If you’re like us, the best part of the day is stepping into your cool, comfortable home after spending all day in the relentless heat of the Dallas summer. Unfortunately, an unseen enemy is trying to sneak in and hinder your much-deserved comfort.
To make matters worse, this nuisance, called “indoor humidity”, isn’t restricted to just the summertime. It can be an all-season adversary!
But worry not! A/C Rescue has a few secrets to help you maintain an ideal home environment, keeping indoor humidity at bay. Let’s get started!
Understanding Humidity and Its Ideal Range
Our bodies are like meticulously engineered machines which operate best when surroundings are maintained at optimal conditions. One way to wreck this necessary balance is excessive humidity in the air we breathe.
Humidity can leave you feeling sluggish and tired. Worse yet, it can turn your home into a breeding ground for mold and bacteria, increasing the risk of health issues.
So, what is the ‘just right’ range? The experts at the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) recommend maintaining indoor humidity levels between 30-50% during warmer seasons and around 15-30% when it gets colder. A hygrometer can be a valuable ally, constantly updating you on the current humidity levels of your indoor air.
Identifying the Sources of Humidity
In order to identify the origins of that nasty indoor humidity, we sometimes have to do a little sleuthing around our home.
Your humidity levels can be increased in several ways. Sometimes, the additional moisture enters the home through outside air or an insufficient ventilation system. Other times, a leaky pipe or everyday activities like cooking, showering, and drying laundry can significantly increase moisture levels.
Expert Tips to Combat Humidity
Now that we understand where that extra humidity might come from, it’s time to figure out how to stop it! Below are a few ways that we have found that our customers can reduce their indoor humidity and improve their home’s air quality and comfort:
Weather-Related Humidity Solutions
- Optimize Your AC: Your AC is not just a cooling device; it is also tasked with the job of extracting surplus moisture from your home’s atmosphere.
- Invest in a Dehumidifier: On humid days, you can use a dehumidifier to pull the extra dampness from the air efficiently.
Enhancing Air Circulation
- Promote Air Flow: Allow your home to breathe by encouraging proper airflow; open the windows, turn on fans, and ensure a regular air exchange to keep humidity levels down.
Home Improvements to Reduce Humidity
- Leak Repairs: Be vigilant about fixing any leaks promptly, whether it be in the kitchen or the bathroom.
- Proper Insulation: Guard your home against condensation by installing the right kind of insulation.
- Implement Moisture Barriers: Shield your home from the dampness in the soil that surrounds your home. You can create a simple yet effective barrier against unwanted moisture using a solid plastic sheet.
Everyday Practices to Keep Humidity at Bay
- Strategic Plant Placement: While indoor plants add a vibrant touch to your home, they can inadvertently increase humidity levels. Consider moving them outdoors or covering the soil to prevent moisture from evaporating into the air.
- Utilize Exhaust Fans: Installing exhaust fans in high-moisture areas like the kitchen and bathroom can aid in reducing humidity.
- String Up The Clothesline: Make use of nature’s dryer, the sun. The less you use your clothes dryer, the less moisture you introduce into your air.
- Cooking Habits: When cooking, using lids and allowing food to cool before storing can help; also, consider washing dishes with cooler water to reduce steam.
- Employ Desiccants: These helpful tools absorb excess moisture from the air, helping maintain comfortable humidity levels in your home.
Final Thoughts
Maintaining the optimum humidity level in your home is an annoying task, for sure. However, it is an inexpensive way to help keep your air clean and healthy and temperatures cool. With the tips shared, we hope you are ready to enjoy a home that feels just right, no matter the season.
As always, if you’re ever in doubt, remember the team at A/C Rescue is just a phone call away. We are ready to assist you with all your HVAC needs, including indoor air quality. Call us today at (972) 278-6800.