Many homeowners in cold climates like those in Minnesota will notice a particular phenomenon during the winter: frost and water accumulation on the inside of their windows. This is the cause of moisture within the home hitting the glass window pane and transforming into water, which can also freeze into bits of ice.
It’s not an emergency, but it can be a nuisance to homeowners, especially to those who love to look out their windows at the snowy landscape that winter brings. It’s also not something that you should ignore. If left untreated, water that runs down your window can cause the frame to decay or mold to form.
If you are experiencing this problem, here are a few things you can do to remedy it.
Reduce the Humidity in Your Home
The most common cause of moisture and frost buildup on windows is high humidity within your home. When the air becomes dry during the winter — often causing dry skin, nose bleeds, and other ailments — people tend to overcompensate by humidifying the interior of their homes too much.
This doesn’t mean that you have to shut off the tiny little humidifier in your baby’s room, but if you have a whole-home humidifier and are running it frequently, you can try turning it down or running it less often. If you shut off the humidifier completely and the problem persists, you can use a dehumidifier to reduce the humidity even further.
Check You Ventilation
Another cause of moisture and frost on windows is poor home ventilation and/or insulation. If air is not moving throughout your home well enough, or too much, it may be causing problems. If your home feels drafty, particularly near windows, you definitely have an insulation problem in your home. If you are uncertain, you can contact a ventilation and insulation company to come out and inspect your home.
You can also use interior fans in your bathroom and kitchen to reduce the humidity in your home when you cook and shower. These fans are a good way to vent humidified air out of your home.
Other Ways to Reduce Interior Condensation
- Use a moisture eliminators: these products can help remove excess condensation from within your home.
- Relocate or get rid of plants: plants release moisture into the air, so moving them away from the windows can cut back on interior condensation.
- Use an air-to-air exchanger: these products bring in fresh air from outside, which helps circulation.
- Use window insulation kits: these kits can help drafty windows that allow warm air to escape.
Repair or Replace Your Windows
If your windows are old, they will let too much cold air into your home, causing frost to build up on the inside. It’s good to have get any window repairs you need done as soon as possible to avoid further problems. If your windows need to be replaced completely, this job can even be performed during the winter (weather permitting).You can also ask about double-paned windows. These windows use two panes of glass with a small space in between them that can slow down the process of heat transfer from your windows during the winter.
If you have any questions about window repair or replacement, contact our team and ask!
