5 Ways to Reduce the Humidity in Your Home

While a certain level of humidity can help your skin, throat, and sinuses feel more comfortable, excess humidity in your home can lead to a number of problems, particularly mold and mildew growth. Not only can mold and mildew negatively affect the quality of the air you breath, but certain types of mold can even threaten your home’s structural integrity.

If you start to notice wet spots or stains on your walls or condensation on your windows, it's important to take steps to reduce your home’s moisture levels. Here are some ways to get excess humidity under control.

1. Use the exhaust fans in your kitchen and bathroom.

Your kitchen and bathroom tend to be areas where a lot of humidity can accumulate, so it’s important to keep these areas well-ventilated. Run your bathroom’s exhaust fan while you bathe or shower and for at least 30 minutes after you bathe or shower. Run your kitchen’s exhaust fan while you cook and for at least 30 minutes after you cook.

Running your kitchen fan for this additional time will also help it eliminate toxins from your air (such as carbon monoxide) that are produced by your oven or stove while cooking.

2. Cover your crawl space’s floor.

If your crawl space has a dirt floor, make sure the dirt is completely dry (you may need to use fans to dry it out completely), and then install a polyethylene cover over the floor. This will prevent moisture from entering your home through your crawl space.

3. Choose houseplants carefully.

Some houseplants transpire quite a bit and release a lot of moisture into the air as part of that process. You’ll want to avoid these types of plants or isolate them to areas of your home that are easier to control or ventilate. Other plants can be helpful when it comes to excess humidity, such as the Boston fern. This type of plant thrives in high-humidity environments and can help remove excess moisture from the air.

4. Run your air conditioner.

Your air conditioner removes moisture from the air it cools. When you run your air conditioner, you’re not only getting cooler air but air that contains less humidity. When you leave your home, set your air conditioner on a schedule so that it will still come on every so often to help keep humidity levels under control.

5. Invest in a dehumidifier.

A whole-home dehumidifier can monitor and control the humidity levels across your entire house, making it the best option to combat excess humidity. However, portable dehumidifiers tend to be a more affordable choice for most households.

What starts out as a small issue with humidity can turn into a much larger problem if left unchecked. If you suspect that your home has suffered water damage due to excess moisture, it’s vital to get the area in question inspected as soon as possible.