Control Humidity During a Rainy Spring

As the temperatures begin to rise, the humidity levels will soon follow suit. Warmer air in the spring and summer is capable of holding more moisture making the environment inside of your home feel more humid. Combine that with heavy rains and you’re now dealing with extreme humidity levels that can create serious problems for both your home and health.

What is humidity? Humidity is the measurement of water vapor present in the air. When there is more water vapor present, the air feels muggy and sticky. When there is less, the air feels dry. The higher the temperature, the more water vapor can be held in the air. The optimal relative humidity for your home is between 40 to 60 percent.

As mentioned earlier, high humidity levels in your home can cause serious problems for your health and your home. High humidity can cause dehydration, increased congestion, and make your body overheat. It can also increase mold and bacteria growth, damage furniture, and cause the wood in your home to swell, rot or deteriorate.

Below are a few things you can do to help reduce the humidity in your home.

Install a dehumidifier.

Dehumidifiers are a great way to remove excess moisture from the air in your home. How do they work? A fan pulls warm, humid air into the dehumidifier. That air passes over a cold coil condensing the moisture into liquid. The dry air then passes over a warm coil and is recirculated back into the room. Dehumidifiers are a cost-effective and simple solution to high humidity levels. If you need help choosing the right dehumidifier for your home, Bradley Mechanical can help.

Ventilation

Ventilation is simply the exchange of air into and out of an environment. It can play an important part in controlling the humidity levels in your home. Installing ventilation fans, especially in high-moisture rooms like a bathroom, can be very helpful in removing moisture. Remember to always run your ventilation fans while showering, cooking or doing laundry. These activities often release the most water vapor into your home.

Check Your Air Conditioner

When working properly, your air conditioning system will help dehumidify the air. However, if some rooms in your home are being overcooled, it can lead to condensation which can raise humidity. Along with changing your air filters every 30 to 90 days, it’s a good idea to have your air conditioning system maintained by a Bradley Mechanical HVAC professional at least twice per year. Our technicians will inspect your system, identify any issues and tune it up to ensure it is dehumidifying the air properly.

Protecting the quality of your air is important to your health and the condition of your home. Controlling humidity levels and having a proper ventilation system installed in your home are both key to a healthy and comfortable indoor environment. That is why our HVAC experts are highly trained and very knowledgeable when it comes to keeping your home’s heating and cooling systems running effectively all year round. If you are having trouble moisture and high humidity levels in your home, give the experts at Bradley Mechanical a call at (804) 748-6728. We have been keeping Richmond homes cool and comfortable since 1969.