How Do You Get Moisture Out of a Sliding Glass Door?

Moisture and fog can form on sliding glass doors, completely defeating their purpose of a homeowner enjoying the view of clean and clear glass.  Not only does excess moisture force homeowners to get out the Windex in an attempt to obtain a clear view, but it’s also a sign that something is amiss with weather proofing and temperature regulating of the sliding glass door.

What Causes Moisture to Become Trapped?

Moisture can be caused by excess humidity.  Humidity is naturally produced by the daily activities that go on in your home like showers, washers, dryers, dishwashers, and even the people and pets that live in your home.

Newer building materials also produce excess moisture, so if your home was recently constructed, the source of the humidity could be coming from the house itself.  Materials like lumber, plaster, and masonry can produce extra moisture despite good ventilation, but this is only temporary.

When heavy fog gathers on your sliding glass door, it’s likely because of these high humidity levels.  The heated air from your home is clashing with the cold air on the door’s surface.  It may seem harmless and your first thought might be to just continually clean off the fog and moisture but knowing the actual source can lead you to a more permanent solution.

Effects of Moisture

Mold and mildew are the biggest concerns when moisture begins to accumulate on your sliding glass door.  Exposure to water, as homeowners are quite aware, is never a good thing.  Moisture, humidity, and fog all obstruct the view of your sliding glass door, and left unaddressed, the excess moisture will begin to negatively impact the door’s lifespan and surrounding parts.

Moisture can wear down rubber parts, causing them to deteriorate faster than they’re intended to last.  Surrounding paint and wood can also be affected by excess moisture.  You may notice peeling paint, warped or rotting wood, and warped floors.

How to Remove the Moisture from Your Glass Door

There are few easy methods that will allow you to remove the moisture from your sliding glass door.  Targeting the source of the humidity will prevent warmer air from reacting to the colder glass surface.  By reducing the shock of the clash between the two temperatures, you can reduce the moisture and fog on your sliding glass door.

Weather Stripping

One of the most effective ways to reduce moisture is to make sure your sliding glass door has tight seals that prevent air from leaking and causing fogginess.  Check the rubber seals on your sliding glass door to make sure they aren’t deteriorated, cracked, or damaged.  Poor weather stripping seals are a big reason why moisture can form on sliding glass doors.  If this is the case for your door, then you’ll need to replace the seals with new ones.

New weather stripping can be picked up at your local home improvement store or online.  Typically, weather stripping is sold in kits with easy to follow installation instructions.  Seals can be trimmed to fit the length of your door for an optimal airtight fit.

Dehumidifier

If your sliding glass door is in an area that’s subject to high humidity like near a bathroom or a kitchen, then you’ll need to target this problem in order to reduce the amount of moisture that’s getting trapped on the door’s glass surface.

Although you won’t be able to fully eliminate the humidity being produced in the house as it’s a natural effect of various appliances and activities, you can get a dehumidifier to help out.  Dehumidifiers are an inexpensive way to reduce moisture and you can even purchase ones that are Energy Star certified which will aid in their energy efficiency.

Ventilation

Circulating air near your sliding glass door is also a helpful way in tackling moisture issues.  You can couple a ventilating fan with a dehumidifier for maximum effects in reducing humidity and thus the moisture trapped on the door’s glass surface.

Install exhaust fans in your kitchen, laundry, and bathrooms to help deter this warmer air from mixing with the colder glass surface.  You can also promote healthy ventilation throughout your entire house by ensuring the ventilating louvers in your attic are properly sized as well as open.  Even opening a window can help circulate the air and ventilate the humidity.

Measure the Humidity

When in doubt, you can always measure the level of humidity with specialized humidity reading equipment.  These sensors can let you know how much humidity is in your home and with this knowledge, you can work to adjust it.

Use your home’s thermostat to help balance out these levels, adjusting the temperature of your house that’s both comfortable yet not dramatically different from the outside temperature.

Feldco has high-quality doors in many shapes and sizes to perfectly fit your home. We also have professional and experienced installers to make sure the job is done correctly.

We provide homeowners with great local services and showrooms so they can customize their homes with a variety of styles and colors.

Speak with a product specialist and get a free quote today.