When there’s too much humidity in your home it can cause all sorts of problems, including one big home maintenance bill. But the cost isn’t the only factor to consider. Too much humidity can contribute to an array of health problems like allergies, ailments and other discomforts. Dehumidifiers can solve the problem, but how can you tell when humidity is a problem before it takes a serious toll on your home or your health?
Signs of a Humidity Problem
The first sign of excess humidity is often a musty or stale odour. Pay attention to how your home smells when you first walk in the front door or step into a new room. Because you may have grown accustomed to the smell, it’s best to ask for a second opinion. Ask a trusted friend if they can notice a smell or dense air quality.
Mold
Sometimes that smell will lead you to mold. If you notice spots in black, green, or even other colours, chances are its mold growing in your home. Walls and ceilings will commonly develop mold in humid homes, but also check fabrics and furniture, including curtains and bed-sheets, which can harbour mold too.
Mold is more likely to develop in bathrooms, laundry and other rooms, which commonly suffer from poor circulation. All bathrooms should have an exhaust fan to channel moisture out of the room but in homes that are too humid, a bathroom fan isn’t enough. If your exhaust fan is in good working order you may need a dehumidifier as a permanent solution.
Condensation and Sweating
Condensation on windows, especially noticeable in winter when the outside air is drier is another sign that your home is too humid. When condensation gathers on walls, ceiling, furniture or other surfaces it’s called “sweating”. On ceilings and walls, paint can even chip or break off. Sweating can leave yellow or white coloured water stains. Also, these marks are a good indicator to look out for when buying a new house, not just when assessing your own home.
Creaky Floors
Most people don’t realize that creaky floors are another sign your home is too humid. Most dismiss this sign as ageing, but humidity might be the cause: wet or damp wood will smell overtime, and the moisture will put a strain on the floor, causing it to creak. This will lead to permanent floor damage, as the wood will eventually begin to rot.
Allergies
If your allergies seem uncharacteristically bad, humidity may be the cause. Excess moisture helps allergens stick around in the home. If you’re sceptical that moisture is contributing to your allergies, run a temporary dehumidifier to improve the air quality.
Other signs of too much moisture depend on the type of building you’re living in. In single-family dwellings, groundwater runoff sometimes leaks in, through the basement. While this is likely a structural issue, getting a humidifier can stymie the effects until the foundation or other problems can be fixed. This problem often leaves grey marks that indicate water level.
In apartment buildings, the moisture from the surrounding units can make your home humid, no matter how great your circulation is. In this case, the only real solution is a dehumidifier.
If you’ve noticed any of these signs it’s time to look into dehumidifiers from Aire One. Breathe easier with better indoor air quality. Catching the issue early can save you a fortune in paint and wallpaper damage, floor damage, and the costly removal of mold remediation and other cleaning efforts, not to mention the protection of your health, which is priceless.