What window condensation is, what it means and what you need to do to fix it

When you live in a muggy, humid place like Tampa, window condensation is a common occurrence. When it’s on the outside of the window, that can be a good thing – that means your windows are working! When it’s between panes? That can be bad news. 

Today, we’re going to discuss why that occurs, what it means and what you can do to get rid of it – if that’s in fact, a thing you need to do. Let’s jump right in. 

How it happens

If you’ve taken a shower, you’ll notice that the bathroom will fog up after a while. The main cause for condensation is too much humidity. When it comes to windows, this can be caused by damp weather, bathing, cooking and even from water sprinklers running on a particularly warm day. 

Dehumidifiers can help dry the air out and prevent the excess condensation from building up on your windows. However, if you’re still noticing that condensation is building up between the panes of glass, it could be a different problem altogether. 

How window condensation happens inside windows

When water vapor hits a cool surface, it’ll condense because of the natural temperature difference. This really shouldn’t be happening – because there could be a leak in the sealant in the window. Yes, in older homes you can use caulk to help seal the window better, but ultimately even that will begin to leak as time goes on. So what can be done about it?

Getting rid of condensation

The short term fix is – if you can use caulk – re-caulk wherever the seal is leaking. However as we said above – this is only going to get you over for a little while. Eventually the leak will build up again, and you’ll start to notice things like your utility bills beginning to creep up along with it. The best and most permanent fix is to swap out your old windows with new, energy efficient replacement windows that have a better seal. And yes, you can get a replacement pane if you’re more budget conscious. But still, a new window is going to be the only ultimate fix, here. 

Are you looking to possibly invest in a window replacement in your home? Give us a call today and we’ll be happy to provide you with a free consultation. Until then, good luck!