There are various water sources in your home, and they can increase the moisture level. If you’re going to dismiss the issue, you should think twice since you shouldn’t treat moisture lightly. In the long run, humidity or moisture problems in your house will allow mold and mildew to grow, causing damage to your home and harming your family’s health.
As the humidity level rises, it can steadily deteriorate the structure of your home. Some of the red flags of a moisture problem typically include bending wooden flooring, peeling paint, and wet stains on the wall.
The damp environment serves as the ideal breeding ground for mold and mildew. Remember that both can be toxic and capable of triggering respiratory conditions and allergies. Sadly, if you ignore the moisture problem in your home and mold starts to develop, it can be an issue for concern. When mold grows uncontrollably in your home, the best move is to hire a professional. Checking out reliable providers of mold remediation in Salem Oregon would be a good starting point to ensure effective removal.
Luckily, eliminating a potential moisture problem in your home is a task you can tackle. Here are several measures to consider to help deal with the moisture problem in your home.
- Determine The Source Of The Moisture
The first task is to pinpoint the primary sources of moisture in your home. Doing so will allow you to think of ways to deal with the problem better.
In most cases, moisture issues in a house typically stem from poor ventilation, especially in the kitchen, bathroom, or even the closets. Even problems with the plumbing can cause the humidity level to rise.
Sadly, you can’t avoid the development of moisture in certain places in your home. The attic and the basement are the usual spots where it’s challenging to eliminate the water. You need to properly manage these areas to prevent the moisture from getting out of hand.
- Deal With Leaks And Seepage
When water infiltrates your home from the outside, some of the options worth considering can range from landscaping modifications to excavation and even waterproofing. Generally, the ground around your home should slope away to prevent the water from pooling near your home.
In some cases, water from the outside can seep into the basement, further increasing the moisture. Generally, it might be due to the lack of gutters or the direction the water flow moves toward the house.
When you have leaking pipes, toilets, and faucets, it allows water to waste away while also adding humidity to your home. As the water evaporates, it ends up as moisture in the air. Make sure to fix or replace any malfunctioning plumbing elements right away. Additionally, consider wrapping sweating pipes using foam pipe insulation tubes to prevent them from releasing moisture into the air.
Don’t forget about any leaks in the walls and roof since they can add excess moisture to your home, eventually causing damage to your home’s foundation. Timely repair of the leaks will lower the humidity level and prevent rot due to water damage.
- Make Use Of Fans
A simple way to lessen the moisture in your home is to utilize fans. When you have fans in your home, they work by naturally ventilating a space, producing air circulation, and promoting evaporation.
Mold prefers warm, damp environments with stale, non-moving air. When you have a fan near the kitchen, it can significantly help, especially after cooking.
- Maintain Proper Ventilation Around The House
Proper ventilation would be beneficial in rooms in your home that tend to retain a lot of moisture. Leaving the ventilation fan on for a few more minutes can greatly limit the humidity level.
Check the bathroom and kitchen ventilation if it directs the air outside, not back into the house, such as the attic.
When you have storm doors and windows, they can minimize cool surfaces during winter by separating the interior from the cold, outdoor air. If you have double or triple-pane windows, they can effectively insulate the interior glass from the cold. Once you decide to invest in these improvements, they can help minimize moisture and make your home energy efficient throughout the year. Don’t forget about the window treatments by opening up drapes and blinds to allow the air to circulate in the house.
To ensure your home has proper ventilation, you should focus on rooms where moisture is likely to be high. One of them is the kitchen where cooking occurs, the basement where you store the washer and dryer, and the bathroom, especially if you love taking hot showers.
- Take A Cold, Brief Shower
Although most prefer a warm shower at the start of the day or to help them relax after a lengthy day at work, consider it one of the contributing factors to the humidity level in your home.
Hot water during a shower can generate large amounts of steam while you’re showering. If you close the bathroom door, it can create significant heat, and moisture ends up trapped.
One way to minimize the moisture is to open the window slightly and turn the ventilation on. Another option is to take a shorter shower using cold water. Although it might seem uncomfortable, it can help minimize the moisture.
- Use An Air Conditioning Unit
An air conditioning unit can keep your home cool while also eliminating the humidity from the air. Most models of air conditioners on the market work by providing a cool temperature in your home and lowering the humidity level as it absorbs the warmer air.
If you’re going to use one, make sure to start early and let it run before humidity can build up. With the help of your air conditioning unit, it’ll be manageable to maintain the humidity level in your home.
- Waterproof The Walls Of Your Basement
The basement is one of the areas in your home that holds large amounts of moisture. If you want to lower the humidity level, consider waterproofing the basement walls.
Waterproofing the basement walls is crucial, especially if you have cement walls. Moisture is likely to build up if both your washer and dryer are in the basement. Water will most likely leak through your house’s foundation and spread throughout. Furthermore, waterproofing the basement can help reduce the likelihood of mold growth. If you want effective waterproofing for your basement, consider hiring a professional to tackle the job.
- Use A Dehumidifier
Today, you can find a variety of dehumidifier models on the market, but what makes it a must-have is its capability to lower the humidity level in your home by removing the excess moisture in the air.
Today, you can find one in various sizes and shapes. The smaller models are ideal for smaller spaces such as the attic. Larger models are suitable for more extensive areas such as the basement. There are also whole-house models capable of controlling the humidity level in the entire house.
When you have one, it can eliminate the humidity in your home without cooling the environment. It’s not disruptive to your daily routine since they operate quietly in the background.
If you want to effectively deal with the moisture without having to endure a cold environment, it’s worth investing in a dehumidifier.
- Switch To A Different Type Of Flooring
Carpet can hold moisture and is one of the culprits for a high humidity level in your home. Aside from the humidity, dust mites will thrive in the carpeting, which can cause further problems. If the high humidity level is due to the moisture in your carpet, consider replacing it soon.
Remember that changing the carpet can be a costly endeavor. If you don’t have the budget yet, consider it the last option to deal with the humidity problem. It’s best to use area rugs instead since you can easily wash them.
- Cover The Soil Of Indoor Plants
If you want several indoor plants in your home, note that they can contribute to the humidity. Plants can impart an aesthetic appeal to your home while absorbing moisture from the air. However, they tend to release more water vapor into the atmosphere than they consume.
Although moving all your plants outside might be the first that comes to mind, you should check first on the number of plants you have inside.
An option is to rearrange or spread them throughout your home. Another option is to cover the soil. Doing so will limit the amount of humidity. Additionally, since the water isn’t evaporating from the soil, you no longer need to water them frequently.
Final Thoughts
Managing the humidity level indoors should be one of your top objectives as a homeowner to maintain a comfortable and safe atmosphere for your family at all times. If you fail to maintain the moisture level, your home won’t only feel uncomfortable, but other problems will develop, especially mold and structural damage in the long run. By taking the necessary steps in controlling the humidity level in your home, such as using a dehumidifier, promoting better ventilation, or using an air conditioning unit, will ensure a safe and healthy environment for everyone.