Humidity means there is moisture in the air, the warmer the air the better its ability to carry water. Unfortunately, as the air cools this water must then be deposited somewhere, it’s usually on the coolest surface in the room, such as an exterior wall or the window glass. This moisture can then sit on your walls and mold spores in the air will feed on the water, causing mold to grow inside your home. Unfortunately, mold is not good for your home or your health. It can cause a variety of diseases and can cause wet rot in your home.
That’s why you need to lower humidity levels whenever possible, it will also make the environment more comfortable for you. Here’s how to lower your humidity levels:
Dehumidifier
This is potentially the fastest solution. Simply purchase a dehumidifier and sit it in your house, don’t forget to plug it in. The dehumidifier sucks air in and pushes it over a filter that absorbs the moisture. It actually works in a similar way to your refrigerator. Excess water is collected in a container and needs to be emptied regularly.
Ventilation
Getting cooler air in the house will lower the air’s ability to hold moisture. The fact that you are moving air through the house means that the warmer air, full of moisture, will be directed out of the house and release the moisture elsewhere. You can ventilate your home during the day by having the windows open and perhaps using a fan. This will move the air. However, if the air outside your home is the same temperature as inside it won’t necessarily do much for the moisture levels.
A better way to ventilate is to use subfloor ventilation Sydney, this involves having a fan fitted under your flooring, it will be activated overnight when the outside air is cooler. Air is drawn under the house and the warm humid air under the house is pushed out, effectively lowering the level of humidity in your home. It’s surprisingly easy to add to your home, providing you have an underfloor space. More importantly, it’s very effective.
Don’t Dry Clothes Inside
Drying clothes inside the house means that the moisture leaves the clothes and goes into the air, increasing the humidity in your home. Dry your clothes outside, at a launderette, or in a condensing dryer to avoid this issue.
Cooler Showers
You’ll probably enjoy this in the summer! Cooler showers put less water into the atmosphere and automatically reduce the humid air in your home. If this really isn’t an option you should consider adding an extractor fan to your bathroom to ensure the steam from the shower is directed outside the home.
Remove carpet
If you have carpet, its time to consider getting rid of it. Carpet absorbs moisture and makes it more difficult to eliminate moisture from your home. Getting rid of it will make it easier to lower humidity levels in your home.
Plants
Don’t forget there are a variety of plants that can be grown which actually absorb humidity. In fact, most plants do. Get yourself some house plants to bring the outside inside and reduce your humidity levels in the process.
