Many people dream of living in a cosy, warm and, above all, healthy home. Unfortunately, sometimes this is mission impossible due to the accumulation of moisture. Dampness in the home, like dry air, is not good for our health: in particular, micro-organisms and fungi multiply rapidly in damp rooms, spreading pathogens around.
Finally, mould grows in the home, posing an even greater threat to health, and is very difficult to eradicate. Moisture penetrates walls, damaging them, damaging the structure of buildings, furniture, other home furnishings and household appliances, which can lead to corrosion. So how do we deal with excess moisture?
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Moisture in the home: what causes it and how does it accumulate?
Poor ventilation – especially in the bathroom (check the capacity of your bathroom extractor fan). In the kitchen, where daily activities result in the highest humidity levels. In other rooms, perhaps the vents are not doing their job? Remember that moisture builds up in the home due to poor ventilation and lack of ventilation in general.
Inadequate ventilation – ventilation (natural or artificial) brings fresh air into the room, removing not only moisture but also pathogenic micro-organisms and unpleasant odours.
Defects in the construction of buildings – such as inadequate insulation, poorly sealed wall joints, etc.
Other people’s activities, such as neighbours flooding the apartment or a flooded basement (basements are already prone to damp and mould).
Daily activities at home, including:
- cooking, washing dishes;
- taking a bath or shower;
- washing, drying laundry, ironing in unsuitable places;
- abundance of houseplants, etc.
What is the optimum level of humidity at home?
Many people wonder what the humidity level should be in a house or room? According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, the optimum indoor relative humidity should be between 30% and 50%, but should never exceed 60%.
Other studies show that the normal level of humidity in the home (the most favourable humidity level in living rooms or the recommended humidity level) is 40-60%.
The Lithuanian hygiene standard HN 42:2009 “Microclimate of rooms in residential and public buildings” also specifies that the relative air humidity limit values should not be lower than 35 % and not exceed 60 %.
Remember that normal humidity in your home will help you maintain good health and protect your property from moisture that causes a lot of damage.
How do I determine the relative humidity in my home?
It’s much easier to find out if the indoor air is too dry: your skin loses moisture more quickly, your eyes get dry and itchy, your throat seems dry and you want to take a drink, you cough all the time, etc.
And our bodies are more tolerant of moisture. However, water vapour accumulating on windows, mould starting to grow on walls and window frames, and wooden doors and furniture being harder to close are all signs that the humidity level is too high: this is because the wood swells as it absorbs moisture.
To maintain an optimal level of humidity in your home, you should use devices that measure it. These include:
- multifunction thermometers;
- humidity meters;
- meteorological stations, etc.
In the past, when electronic humidity meters were not yet on the market, psychrometers – devices with divisions similar to thermometers – were widely used. We can certainly still find them in our parents’ or grandparents’ homes. However, these rather archaic-looking devices have now been replaced by much more accurate and professional digital humidity meters.
Today, the market is completely dominated by multi-functional devices – weather stations. A single device can measure indoor temperature, humidity and air quality indoors (and sometimes outdoors too, thanks to a special sensor fitted outside the house).
They also include air quality sensors that analyse the CO2 level around the clock and remind you to ventilate when it rises. They also include clocks with alarms and many other really useful features.
The more expensive weather stations are smart, so you can get indoor temperature and humidity data straight to your smartphone or other device.
How do I measure indoor humidity levels properly?
For a proper measurement of relative humidity, the meter should be placed in the middle of the room, somewhere on a countertop or other surface above the floor. Sometimes humidity meters are designed to be mounted on the wall, which is convenient as it allows the humidity level to be constantly monitored.
How to combat dampness at home?
Adjust your daily habits – studies have shown that the average family of 4 generates around 15 litres of water vapour. How can you reduce this amount? Use cooler water when showering, always turn on the cooker hood when cooking, cover your pots, and buy an electric tumble dryer instead of drying your laundry on a radiator.
Ventilate – a good way to do this is to open all the windows in your home wide and ventilate the room for about 10 minutes. It is very important to ventilate bedrooms after a night out as, again, a lot of moisture and carbon dioxide remains with the exhaled air.
Install a fan in the bathroom – bathroom fans are essential in bathrooms where tens of litres of water vapour are emitted, as they effectively remove excess moisture and create a healthy and pleasant microclimate.
Consider a new ventilation system or upgrading your existing one – when leaks lead to excess moisture and poor ventilation leads to mould, it is recommended to take your time and install a mini-recovery unit. Remember that fresh air is the best antidote to mould.
Use dehumidifiers – if the humidity level is too high, get a dehumidifier (also known as a dehumidifier). These are the most basic salt-based ones, but professional dehumidifiers are also available for long-lasting and excellent results.
These high-quality dehumidifiers are designed for homes and offices, industry, basements, swimming pools and more. Just pay attention to the size of the room the dehumidifier is intended for: several dehumidifiers may be needed for several rooms.
And what if the air at home is too dry?
But there’s another side to the coin: the air in your home is not only too humid, it’s too dry. Again, this is a big problem because dry air makes us feel tired more often, makes us sleep less well, dries out mucous membranes, makes our skin and lips dry and chapped, increases the likelihood of colds, because, like humid air, dry air spreads viruses more quickly, and exacerbates allergy and asthma symptoms.
Humidifiers help to solve the problem of dry air quickly and efficiently. They help maintain the right humidity levels, keep us comfortable and protect us from disease.
Read more about dry air at home and humidifiers in our next article.
