Tips to Control the Humidity in Your Home

Our daily activities, such as cooking and showering, add a lot of moisture in our homes and can lead to higher humidity. High humidity leads to a range of problems, including health risks from dust mites and mold, reduced comfort and structural damage. In addition to using the air conditioner, here is what you can do to control the humidity level in your home:

• Keep relative humidity below 55% throughout the entire house. If your thermostat doesn’t display humidity, use a hygrometer.
• Install exhaust fans in areas that produce high levels of moisture, such as the kitchen, bathroom and laundry room. Turn on the fans when cooking, showering, drying laundry, etc.
• Make sure that exhaust fans vent to the outside, and not in the attic or basement, where moisture can lead to mold infestation.
• Take shorter and colder showers and use a low flow showerhead to decrease the amount of steam produced.
• When cooking, keep in mind that slow cookers release less steam. Also, cover pots with lids to trap in the steam.
• Keep firewood outdoors, as it contains considerable amounts of water that increases humidity if kept indoors.
• If the high humidity level in your home is hard to control, use a dehumidifier. Place them away from walls and furniture and don’t forget to close doors and windows when the dehumidifier is working.
• If the humidity level in your home is too low, consider purchasing a humidifier. Get one that’s appropriate for the size of your home.
• Reduce the number of plants in the home, as they actually release more moisture than they absorb. Make sure not to add too much water to the plants.

Ventilation is essential to reducing the amount of indoor humidity. Tips for home ventilation can be found here and 10 ways to keep indoor air fresh are available here. For professional fire, water and mold restoration services, contact your local PuroClean office.