Summertime is a constant battle against humidity in your home, but that’s not the only season you should worry about moisture. Humidity can creep in during cooler months, and if left unchecked, you run the risk of growing mold and mildew and even harming the quality of your air. Below are five ways to help control the humidity in your home year-round.
1. Dehumidifiers
Dehumidifiers are a lifesaver in the summer months. If your home’s humidity level is above 65 percent, consider investing in one. You can buy small portable ones for each room or one large dehumidifier that’s designed to take care of the whole house. They’re a quick and easy way to cool down a stifling room.
2. Proper Ventilation
Humidity won’t go away without proper ventilation. Ensure that your vents are clean and in working order. If you have moisture sitting outside or around them, it’s a sign that they may need to be serviced. Some older homes may not have proper ventilation in bathrooms, especially if the home has newer showers added after the initial construction. Consult a profession to install the correct ventilation system to ensure that your home is comfortable and free of any harmful spores that love to grow in high humidity.
3. Monitor Shower Length
We all love our long, hot showers, but they are one of the fastest ways that humidity enters your home, especially if your ventilation system isn’t the best. On sweltering days, you may need to put your family on a shower schedule. Stress the importance of taking shorter, cooler ones to keep the humidity level in your house lower. You may even want to invest in a low flow showerhead for some extra help. It’s much easier to modify your shower length and temperature than it is to remove mold growing in your bathroom.
4. Dry Your Clothes
When trying to control humidity a lot of people don’t consider that wet clothes hanging in the house will only make the problem worse. Either dry your clothes in the dryer or hang them up outside. Leaving them to hang dry inside will increase the moisture in your home, especially in rooms that were never ventilated to dry wet clothes. If you must keep them inside, dry them as quickly as possible with a fan.
5. Use Your AC
Your air conditioner is designed to reduce the humidity in your home, but it’s only as good as your filters. Air conditioners take and filter the air from outside before bringing it into your home, but if your filters get clogged, the water remains in the air and circulates inside of your house. Humid air that’s being pushed around by your HVAC system can moisten areas in your home that you may never expect to find wet, making the mold issues even harder to spot before they’re too late.
That sticky, can’t-get-dry feeling is a hallmark of summertime, but it doesn’t have to be a staple inside of your house. By using these five tips, you’ll be able to feel the humidity difference in your home in no time.
