Have you witnessed some flaking on your wall paints? Or does your home have a musty smell? Probably your house has a problem with humidity levels. Ideally, houses are more humid compared to the outdoors.
The fact that windows, doors, and walls in houses are sealed poses a problem in the expulsion of excess humidity. In this guide, we’ll help you understand why your house is so humid even with your ac on.
High humidity levels create the best environment for mold and mildew to thrive. These organisms are detrimental to your health and that of your family. You may also suffer from allergies and asthma! Here are the main causes of humid houses.
But first, let’s get to know how to detect excess moisture in a house.
How to tell if your House has Excessive Humidity
Not everyone wants to install a humidity detector, but there are some signs you can watch out for.
- Peeling paint
- Moist walls
- Floors that produce creaking sounds when walking
- Mold and mildew spores on walls, furniture, and bathrooms
- House has a musty smell
- Frequent headaches, running nose and sneezing among family members
Factors that Contribute to High Humidity in the House
Many factors contribute to your house becoming so humid. Let’s jump right into discussing them.
1. Climate
In very hot regions or during summer, people tend to install huge air conditioners in a bid to reduce the heat. Consequently, the big AC’s aren’t effective in dealing with humidity.
Ideally, a big air conditioning unit works extra hard to reduce heat from a house but may go on and off after a long period of running.
When the ac goes off, humidity may accumulate in the house, making it feel damp, especially in June through to September when the weather is warm.
See how to reset your AC when it goes OFF.
On the other hand, during winter, the house may also become damp because hot air from breathing, showers, or cooking may condense on the walls of the house. In cold weather, it’s also difficult to effectively remove hot air from the house.
Geographical location may be the explanation of why your house feels so humid if you live in Arizona or Kansas.
Unless you vacate, the only way to deal with moisture accumulation in the house is properly ventilating the home, installation of better ac units, and fixing of buildings that accumulate lots of humidity.
Furthermore, global warming has adverse effects to relative humidity.
2. Daily Activities
Probably you’re wondering how daily activities within your home can increase the levels of humidity. Your guess is as good as mine!
If you don’t have a good dehumidifier, activities such as bathing with hot water produces steam which contributes to the levels of humidity in the air. Cooking food or beverages also produces steam, and also drying your wet clothes inside the house.
Admittedly, we cannot do away with basic activities such as cooking, showering, or doing laundry. However, it’s possible to mitigate the risk of moisture buildup through some DIY activities.
For example, you can install bathroom exhaust fans to remove excess moisture. You can also use smaller air conditioning units because they are more effective than larger ones.
3. Faulty Plumbing Work
If you have cracked duct pipes, moisture can condense and fall back to your home. If you identify moldy conditions and bad smells in certain areas of your home, such as the kitchen or basement, consult with a professional.
An expert can easily detect the problem and fix it accordingly, eliminating problems with excess humidity in your house.
Fixing your plumbing work will most likely solve the problem of high humidity in your house, even with a swamp cooler.
4. Soil
Did you know that condensation doesn’t only happen in the air? Warm air from the soil also rises, especially during warm weather.
If your house is built on such soil, the warm air may rise to your house through the foundation, basement, and pipes.
The condensation of the warm air from the soil may condense on the pipes and fill your rooms with humidity. Probably it’s the reason why your house still feels humid even with your PTAC on most of the time.
Conclusion
In summary, your house may feel more humid compared to the outside. Some level of humidity is necessary because it helps your mucus membranes to function properly.
However, excess humidity may cause health problems. Humidity may be brought about by climatic changes, soil types, daily activities, and faulty plumbing works.