One of the worst things about summer is humid days. These days can be quite unbearable, sometimes with humidity at 50% or even higher. Humidity can make a 70 degree day feel a lot warmer than it actually is, because humidity feels sticky on your skin. Due to the high amount of water molecules in the air, it can make your air more liveable during colder temperatures. Still, having a highly humid house can be detrimental not only to your comfort, but also to your home, including allowing your home to become a great place to breed mold.
Let’s talk about ways you can bring down the humidity in your home and help improve your comfort.
#1 Use a dehumidifier
A dehumidifier is a no-brainer for a humid home. Dehumidifiers take moisture out of the air and instead put them into a bowl or pot that you will need to empty from time to time. If you have one that you use here and there, a dehumidifier can be an excellent way to help make your home more liveable during summer months when the humidity is high. Even just making your air more dry in your home can make you vastly more comfortable — no air conditioner required!
#2 Use an air conditioner
Not everyone has a dehumidifier on hand, but if you have a window air conditioner, even running it on low can help draw moisture out of the air and make your living space so much more comfortable. If you’re worried about your summertime bills, keeping the air conditioner on low can help keep your space comfortable during the warmer months.
#3 Run exhaust fans when possible
Exhaust fans are installed in bathrooms and kitchens to draw humid air out from the rooms they’re in. Remember that taking a steamy shower and then opening the bathroom door can make humidity flush out into your home and make the air a little less liveable during the summer. Run the exhaust fan while taking a shower and for at least thirty minutes after to draw out as much humidity as possible.
#4 Avoid boiling water
The act of boiling water can create steam, which will then translate into additional humidity in your home. You know that turning on the oven can make your home warmer, but so can boiling water. Try to avoid boiling water to keep the humidity in your home down, which means avoiding pasta, rice, hard-boiled eggs, and other items that require boiling water.
#5 Assess your home
Moisture tends to lock onto porous surfaces, and so lots of carpeting, drapes, and other fabric items can retain moisture. Try to avoid the wall-to-wall carpeting if possible, and instead opt for tiling, linoleum, or hardwood to keep down moisture in your home.
Also assess your exhaust fans. If they don’t seem to be moving air, you may want a more powerful exhaust fan as a replacement. If you don’t have a vent hood over your stove, you may also want to consider purchasing one. Clean out air conditioner and HVAC filters regularly to ensure your systems are working as efficiently as possible.
What do you do to beat summer humidity? Let us know in the comments below!
