Do you often hear people complaining about high humidity because of too hot weather? Maybe you also blamed humidity for the sweatiness and heat you deal with in some days. Well, there are instances when this statement is applicable but most of the time, it is not.
Read on to know more about these causes and what you can do to prevent your home’s humidity levels from getting too high.
What is the Ideal Humidity for Homes?
Low humidity and too high humidity can both become very uncomfortable for humans. The ideal level of humidity can vary from one person to another.
This will also depend on medical condition, activity level, and clothing of an individual. The ideal humidity level for most people is around 40% to 60%. Excessive exposure beyond this humidity level can lead to health risks.
You can use a humidistat to determine your home’s humidity level. This is available in general electronic stores.
But, using a humidistat is not enough to control the level of humidity of your home. If you want to know why your house is so humid, you have to know the cause behind the humidity for you to take the necessary actions to control the problem.
What Causes High Humidity in Homes?
High humidity takes place when the moisture level in a house increases. Moisture can enter a house because of different reasons.
Typically, air conditioning systems can remove excess humidity from a room. But, your AC unit can also cause too much humidity.
Below are the top reasons why moisture gets into a house:
Daily Activities
Your day to day activities at home can increase the levels of moisture in it. Taking showers, cooking, exercising, and even breathing can produce moisture.
All these daily activities produce lots of moisture, particularly when you have a rather big family.
Making a few tweaks in your routine can help reduce excessive level of moisture.
Lack of Proper Ventilation
Lack of an appropriate ventilation system also causes excessive humidity in homes.
This is especially in rooms where moisture is created often, such as laundry rooms and kitchens where a suitable ventilation system is required.
Otherwise, it can get quite uncomfortable to be in these rooms for a long time. The same goes for basements or any room with no windows.
Damps
Dampness in floors or walls is also among the reasons why a house becomes too humid.
There are times when moisture comes from soil through wall or floor bricks. Damps in a house are easy to detect if the floor or wall of your home has wet patches, flaky plaster, or mold.
It is best to call in the experts if this is the case at the soonest time possible.
Oversized Air Conditioning Unit
When the AC unit you are using is too big for the room, this can also lead to excessive humidity.
An AC typically helps dehumidify a room. Air conditioning systems have an evaporator coil that cools the air down. When running, this evaporator coil pulls down the moisture or water from the room.
However, this dehumidifying process often takes time.
If the unit is oversized for the room gets cooled down faster within relatively short cycles.
The result is that the process of dehumidifying doesn’t get the right time for dehumidifying the room. If the AC runs for just 10 to 15 minutes cycle during a hot day, the unit is probably oversized.
Weather
The season is the primary reason behind changes in humidity levels. For you to better understand this, it is important to understand relative humidity.
Relative humidity refers to the ratio of moisture content in the air and the air’s capacity of holding moisture.
During summer, the temperature rises that increases the air’s capacity to retain moisture. If you feel too humid inside your home, change in weather could be the culprit.
Abundance of Plants
Plants can give off moisture in air. If your home is filled with plants, it is unwise to keep them all in one place as your home can become too humid.
One more thing to keep in mind is to avoid overwatering the plants as it will only make the problem worse.
Ways to Reduce Humidity Levels in Your Home
It can be quite uncomfortable when your house has high humidity levels. It makes you feel sweaty and sticky.
It can also get a bit annoying to deal with the problem all the time. No one wants their home to have this kind of environment.
Good thing there are lots of ways you can do to lower the humidity in your home. The most effective one is to use a dehumidifier.
Aside from this, there are other easy home remedy options you can try to address excessive humidity in your home.
Use a Dehumidifier
Several misconceptions are associated with the use of dehumidifiers. Many people are even unsure about the best time to use it.
Do you need it during summer or winter? A dehumidifier removes water vapor in the air. In too humid climate, dehumidifiers significantly improve a home’s comfort level.
Dehumidifiers are often used during summer months when the level of humidity increases together with temperature levels. But, a dehumidifier can also be used during winter depending on your preference and the climate.
Humidity should be kept at around 40% to 60%. However, when using it in winter, humidity level should be set above 50%.
Other Ways to Reduce Humidity in Your Home without a Dehumidifier
Aside from using a dehumidifier, there are other steps you can take for your home to become less humid:
- Always keep the windows open to let the air move moisture outside.
- Line your clothes outdoors. Wet clothes will only increase moisture levels in a room.
- Increase airflow by using fans.
- Install the right ventilation system particularly in the basement, kitchen, and laundry room.
- Repair floors and walls with damps or cracks.
- Use the right AC size.
- Put a basket of charcoal in the room as it is known to have a high absorbing power.
