8 Ways to Reduce Humidity in Your Home

High humidity in your home isn’t just uncomfortable. If left unchecked, high moisture levels can lead to health problems, structural damage, and mold growth that can be incredibly dangerous. According to the Mayo Clinic, the recommended indoor humidity levels should be between 30 and 50 percent, but with hot, muggy summers, keeping your home at or below those levels can be challenging. To help, our crawl space encapsulation company in Raleigh is sharing eight ways to reduce humidity in your home, from simple tips you can do today to updates that will improve your home’s air quality.

Simple Steps to Reduce Your Home’s Humidity Level

First, let’s look at the free and low-cost steps you can take immediately to make your home drier and more comfortable.

Increase Air Flow with Fans

Using fans, whether they are ceiling, box, or oscillating fans to keep the air circulating will help lower the humidity and make the air quality more comfortable. It prevents humidity and moisture from building up and keeps surfaces drier which is important for preventing mold growth and wood warping and rot.

Take Cooler Showers

Steam generated from your shower may not seem like a big deal, but when your home is already humid, a hot shower can make the problem even worse. While you don’t need to shower in cold water, reducing the temperature by just five to 10 degrees as well as reducing the time you’re in the shower both work to will reduce the steam.

Run Your Air Conditioner

Of course, living in North Carolina, you’re probably already running your air conditioner in the summer, but if you’re trying to reduce your electricity usage, you may need to consider some alternatives if your home has high humidity. Running your air conditioner not only increases air circulation in your home, it also pulls warm, humid air out of your home, cooling it as well as decreasing moisture.

Clean Out Your Gutters

If your gutters are clogged and overflowing, moisture is going to pool around your home’s foundation. This standing water will pool around your home and seep into the walls of your crawl space or basement where the moisture ascends into your home. Cutting down on the water levels around your home can help reduce the amount of moisture that comes from your crawls space or basement.

Run Exhaust Fans

If you have exhaust fans in your kitchen over your stove and in your bathrooms, use them to pull moisture out of these rooms, especially when you are cooking or taking a shower. You may not realize how much humidity a boiling pot of water can contribute to your home!

Home Improvements to Reduce Humidity

If you’re still having difficulty controlling the humidity in your home, consider investing in some home improvements that will keep your home dry, healthy, and comfortable.

Improve Drainage Around Your Home’s Foundation

As we mentioned above, standing water around your house’s foundation can seep into the crawl space or basement or rise up from under the home due to hydrostatic pressure. Grading the soil so water flows down and away from your home or adding a layer of gravel around the foundation to slow down water absorption into the soil can reduce water leaks and seepage into your home.

Seal Under Your Home with Crawl Space Encapsulation

If your home has a crawl space, sealing it to eliminate all sources of moisture is one of the most effective ways you can reduce humidity in your home. As water in the soil evaporates under your home, that stale, moist air seeps upward, increasing the humidity dramatically. With crawl space encapsulation, the space will be completely sealed so no moisture can enter either from below or through the foundation walls, keeping your home cleaner and drier.

Consider Basement Waterproofing

If your home has a basement foundation, basement waterproofing will dramatically reduce the humidity through your entire home. By stopping the water from seeping through the basement walls and the floor and installing a drainage system that removes moisture away from your home, your basement stays dry, and this, in turn, helps keep the rest of your home drier.

Schedule a quote for Crawl Space Encapsulation Today

At Crawl Space and Basement Technologies, we can help you improve your home’s air quality, energy efficiency, and more through crawl space sealing and basement waterproofing. Learn more about these techniques and schedule a quote when you call us at 919-847-7072 or fill out our contact form below.