Winter can wreak havoc on our homes! If you’re experiencing a buildup of water or ice on your windows, we have some ways you can help your home.

Over long periods of cold weather, most of the calls we receive from homeowners are about condensation on windows and doors. This happens when the warm air inside our homes meets the cold air outside our windows and doors. Excessive moisture in our homes is a big contributor to this problem as well.

Fortunately, there are a number of things you can do to reduce condensation on your windows.

1. Turn Down the Humidifier

If you use a humidifier in any part of your home (including the humidifier that works with some furnaces), try turning it down to 15 percent during a cold snap.

Releasing less moisture into the air should reduce your home’s overall condensation level. If you continue to see excess moisture on your windows turn it down to an even lower setting.

2. Bathroom and Kitchen Fans

You might notice condensation occurs mainly in bathrooms and kitchens; this makes sense as these rooms typically experience higher moisture levels than the rest of the home. To combat this, use your bathroom and kitchen fans every time you shower or cook.

Showering and cooking releases a lot of moisture into the air which can become trapped inside your house. The exhaust fans in your kitchen and bathroom will help remove this moisture from the air. We recommend that you run the fans while you showering or cooking, in addition to 30 minutes after you are done to effectively remove the moisture caused by these activities.

3. Circulate the Air

Circulating the air throughout your home can also help reduce the condensation on your windows. By using your ceiling fans (even in winter), it can help move air from the top to the bottom of the room in addition to helping circulate it from one room to the next.

For best results, the fans should rotate in a clockwise direction to push the warm air that sits near your ceilings back down to the floor.

4. Open Your Blinds/Curtains

Opening your window coverings will help prevent ice buildup. When you keep the blinds down and curtains closed, it traps the cold air next to the windows. By opening them, warmer air (which won’t freeze) can move freely along the windows.

5. Wipe Away Any Moisture

Excess moisture in your home needs to go somewhere, and typically it will find your window ledge. The only way to remove this water is by wiping your windows with a dry cloth.

If not wiped up, moisture can cause water damage to any surface it touches, including paint, wood, window trim, or walls. Managing this water is the responsibility of each homeowner and staying on top of it will ensure a long life for your investment.

6. Let the Heat Vents Breathe

Ensure all your floor vents are open and not restricted by furniture or other obstacles. Broadview Homes places vents in optimal positions to provide heat throughout your entire home. If one of these is blocked, it can result in uneven temperatures and inadequate airflow throughout your home.

By doing these simple tasks through our cold snaps in Calgary you can help protect your home and ensure you stay warm – until our next Chinook rolls in to help us out!