If you have too much humidity in your home, it can lead to all sorts of problems. From musty odors and mold growth to water damage and structural issues, high indoor humidity is something you definitely want to avoid.
Luckily, there are a few easy ways to reduce the amount of moisture in your home and bring your indoor humidity levels down to a safer range. The first step is to identify the sources of excess moisture and then take steps to mitigate them. Keep reading this blog to know ways you can reduce your indoor humidity.
What is Indoor Humidity and Why is It Caused?
Indoor humidity is essentially excess moisture in the air inside your home. In order to understand how to reduce indoor humidity, it helps to know what causes it in the first place.
Mostly it is caused by outside weather conditions and activities that you do inside your home. For example, humid summer days can lead to higher indoor humidity levels, as can cooking, doing laundry, taking showers, and using a humidifier.
Other causes of high indoor humidity include leaks (in the roof, windows, pipes, etc.), poor ventilation, and not enough insulation. If your home is particularly humid, it might also be due to the materials it’s made of. For example, concrete walls and floors can absorb moisture and lead to higher indoor humidity levels.
Use an Air Conditioner or Dehumidifier
One of the most effective ways to reduce indoor humidity is to use an air conditioner or dehumidifier.
Air conditioners work by removing warm air from your home and circulating it back through a cooling coil. This process also removes moisture from the air, which can help to lower indoor humidity levels.
Dehumidifiers work by pulling in moist air and passing it over a cooling coil. The moisture in the air condenses on the coil and is then collected in a container. This can help to significantly reduce indoor humidity levels.
Ventilate Your Home to Reduce Humid Air
Another way to reduce indoor humidity is to ventilate your home. This can be done by opening windows and doors or by using exhaust fans in kitchens and bathrooms.
Ventilating your home helps to remove moist air and replace it with dryer, outside air. This can help to reduce indoor humidity levels and prevent mold and mildew from growing.
Use a Humidity-Controlled Fan to Reduce Excess Moisture
If you have an air conditioner or dehumidifier, you can use a humidity-controlled fan to help circulate the air and reduce indoor humidity levels.
Humidity-controlled fans work by turning on when the indoor humidity level rises above a certain point. This helps to circulate the air and remove moisture, which can help to reduce indoor humidity levels.
Reduce the Number of Moisture-Producing Activities in Your Home
There are a few activities that can produce a lot of moisture, so reducing or eliminating them can help to reduce indoor humidity levels. These activities include:
Cooking: When you cook, steam and moisture are released into the air. This can raise indoor humidity levels, so try to ventilate your kitchen while cooking.
Drying Clothes: Drying clothes inside can also increase indoor humidity levels. If possible, try to hang clothes outside to dry or use a clothesline.
Showering & Bathing: Taking showers and baths also increases indoor humidity levels. Try to take shorter showers and use an exhaust fan to ventilate the bathroom while showering or bathing.
Fix Any Leaks
Leaks can also contribute to high indoor humidity levels. If you have any leaks in your plumbing, roof, or windows, make sure to fix them as soon as possible.
Monitor Indoor Humidity Levels
Finally, it’s important to monitor indoor humidity levels so you can take action when they start to rise. You can do this with a hygrometer, which is a tool that measures humidity levels.
Install Exhaust Fans in The Kitchen
One way to reduce the amount of moisture in the air is to install exhaust fans in the kitchen. Exhaust fans help to remove moist air and replace it with dryer, outside air. This can help to reduce indoor humidity levels and prevent mold and mildew from growing.
Make sure to ventilate the kitchen when cooking, or doing laundry. This will help to remove moisture from the air and reduce indoor humidity levels.
Install Exhaust Fans in Bathrooms
Another way to reduce indoor humidity is to install exhaust fans in the bathroom. Bathrooms have a lot of moisture due to showers, baths, and toilets. Exhaust fans will pump out all the humid air to replace it with dry air.
Make sure to use the exhaust fan while showering or bathing. This will help to remove moisture from the air and reduce indoor humidity levels.
Clean Up Spills To Prevent Mold Growth
Mold and mildew thrive in moist environments. If there are spills around the house, make sure to clean them up as soon as possible. This will help to prevent mold from growing and reduce indoor humidity levels.
Plant Trees & Shrubs Around Your Home
Trees and shrubs can help to reduce indoor humidity levels by transpiring water vapor. Transpiration is the process by which plants release water vapor into the air. This can help to significantly reduce indoor humidity levels.
Install Humidity Controlled Fans
If you have an air conditioner or dehumidifier, you can use a humidity-controlled fan to help circulate the air and reduce indoor humidity levels.
Humidity-controlled fans work by turning on when the indoor humidity level rises above a certain point. These fans are easy to install and can be a great way to reduce indoor humidity levels.
By taking these steps, you can easily reduce indoor humidity levels and prevent the problems that come with high humidity. With a little bit of effort, you can create a more comfortable indoor environment for yourself and your family.
Green Street HVAC is a family-owned and operated HVAC company that has been serving the community for many years. We offer services that include AC Repair, AC Installations, HVAC Maintenance, HVAC Preventive Maintenance, Heat Pumps, Comfort Club Maintenance Plan, Furnace Repair, HVAC Maintenance, Smart Home Products, Thermostat Repair and Installation, Dryer Vent Cleaning Services, Duct Cleaning, Aeroseal Ductwork Cleaning, Ductwork Repair Maintenance, Commercial HVAC Maintenance, and others. We have 24/365 emergency service, so don’t get in touch with us.
