Have you noticed moisture inside the windows in your home? This is a frightening discovery if you have never dealt with the issue before.
Condensation between window panes can be damaging to your home. It can cause rot and mold that will mess with your window’s structural integrity. Condensation is not an issue you want to ignore.
Luckily, it may be fixed with a few easy tricks that we outline in this article.
Keep reading to learn what you can do about condensation inside your window panes.
What Causes Condensation Between Window Panes?
When you spot condensation on your windows, it is wise to act fast. Window condensation is caused by the surface of your windows becoming colder than the dew point of the air around them.
This is common and not too harmful when it happens to the exterior of your windows. But, if you notice it between your window panes or on the interior, you likely have a larger problem on your hands.
Tips to Reduce Window Condensation
The causes of condensation between window panes are much less important compared to getting rid of it. Before taking the expensive step of replacing your windows, you might decide to try some cheaper options first.
Clean Your Windows
Before making any purchases, clean your windows. The condensation you see could be from a buildup of grease, a cleaning product, or something else.
If the condensation quickly reappears or does not go away at all you can rule out dirty windows as the culprit.
Try a Dehumidifier
When you think about dehumidifiers, you probably think of the high-end $300 to $500 beasts. Yet, you can find relatively inexpensive dehumidifiers online for a fraction of the price.
Keep in mind, the cheaper options only work well in smaller spaces. Mini dehumidifiers are a great machine to put near your condensation problem to reduce the moisture in the air and keep windows dry.
Try a Moisture Eliminator
Even cheaper than dehumidifiers are moisture eliminators. These are small buckets or bags that you can place in a damp area to pull moisture from that space.
If your issue is limited to one small room, moisture eliminators are a cheaper alternative to mini dehumidifiers.
Turn up the Heat
Condensation is caused by moisture gathering on cool windows. By raising the temperature in your home, you can allow your windows to become warmer and reduce the amount of condensation inside them.
Turning up your home’s heat can spike your electricity bill. A cheaper alternative to warm up your windows is covering them with curtains, blinds, or drapes if you have them on hand.
Note that this is not a fix for the problem, but rather a way to hold it off until you can find a way to correct it permanently.
Use Your Bathroom and Kitchen Fans
Each time you cook and shower inside your home, you are releasing more moisture into your air space. This can cause a variety of problems not limited to condensation between window panes.
By using your bathroom and kitchen fans while cooking and showering, you will suck out the majority of that moisture while it is created. Be sure to use them about 15 to 20 minutes after using your shower or stove.
Open Windows and Circulate the Air
During warm seasons, opening your windows to ventilate your home will help keep moisture to a minimum. This will help circulate warm, wet air out and let cool air in.
If your home features ceiling fans, you can use them during the winter to push warm air down to the floor. This reduces your home’s humidity when you cannot open the windows.
Move Your Plants
Live plants in your home release moisture daily. If you have many of them near your windows, they may be contributing to your condensation problem. Consider moving them away from your windows or entirely outdoors.
Try Weatherstripping
Weatherstripping keeps warm air from escaping your home from the windows. By applying weather stripping you can cut the condensation build-up, particularly if you have storm windows.
As an added benefit, it will also make your home more energy-efficient.
Lasting Window Condensation Between Panes
If you have tried everything you can, but the condensation inside your window panes persists, you may need to take a more expensive approach.
Window Seal Replacement
Often, the reason for condensation between window panes is a broken seal. When a window pane seal breaks, cold air can go between the glass and create condensation.
The cheapest fix for this is a window seal repair. If your window seal is damaged. The repairs may be as simple as replacing the rubber seal that keeps your windows airtight.
Replace Your Window Panes
Sometimes you will be unable to use the window seal replacement option. This may be because your windows are too old, or the seal is not the root of the issue.
When you’ve done all that you can to reduce the amount of moisture around your windows, you may have no choice but to replace your window panes.
Buy New Windows
In a worst-case scenario, your window panes may be impossible to replace due to their manufacturer, type, or age. Because of this, you will need to replace your windows entirely.
On the bright side, replacing your windows can have many benefits. New windows are built with modern technologies to help reduce the amount of energy used in your home.
Leave Wet Window Panes Behind
Condensation between window panes is something no one wants to deal with. Fixing the problem can be time-consuming and expensive. That’s why you will want to try many of these tips before replacing your windows.
If you are interested in reading about more home repair tips, check out the rest of our House & Garden page to find other articles like this one.
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