Too little or too much humidity can cause damage to wood floors, furniture, leather items, books and clothes. The health of those living in your home can also be affected. For that reason, it is important to learn the telltale signs of a home humidity problem and how to solve it.
Signs
Watch out for the following:
Window and glass door condensation
When moist air comes into contact with a cool surface, it condenses into water droplets. If you can see water beading or fog on the interior glass of your windows or doors, that's a sign of the room having too much moisture.
Stains and damp spots
Stains and damp spots on drywall, baseboards, and ceilings are a sign of an indoor moisture problem. Moist air causes wood to rot and paint to peel. Black stains indicate the presence of mold.
Musty odors
Musty odors in basements, crawl spaces, garages and entrances are a sign of mold and mildew infestations. These infestations develop due to moisture problems.
Health issues
Health problems like frequent respiratory problems, allergies and dry, itchy skin point toward a humidity imbalance in your home.
Solutions
You can solve your home humidity problem by taking the following measures:
- Improving ventilation: This should be done especially in the areas that produce a lot of moisture such as bathrooms, kitchens and laundry rooms. Open windows and exhaust fans are the best bet to remove excess moisture.
- Air Sealing: Sealing air leaks through caulking and weatherstripping prevents humid air from entering your home and helps you control your indoor relative humidity better.
- A humidifier and dehumidifier: These devices help you balance humidity all year long. You can purchase a whole-house humidifier and dehumidifier, or individual units for specific areas in your home.
Maintaining the proper humidity levels in your home is crucial in protecting your health and preventing damage to your personal possessions. If you want to know more about detecting and solving a home humidity problem, contact Russell's Heating & Cooling. We serve the Hampton Roads area of southeast Virginia.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Chesapeake, Virginia and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
Credit/Copyright Attribution: “Zeljko Radojko/Shutterstock”
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