Why Is My House So Humid?

What Causes Indoor Humidity?

If you don’t have an air conditioner, or if you have one but it’s not working properly, there are various ways humidity levels can rise in your home.

Leaks:

Moisture can enter your home through cracks or leaks around your home via leaky pipes, cracked roof tiles or loose joints or fittings.

Daily Activities:

Showering, cooking, washing dishes or running the washing machine all raise humidity levels. Just sweating and breathing can raise humidity levels as well so if you have a lot of people under one roof you may feel this effect.

Allergies:

Mold and bacteria thrive in moist conditions and are two of the most common allergens that can trigger allergy and asthma flare-ups.

Sleep Issues:

Humidity makes you feel overheated and uncomfortable. This leads to less restful sleep and overall sleep problems.

Dehydration:

Sweat can’t evaporate when humidity levels are high. This is our body’s primary way of cooling down. When it doesn’t work we produce more and more sweat to compensate for the high body temperature which leads to loss of water and minerals. Severe dehydration can be dangerous and lead to muscle cramps, respiratory issues and more.

Use an Air Conditioner:

A properly functioning AC removes moisture from the air while it cools. If you have an air conditioner and are still experiencing high humidity in your home it’s important to have it checked by a licensed professional.

Ventilate:

Use vents in the bathroom and kitchen, also open windows when your AC is not running if humidity is low outdoors.

Alter Daily Habits:

Take shorter and/or cooler showers, cook less when the temperatures are warmer and consider drying your clothes outside on a clothesline.