Relative Humidity is simply the amount of moisture present in the air relative to how much is can physically hold at the given temperature. Controlling the relative humidity in hour home is one of the most critical aspects of controlling mold growth and promoting healthy indoor air quality in your home. The EPA recommends keeping relative humidity levels below 60%, in my experience this really needs to 55%. In this blog post, I'll discuss what humidity is, how it affects mold growth and the indoor air quality in your home, and how you can maintain a healthy level of humidity in your home.
What is Humidity?
Humidity refers to the amount of water vapor present in the air. It is usually expressed as a percentage of the maximum amount of moisture the air can hold at a given temperature. Warm air can hold more moisture than cool air, so as temperature increases, the air's capacity to hold moisture increases. Conversely, as temperature decreases, the air's capacity to hold moisture decreases.
How can High Humidity Affect Your Home
This concept can also help you understand how you get condensation, another common cause of mold in your home. As warm humid air comes into contact with cooler surfaces, the warm air quickly loses its ability to hold the moisture, that moisture has to go somewhere so it shows up as condensation. Think of your glass of ice water, the temperature of the air surrounding your ice water is significantly warmer (At least in Florida), so as that warm air comes into contact with your water, it condenses on the outside of glass. When I am doing mold inspections, one of the things on my mind is, where could condensation show up? If you find a source of condensation, you will likely find mold.
High Humidity
Mold needs moisture to grow. That moisture can come from a number of different places, water leaks, condensation, etc. However, if the humidity in your home is too high, mold can simply survive and grow form the moisture that is present in the air. I've seen many examples of homes/businesses where humidity was left uncontrolled for an extended period of time and every surface in the house was covered in fuzzy mold. There was no leak, condensation, etc. simply a lot of moisture in the air.
Low Humidity
Low humidity is not a good thing either. If the humidity in your home is too low, it can cause dry skin, respiratory problems, and allergies. Low humidity can also cause damage to your furniture and other wooden items in your home, as it can cause them to dry out and crack. Additionally, low humidity can make your home feel colder than it actually is, which can lead to higher heating bills.
Maintaining a Healthy Level of Humidity in Your Home
The ideal level of humidity in your home should be between 30-55%. Here are some tips to help you maintain a healthy level of humidity in your home:
1. Use a Humidifier
If the humidity in your home is too low, a humidifier can help to add moisture to the air. Humidifiers come in different sizes and can be used in different rooms throughout your home. If you are using a humidifier, you should also invest in hygrometers to monitor the levels in your home. The goal would be to only run the humidifier enough to maintain levels in that 30-55% range.
2. Use a Dehumidifier
If the humidity in your home is too high, a dehumidifier can help to remove excess moisture from the air. Dehumidifiers come in different sizes and can be used in different rooms throughout your home. Once again, you are going to want to have a way to monitor the relative humidity in your home, so you do not get it too dry.
3. Open Windows and Doors
Opening windows and doors can help to improve ventilation in your home and allow for fresh air to circulate. This can help to reduce humidity levels in your home. You will want to check the outside humidity to ensure that it is not higher than what you desire inside before doing this. For those of us in North Florida and South Georgia, there are only a few weeks during the year we can do this.
4. Fix Leaks
If you have any leaks in your home, such as from pipes or the roof, it's important to fix them as soon as possible. Leaks will lead to mold growth, which can lead to health problems.
5. Use Exhaust Fans
Using exhaust fans in your bathroom and kitchen can help to remove excess moisture from the air. This can help to reduce humidity levels in your home. I also recommend to my clients to run their bathroom fan for at least 30 minutes after using the shower/tub to help reduce humidity levels quickly.
Conclusion
Maintaining relative humidity levels is one of the key aspects to controlling mold growth inside your home. If your A/C thermostat does not monitor relative humidity, purchase some inexpensive hygrometers to keep around the house. Monitor the relative humidity trends over a period of several weeks to see where you are at, then you can make a plan for adjusting as needed.
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