101 guide: how to decrease humidity in the home and why it's important
If you experience condensation, black mould, and musty smells in your home, the humidity levels may be too high. The consequences of excess moisture don’t only cause structural damage to your property, they can have health complications for family members too.
Maintaining an optimal level of humidity at home is crucial for comfort, health, and the preservation of your property. So, let's understand what humidity is, how to decrease humidity in the home and why minimising excess moisture is so important.
What is humidity?
Humidity is a measure of the amount of moisture in the air – water in its gaseous state. The level of humidity in the natural environment varies with geography, altitude, temperature, and weather:
- The warmer the air temperature, the more water it's capable of absorbing - think hot and humid.
- The cooler the air temperature, the less water it's capable of absorbing. Plus, a drop in temperature will often result in condensation on walls and windows as the vapour is forced out of the air - think cold and damp.
But, what's the optimal level of humidity to have in your home?
What is the best humidity level?
A certain level of humidity is necessary for human comfort. If it is too low or too high, it can lead to health problems such as allergies, asthma, and more:
- What is an uncomfortably low humidity level? A person will feel immediate discomfort simply by breathing in humidity levels below 23%.
- What is an uncomfortably high humidity level? When the relative humidity exceeds 60%, mould will begin to thrive, and that can cause or worsen health problems such as allergies, inflamed airways, and chronic illnesses such as asthma and pneumonia. Greater than 80%, and fungi, mites, and parasites will become problems
- So, what is a good humidity level at home? We tend to feel most comfortable when the relative humidity in our environment is between 30-50%.
Unfortunately, most of us experience high humidity at home. Aside from the natural environment playing its part, the main reasons for excess moisture in the home stems from everyday human activity…
What causes excess moisture in the home?
There are many things humans do in their daily lives that cause excess moisture in their homes. From those activities that are inevitable, to those that can be reduced:
- Boiling water for a drink or when cooking increases levels of water vapour in kitchen environments.
- Hanging our laundry to dry indoors means moisture will evaporate into the room as the clothes dry.
- Taking a long, hot bath or shower is the largest contributor of water vapour in the air at home.
Did you know? On average, a family of three produces 12L of water vapour a day!
Problems will arise if we do nothing about increasing levels of humidity in our homes. To know how to control humidity in the home, it's important to spot the effects so you can make the necessary changes to reduce the excess moisture.
5 consequences of excess moisture at home
Spotting moisture isn't always as simple as it may initially seem. Finding water droplets in areas they shouldn’t be such as around windows, dripping from the bathroom ceiling or excessively running down your kitchen tiles, is just one of the many ways to know you have too much moisture in the house.
Here are the 5 most common signs that you need to reduce humidity in the home:
1. Condensation
Condensation is one of the biggest culprits for damaging your interior due to excess moisture. Although predominantly found on windows, in more extreme cases, it can also work its way onto walls and ceilings, damaging wallpaper, causing paint to blister and warping wood such as skirting boards and architraves.
It's super important to reduce condensation in the home to ensure window seals can continue protecting your windows, your decor stays as good as new, and furniture remains intact over time.
2. Black mould and mildew
Black mould and mildew often develop because of the condensation or dampness in the environment. The humid conditions also cause them to spread rapidly creating huge, black spores across your walls, ceilings and even furniture.
Not only is mould unsightly, but it can have serious health implications too, which makes it imperative to reduce mould in the home. Firstly, you should open windows to decrease the overall room humidity. Then, mould should be tackled using the appropriate cleaning products and tools, and protective gear should be always worn.
3. Wallpaper peeling & paint blistering
Wallpaper peeling and paint blistering can occur due to condensation. However, condensation isn't always easy to spot, particularly in high, out of reach spaces or behind cabinets or other furniture. When left for some time, it can cause the surfaces its sitting on to deteriorate, hence your wallpaper begins to peel away and paint cracks and blisters.
For rooms that are prone to high humidity, such as kitchens, bathrooms, or utility rooms, opt for wallpaper or paint specifically designed for high-humidity environments to prolong the life of your walls.
4. Musty smells
Ever feel like your home smells a bit damp and earthy? Musty smells are a sign that your home is too humid. Musty smells appear as a consequence of mould and mildew releasing foul-smelling gasses that then permeate textiles in your home like carpets, curtains, upholstery, and clothes.
5. Health complications
High humidity in the home doesn't just have consequences to your property, but to your health too. The effects of excess moisture at home can cause allergic reactions such as sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, or a skin rash, which are particularly common if you're experiencing mould. It can also trigger asthma attacks leading to coughing, wheezing and breathlessness.
So, let's discover how to decrease humidity at home to tackle these effects.
How to decrease humidity at home:
Ventilation
The first line of defence is ventilation. Start by opening windows to allow humid air to escape. Then, where available, use an extractor fan to remove any moisture whilst completing high-humidity tasks such as cooking or washing.
When cooking, you should also cover boiling pans with their lids to stop excess moisture from escaping into the room.
Dehumidification
The next step is to set up a dehumidifier within your home. Dehumidifiers are designed to take the moisture out of the air and then collect this water within a water tank. There are plenty of types of dehumidifiers on the market, including both electrical and non-electrical, depending on your budget and area of concern.
An effective and inexpensive option is a non-electric, reusable dehumidifier such as Bostik Breathe. Breathe uses dye and fragrance-free tablets to absorb water molecules in the damp air.
As Breathe doesn't require electricity and has a compact design, it's suitable for all internal humid spaces including bathrooms, kitchens, bedrooms, as well as inside wardrobes and cupboards, covering an area of up to 25m2.
Alternatively, electrical dehumidifiers are beneficial for covering even bigger spaces and quickly, particularly when the extent of dampness is a lot greater and more serious. However, they often come with a larger price tag, making them less accessible for all.
Avoid activities that produce humidity
As explored earlier, some of the reasons for excess moisture in the home results in our daily choices. To decrease humidity in the home, avoid these humidity-inducing activities…
Dry clothes outside
Drying clothes indoors can significantly increase humidity levels. Whenever possible, dry your clothes outside or use a clothes dryer that is vented to the outside.
If you must dry your clothes inside, using an electrical dehumidifier is the most effective way of quickly reducing the excess moisture in the room created by the drying clothes.
Remove house plants that expel water vapour
Plants release roughly 97% of the water they take in, increasing the humidity in the air. Although this can be great at improving the air quality in dry, indoor environments, in areas with excess moisture, this can be quite the opposite. If this is the case, swap real plants for fake to keep the plant aesthetic, without the damage.
Insulation & waterproofing
Leaks in your home can contribute significantly to excess moisture. Regularly inspect your plumbing and roof for leaks and repair them promptly. You should also pay attention to areas around sinks, bathtubs, and showers, as well as your home's foundations.
Alongside waterproofing, proper insulation can help maintain a consistent temperature at home, reducing humidity levels. It's important to have sufficient insulation in your walls, loft, and basement to prevent warm, moist air from entering your home and condensing on cooler surfaces.
To conclude
Now you know what humidity is, what the effects of it look like, and the ways to combat it. You can start to decrease the humidity in your home by following our simple steps to keep your living space comfortable, happy, and healthy.
Next up, check out how to use and set up our best dehumidifier, Breathe, to create the optimal atmosphere within your home - it's easy and affordable, too! Or, if you already have a dehumidifier but aren't sure where to put it, discover the best place for your dehumidifier.
