Humidity in the home can lead to lots of problems. It’s necessary to take the proper steps to help avoid excess moisture in the air. Lowering the humidity in your home will help to maintain a more comfortable home, to save money on heating and AC costs, and to improve indoor air quality. It helps to protect you from dust mites, mold, and moisture damage. Here are a few tips for reducing humidity in your home.

Fix Up Your Home

Image via Flickr by moore.owen38

Leaking pipes, faucets, and toilets that leave water puddled around are not only adding to water waste but, as the water evaporates, but also adding to your humidity problems. Inspect and repair anywhere water is leaking or dripping and cover sweating pipes with insulation tubes to prevent more moisture from getting into the air.

Check your roof walls and ceilings for watermarks and leaks. These issues can cause rot, mold, and moisture build-up. It is crucial to repair any leaks as soon as you can to maintain healthy indoor air quality. This also helps to prevent significant structural damage to your home. Checking your AC drain line will also help with humidity control. Over time this line can get clogged up. If it does, the water may start to drip inside the home. Check to make sure everything is flowing smoothly to ensure your home stays moisture-free.

Making sure air leaks around windows, doors, vents, and where utility lines come into the home are all properly sealed is essential as well. Applying sealant and upgrading outdated windows that condensations can accumulate on will drastically improve your indoor air quality.

Modify Your Daily Activities

If moisture and humidity are a big issue in your home, you can take a few steps to help lessen the burden. Taking shorter, cooler showers; keeping simmering pots covered; and moving houseplants outdoors will all help remove moisture. Running exhaust fans during cooking and for a few minutes after cooking will also help to remove moisture; however, don’t leave exhaust fans running too long because doing so will bring in more moisture than it removes.

Invest in a Dehumidifier

After trying these other methods, a whole-home dehumidifier might be the best option for you when trying to fix humidity issues in your home. These systems are part of the heating and cooling system and should be installed by an HVAC professional. A whole-home dehumidifier works by passing air through a dehumidifier as your air-conditioning  or heating system runs throughout the day. This process helps to recirculate the air and remove lots of moisture.

If your home is struggling with excess humidity, try some of these tips. Make sure you call a professional who is trained to do repairs on your home and to diagnose the causes of any leaks and humidity. Installing a whole-home dehumidifier should be done by professionals, so call your local HVAC professional today to get an estimate. By taking care of this now, you will ensure your home air quality remains safe and healthy for your whole family.