If your air conditioning unit is disabled or not functioning efficiently, you may start to notice signs of condensation build up in your home. Most of the time, condensation appears on your home's windows, making them appear foggy and streaked. In severe cases, standing water may accumulate on window seals. 

How is condensation related to your air conditioner? When it's running properly, your air conditioning unit helps remove moisture and humidity from the air. When it's not working, your home can become steamy very quickly, especially on humid days. Condensation normally occurs in the evening, when the temperature outside starts to cool off. 

Why Condensation Is Bad

Excess humidity in a home is bad because moisture causes a host of issues, including peeling paint, mold, mildew and wood rot. If ignored, continued condensation buildup may even cause structural issues. Once these problems set in, they're difficult to deal with, so it's always better to take care of condensation before you start seeing issues. 

Common Sources of Steam in a Home

As mentioned, your air conditioning unit removes humidity and moisture from the air during the summer months. However, if it isn't functioning properly, it can't take care of the humidity that constantly gets released in a modern home.

Where does all the moisture come from? Many of your daily tasks involve the release of some steam into your home, such as showering, cooking and doing laundry. In addition to all the steam that is generated through daily tasks and chores, a certain level of humidity is always present in the air. Humans even release moisture into the air during respiration. 

How to Get Rid of Condensation

The best way to fix a condensation issue during the summer months is to run your air conditioner. However, there are several things you can do to alleviate moisture in your home while you're waiting for the air conditioning repairman to arrive. First, limit activities that heat up your home, such as cooking. Open a window or two to allow air to circulate throughout your home. If this doesn't take care of the problem, you may want to use a dehumidifier to remove excess moisture from the air. 

Condensation is normally a temporary issue. If you have a continued condensation problem, it's a good idea to have your inspected to ensure it is adequately ventilated. Prolonged humidity within a home can cause a myriad of problems, and some of them harmful to your health.