The short answer is: A home can get humid due to factors such as inadequate ventilation, water leaks, and everyday activities like cooking and showering. To reduce humidity, homeowners can use dehumidifiers, ensure proper ventilation, fix any leaks, use exhaust fans, and keep indoor temperatures moderate.
With summer in full swing, many homeowners may notice an increase in excess humidity levels in their homes. Humidity can cause discomfort, mold growth, and even damage to furniture and other belongings. If you’re wondering, “Why is my house so humid?” Jarboe’s Heating, Cooling & Plumbing is here to help shed some light on the matter.
Before we dive into the causes and solutions for excessive humidity, it’s important to understand what humidity is. Simply put, humidity is the amount of moisture in the air. It’s measured by a percentage known as relative humidity, which tells you how much moisture is present in comparison to the maximum amount of moisture that the air can hold at a given temperature. For example, if the relative humidity is 50%, that means the air is holding half of the moisture it can at that particular temperature.
Excess humidity can have a detrimental effect on the comfort and health of homeowners. High levels of moisture in the air can trigger the growth of mold and mildew, both of which can be difficult and expensive to eradicate. In addition to being unsightly, mold and mildew can cause health problems and aggravate allergies, particularly in young children and elderly adults.
Excessive humidity can also cause wooden furniture, doors, and floors to absorb moisture, which leads to swelling and warping. This can be both unsightly and expensive to repair or replace. Furthermore, too much moisture can make it harder for your air conditioning system and HVAC system to regulate the indoor temperature, leading to discomfort and increased energy bills due to reduced energy efficiency. Therefore, it is crucial to maintain a healthy level of humidity for indoor air quality of your home to avoid these unpleasant consequences.
Now, why is your house so humid? There are several factors that can contribute to high humidity levels inside your home.
The most obvious cause of high humidity in the home is environmental factors such as external weather conditions. Areas with higher temperatures and humid climates can naturally lead to higher levels of indoor humidity, causing an indoor air quality problem. In regions where the air is damp, it is common to see humid environments as there is naturally more water vapor in the air, which is why your house feels humid.
To control the level of humidity inside your home, proper ventilation is essential. It helps to improve indoor air quality by exhausting humid air, allowing fresh air to move in, and keeping your home dry and comfortable. With poor ventilation, indoor humidity stays indoors, causing mildew, mold, or damage to the home’s structure.
Leaking pipes and dripping faucets can introduce excess moisture into your home as well. These leaks can cause water damage to walls, floors, and ceilings, leading to rotting and mold growth.
Drying clothes inside the house can be convenient in terms of saving energy, but it can also contribute to high humidity. Wet clothes release moisture into the air. This excess moisture can accumulate over time and lead to various humidity issues.
Another factor that can cause high humidity in homes is poor sealing. If your windows and doors are not correctly sealed, humid air can enter and mix with indoor air, causing increased humidity.
So, what can you do to lower your home’s humidity levels?
Opening windows and doors can help improve ventilation and reduce humidity levels inside the home. It allows fresh air to circulate inside your house and reduce the level of humidity. Try keeping doors and windows open for a little while each day to promote better ventilation and decrease humidity inside.
A whole-home dehumidifier is an excellent tool to reduce the humidity level inside your home. It works by removing excess moisture from the air, preventing mold growth, and reducing allergens that thrive in a humid climate, such as dust mites and mold. Be mindful of the size of your living space and purchase the correct size of dehumidifier, For bigger homes opting for bigger ones might be more efficient.
Cooking, showering, and doing laundry can all put moisture into the air. Using exhaust fans can help get rid of this excess moisture by exhausting it outside. If your bathroom or kitchen doesn’t have an exhaust fan, consider installing one.
Leaking pipes, faucets, or the roof are significant causes of high humidity. Inspect your home regularly and quickly fix any plumbing or roofing issues to prevent moisture buildup.
Avoid drying clothes inside the house. If you must dry clothes inside your home, try to do so in a properly ventilated area or under a fan. Once they are dry, remove them to avoid any excess moisture in your home.
Sealing your windows and doors can prevent outside humid air from entering your home and mixing with the air conditioning. Sealing can ensure that the home has a good thermal barrier and that the temperature inside the home stays consistent, reducing high moisture seepage from outdoor air.
Your heating and cooling system plays a key role in regulating humidity levels in your home. Be sure to replace your air filter regularly, and consider having your HVAC system inspected and serviced by a professional.
High indoor humidity levels can be a major problem for homeowners. Understanding the causes of moist air and taking steps to prevent it can help keep your home comfortable and healthy. If you’re still struggling with high humidity levels, contact the professional HVAC technicians at Jarboe’s for professional advice and solutions.