Reducing Humidity Improves the Quality of Indoor Life
The humidity level in your home can play a huge part in the overall comfort of your family’s living conditions. Humidity can also be a health concern. Dry air can cause skin and respiratory problems, while humid air can encourage mold growth and provide hospitable conditions for viruses and bacteria. Luckily, there are some practical steps you can take to maintain balanced humidity in your home.
Vent Moisture
Make sure to provide adequate ventilation to areas of your home where moisture’s produced. In the bathroom, take advantage of the ventilation fan when you take a shower. Cooking can also create moisture, so use the range hood fan when excess moisture is a concern.
Check for Leaks
Plumbing leaks and high ground water can cause serious humidity problems if left unchecked. If you feel that there’s excess moisture in your home, check the basement or crawl space for water that might be collecting and evaporating into the air in your home.
Reconsider Carpet
While it is a favorite floor covering for many homeowners, carpet can actually trap moisture and serve as a oasis for moisture-loving creatures like bacteria and mites. Keep your carpet clean and dry, and consider replacing it with wood, laminate, tile or some other smooth surface when you have the opportunity.
Consider Buying New Equipment
There are several options available for humidity-adjusting devices. They range from single-room solutions that you plug into a power outlet to whole-house equipment that’s installed alongside your HVAC system. Both dehumidifiers and humidifiers are available on both scales.
Get Properly Sized HVAC Equipment
If your HVAC equipment is too big or too small for your home, it can cause humidity issues by heating or cooling your home too rapidly or by running longer than necessary. Have a certified professional perform load calculations and determine if your HVAC unit might be causing humidity problems.
For additional tips on how to achieve balanced humidity in your Long Island home, contact the professionals at T. F. O’Brien Heating & Cooling.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
T.F. O’Brien services the Long Island, New York area. Visit our website to see our special offers to get started today!
Image via Shutterstock.com