Managing High Humidity In Your Home
Does the air in your home feel heavy and sticky? Do the walls in your home sweat? If so, your home has excess humidity. That is definitely not something that you want! Humidity is the presence of water vapor in the atmosphere. The more water that evaporates in an area, the more water vapor rises into the air, which means more humidity in that area. A humidity problem, if not dealt with, will become an indoor air quality issue that can affect the efficiency of your HVAC system and compromise your comfort. Also, if left unattended, this level of moisture can create a breeding ground for mold, mildew, dust mites, viruses and other unwanted pathogens which we know is very unhealthy for us. Excessive moisture can also lead to damaged drywall, flooring and other furnishings and nobody wants that!
You may be asking right about now, “Hey, how do I lower the humidity inside of my home?” Well, this is your lucky day! Keep reading because we have some ways to manage those high humidity levels so your home doesn’t become a stomping ground for some unwelcome guests.
How to manage high humidity levels
Run your air conditioner – When the weather is warm enough outdoors, you can use your AC to lower humidity levels inside. Humidity refers to the amount of water vapor in the air. Heat is also a latent property of humidity; therefore, the higher the humidity, the more heat the water vapor can hold. An air conditioner works by removing heat from the air, which makes the water vapor less capable of holding heat. This, in turn, eliminates moisture. So, use that amazing AC!
Turn on ceiling fans – Using ceiling fans dissipates moisture that is hanging around in the still air. Bonus for using ceiling fans…it will help make you feel cooler as the breeze hits your skin. Ahhh! Feels so good!
Ventilate – Ventilate your home by using exhaust fans. Make sure that your dryer, bathroom and range hood exhaust vents are all routed to the exterior of your home and are in good working order. These ventilation systems work to extract moisture when cooking, showering/bathing and doing laundry. Make sure that these are vented all the way to the outside. If not, they will put removed moisture back into your home.
Fix air leaks – Louisiana humidity can seep in through cracks and gaps around windows and doors. Sealing these areas is a must to keep too much humidity from inside your home. If that isn’t enough, it is also a must for keeping humidity inside your home in the winter. But that’s for another blog! Be sure to also check vents and pipes that come into your home for air leaks. You can use things like weather stripping, caulk and spray foam insulation to plug these leaks.
Structural issues could be the problem, such as a leaky roof or water accumulating around the foundation. So, check
