What's the Recommended Humidity Level for a House?

Table Of Content

• Dry Your Laundry Outside
• Keep all surfaces dry
• Get your home professionally air sealed
• If the humidity level at home is too low, adopt practices that add moisture to the air.
• Ways to Reduce Humidity in Your Home Without a Dehumidifier
• expert ways to reduce humidity in your house this winter - even without a dehumidifier
• Run Exhaust Fans

The building envelope is the boundary—which is why it’s also sometimes called a thermal barrier or thermal envelope—that separates the inside of your house from… well, whatever’s going on outside. There are plenty of potential causes of moisture issues in your home, but reading about those usually isn’t very helpful for troubleshooting. Of course, the ultimate way to dehumidify the home is to purchase a dehumidifier.

Dry Your Laundry Outside

One of the best ways to reduce humidity in your home without a dehumidifier is to run your air conditioner. Air conditioners work by cooling the air and removing moisture from the air at the same time. Folks who prefer to line-dry laundry might consider doing so on an outdoor clothesline rather than inside the home.

Keep all surfaces dry

For a precise adjustment, use a dehumidifier to remove moisture from the air or a humidifier to add moisture. There are also some great DIY options you can choose from, like running exhaust fans, taking cooler showers, or placing a bowl of water near a heat register to produce steam. Indoor humidity fluctuates depending on the room, activities, and the season.

Get your home professionally air sealed

Here is a brief description of how they work and where to use them. You can also use a small electric fan space heater to heat the room slightly with dry heat. Another clever way to dehumidify your home without a dehumidifier are moisture absorbers. These absorber boxes are filled with globular calcium chloride particles that can trap moisture in the air. As the dehumidification goes on, they will finally melt and turn to liquid.

Keep these devices free of dust, lint, grease and anything else that could keep them from working efficiently. Install proper insulation to help maintain optimal humidity levels in an energy-efficient way. “Ensure your air conditioning unit is properly serviced, as it naturally removes moisture from the air as part of the cooling process,” Mitchell says. Whole-house dehumidifiers are a special type of HVAC system designed to regulate and maintain optimal humidity levels throughout a home.

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Pump The AC

Some solutions include simple life changes, like taking less hot showers, and other fixes require adding equipment to your home. On the other hand, you might find that the cause of your home’s humidity is due to faulty windows and doors. In which case, get a free quote online or call 866-4FELDCO for the best windows and doors in the Midwest.

"Condensation is created when the hot air meets the cold air, so a cooler shower would reduce the amount of hot air circulating in your home, thus reducing the humidity level," says Martin. An interior plumbing leak from a bathroom or kitchen sink can cause increased moisture in the air. It’s important for homeowners to check pipes often for cracks and corrosion; according to the EPA, leaks can lead to the growth of harmful biological pollutants.

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expert ways to reduce humidity in your house this winter - even without a dehumidifier

When drying clothes indoors it's important to limit the amount of excess moisture you are adding to the room. An extra spin after washing will help with that task but it's also about how you dry that is crucial to reducing the moisture levels. Avoiding using your clean radiators as a drying space is one thing to remember.

This is commonly referred to as short cycling, and a professional can diagnose the problem as part of HVAC inspection cost. While the cost of HVAC replacement may seem high to homeowners at first, investing in a smaller unit may make a home more comfortable and energy efficient in the long run. This is defined as the amount of moisture air can hold (a fixed amount) at a given temperature. Hopefully our expert's advice can ensure less humidity in your house this winter, but they are of course only methods to help reduce normal levels of humidity, as stated above. If problems persist you might need to seek professional help with damp proofing solutions.

It’s important to control your home’s humidity to avoid things like mold, mildew and other water-related damage. There are many ideas out there that explain how to lower humidity. “For homes with low humidity, homeowners often experience dry noses and are at a higher risk of getting sick more often.

Tamara is a highly experienced homes and interiors journalist, with a career spanning 22 years. Ollie Creevy boasts a wealth of experience exceeding four years within the insulation and home improvement sectors. Ollie remains at the forefront of the industry, staying well-versed in the latest trends, cutting-edge technologies, and best practices.

A hygrometer is the most reliable way to measure indoor humidity. This simple device accurately measures the amount of water vapor in the air. The number the hygrometer displays is the relative humidity—the percentage of vapor in the air compared to the air's maximum capacity. Analog and digital hygrometers are readily available at local home improvement stores or online retailers. Place a hygrometer in different areas of your home to monitor humidity levels and make necessary adjustments to maintain optimal indoor air quality. Whether you need to adjust the humidity in a room for a specific reason or just to be more comfortable, it can be a little tricky to get the level exactly where you want it.

Fix leaky pipes immediately to eliminate dampness or hidden condensation in walls. If applicable, refresh these every couple of months by regenerating (dehydrating) desiccants in an oven. Also, try sprinkling baking soda on carpets to remove the dampness and odors. When inside, cover damp soil as much as possible to prevent evaporation.