The summer months are for staying active, enjoying nature and participating in cultural events like festivals and sports leagues. Once you’re finished with a summer activity, relaxing at home and enjoying your view is a great way to unwind.
When humidity gets high, windows can become foggy and wet with condensation. This moisture blocks the view, dims natural light and makes clean windows look smudged and dirty.
Some causes of condensation are easy to fix, but foggy windows can point to a bigger problem. The following guide will help you diagnose the issue and find the right solution to fix condensation on windows in summer.
If you’re wondering what causes condensation on windows, imagine a glass of ice-cold water on a humid summer’s day. You’ll notice that beads of water form on the outside – this is condensation in action. Condensation happens when warm air contacts a cooler surface.
The moisture cools quickly and changes from water vapor to liquid. As cool air cannot hold as much water, it is released and settles in droplets on the surface.
The reason why your windows are foggy depends on where the moisture is. Condensation can settle on windows inside, outside or between the glass panes. Each location requires different actions to effectively eliminate the issue.
Indoor humidity comes from everyday activities like washing, cooking, drying clothes and using the dishwasher. Wet air can also leak in from outside. An AC will help dry this air, but if the cycle is too short to effectively remove moisture or the fan is re-evaporating water off the coil between cycles, it raises the humidity inside.
As windows generally remain cool, especially when exposed to the AC, any humid air that hits them will form water droplets. Condensation on the inside of windows is a regular occurrence and isn’t a sign that you need a replacement.
A typical experience for many on a humid summer morning is having droplets of water, or dew, form on the outside of the glass of your window. Dew settles when outdoor humidity contacts the glass that’s cooled overnight. Outside condensation indicates windows are preventing heat from leaving your home.
If you have modern double- or triple-pane windows and notice your window fogging up with water droplets and you’ve wiped the inside and the outside with no result, the water is trapped between the panes. This trapped water is a sign of a failed window seal. Windows with more than one pane have an inert gas, usually argon, sealed in the middle. The gas acts as an insulator, and once that seal breaks, moisture creeps in and stays.
If you have a single-pane window, you won’t see fog between panes, and condensation on the glass inside or outside your home isn’t a sign of any issues. Sealing issues include water pooling or condensation around edges. These symptoms indicate the frame is compromised and is letting warm air in and cold air out.
You want to enjoy your view without it looking distorted and muddy because of fogged-up windows. Here are a few easy, everyday habits that help airflow and reduce moisture in the air:
When a window seal is broken or the frame is compromised, it loses energy efficiency and encourages the free movement of outside air into the home, which can cause you discomfort and allow condensation to build up on surfaces inside.
If you have multi-pane windows with fogging between the panes, there’s no repair solution. The seal is compromised, so the window is no longer energy-efficient. As long as that window is installed, you’ll be squinting out a hazy window with a permanently obscured view.
When the sealing fails around the edges of a single-pane window, it compromises the frame, especially if it’s wooden. If you notice frame warping, cracks, a musty odor and staining on the inside, a replacement would be best.
Now that you know how to prevent condensation on windows and spot a failed seal, you may have realized that you need a window replacement. Renewal by Andersen® offers premium replacement windows and professional installation. We engineer our windows to withstand intense weather conditions, and our experts install them to form the perfect seal, providing top-notch customer service throughout the process.
Our window frames are built with our exclusive Fibrex® composite material, so you can have the peace of mind that you’re getting something more durable than traditional materials. You can maximize your energy savings with one of our glass packages, such as High Performance™ Low-E4® SmartSun™ glass, which will keep temperatures consistent. This consistency keeps indoor condensation to a minimum because of the low temperature difference between the window surface and the surrounding air.
We’ll tailor windows to seamlessly blend into your home’s aesthetic, and provide you with a comprehensive warranty covering parts, labor and original installation. We’ve assisted many customers through the process from the first contact to aftercare.
If you’re ready to resolve your window issues, we offer year-round installations, and you can schedule a free, in-home consultation today to experience the Renewal by Andersen® difference.
