Decrease Humidity in Your Home
Spending time outdoors in the summer is great, but when you go inside to cool off, you don’t want the humidity to follow you in. A humid house is not only incredibly uncomfortable, but it can also damage your home. Energy Star recommends keeping your home’s humidity between 30-50%. Our team at Advantage Air HVAC has some helpful tips that will make your house cool and comfortable even during the hottest weather.
What Damage Can High Humidity Cause?
When the level of humidity rises above 50%, the moisture can warp wallpaper and wood furniture and stain walls and ceilings. A humid home also creates an ideal environment for mold, mildew, bacteria, and other organisms that thrive in warm, moist places. Growth of mold can increase your number of asthma and allergy attacks. Continued exposure can also lead to more serious health problems, such as chronic lung issues.
Solutions for humidity in your home:
- A quality dehumidifier will be a game-changer for your humid home. It will perform best in an area with closed windows and doors but should be placed away from walls and other objects to ensure adequate airflow. Don’t forget to empty the collection tank regularly to prevent spillage and possible damage to your dehumidifier.
- Proper ventilation is another priority for keeping the humidity at a tolerable level. Consider installing vent fans in your kitchen and bathroom if you don’t have them, and run them whenever you are cooking or showering. Box or tower fans are helpful to keep air moving in other areas of your home.
- You may not think of a leaky pipe as a problem affecting your home’s humidity, but it definitely can. We recommend checking your pipes for leaks every year or two. Even a minor drip can significantly increase the inside moisture content.
- Adjust the settings on your air conditioner to “dry” mode if it’s an option. Also, set your AC to “auto” instead of “on” so the unit is not constantly running. Doing this gives the air in the area a chance to dry out. You should also change the air filters regularly. This will increase the amount of airflow and lessen the opportunity for moisture to build up.
- Keeping moisture-creating activities to a minimum during the summer months will also help keep your home’s humidity level in check. We all love a long, hot shower but taking shorter showers will reduce relative humidity. You can also try drying your laundry outside on a clothes line rather than using your dryer.
- Having your HVAC system checked by one of our professionals twice annually allows us to fix any issues before they become increasingly problematic.
Contact Us
Is the humidity in your home getting out of hand? Contact the friendly professionals at Advantage Air HVAC to schedule an appointment. We have more than 30 years of experience in the HVAC industry and can handle any system repairs, maintenance, or installation. We are in Lexington, KY, and are happy to serve the surrounding areas, including Versailles, Winchester, Georgetown, Paris, Wilmore, and Nicholasville, KY.
