Ways to Lower Your Home Humidity
It’s true, high humidity levels can lower your energy efficiency, increasing the temperature of the air inside your home. If humidity is caused by a leak or structural issue, hire a pro. If you happen to be dealing with whole room or whole house humidity due to the environment, follow these tips.
- Crawl Spaces and Dirt Floors. Notoriously damp, if you have these, cover them with polyethylene ground cover. Use fans if necessary to dry out the area.
- Dryer Ducts. Ensure these are properly vented outside of your home and sealed up tightly.
- Strategic Placement of Exhaust Fans. Kitchens, bathrooms and other high humidity areas can heavily benefit from exhaust fans removing humid air and diverting it outside. Be sure to run these whenever those rooms are in use.
- Dehumidifier. Simple and effective, if your home’s humidity is at 65% or higher, consider purchasing one or more portable dehumidifiers, or installing a whole-home dehumidifier if appropriate.
- Consider Replacing Thick Carpeting. Carpet can hold moisture. If your home is prone to humidity, laminate, tile or vinyl may be the better option.
- Keep Your AC/HVAC Unit Well-Maintained. Your AC and HVAC systems can do wonders for removing humidity. Make sure they are tuned and inspected yearly, and regularly replace filters for optimal efficiency.
