the evaporator coil can result in poor humidity control.
- If oversizing and other issues aren’t identified, your contractor may advise installing a dehumidifier to work in conjunction with the HVAC equipment and remove moisture more effectively.
For help solving a problem with condensation on home windows, contact the Indianapolis home comfort pros at Mowery Heating, Cooling and Plumbing.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Brownsburg, Indiana and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
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