QandAs: Home

My house is Too Humid, How do I Fix it?

Answer:
One of the biggest factors in home humidity levels

is air flow. The more stagnant the air, the more prone it is to hold onto moisture, so before you do anything else, get that air moving. If your home does not have central heat and air, it is important to purchase items which will help to circulate the air.

By installing high efficiency ceiling fans, a home owner can see a dramatic improvement in humidity levels within just a few days. If the house is still too humid, consider investing in a dehumidifier, which is designed to pull the moisture from the air and collect it in a pan, which can easily be removed and emptied. If you find it necessary to empty the pan more than once a day, this may be an indication of a more serious underlying problem causing the high humidity in your home.

Water leaks of any kind can increase the humidity levels in a home, even if the leaks are relatively small, so try and identify any part of the house which is more humid than other parts. Also, making sure that a home has effective drainage, especially if there is a basement or partial basement, can ensure lower humidity levels within the home. The more moisture and water you can move away from the exterior of the house, the drier the inside of the house.

If you have lots of house plants, make sure to keep them in areas of the home with plenty of circulation. Plants give off moisture through their leaves, and if there is not adequate air flow, that plant moisture can hang in the air, making it feel more humid. Another option would be to disperse the plants throughout the house, ensuring that there is enough room for the moisture to evaporate without creating a “rain forest” mist.