Is Your Home Stuffy and Humid? Try a Dehumidifier
Over the last few months, many of us have spent the majority of our time inside due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As the weather changes and you spend more time inside, you may begin to notice the humidity levels increasing in your home. Does the air feel stuffy? If is it hard to breathe or be active in your home? If you answered yes, then the humidity levels may be too high.
Not only does humidity cause bad hair days, but it can also affect your overall health and your home furnishings. One way to solve this problem is to use a dehumidifier in your home, whether it be to control the moisture in your basement or to make your living spaces more comfortable. According to the EPA, the comfortable humidity level in your home should be around 50 percent. Childers Air Plumbing & Electric in Beckley, WV, can install or service any type of dehumidifier, allowing you to live comfortably while in quarantine.
During this time, Childers Air Plumbing & Electric is still available for 24/7 service. Please call us at 304-407-6880 for questions or to schedule service.
What Causes a Home to be too Humid?
There are a few everyday appliances that can increase humidity in your home, including radiators, humidifiers, dryers, and hot water from showers. Not running your HVAC system during warmer months can also increase the humidity, because no proper ventilation or cooling is happening in the home.
Benefits of Dehumidifiers
Dehumidifiers are relatively inexpensive and can come in various sizes to suit your home or business. A few benefits of having a dehumidifier in your home can include:
- Limit dust, allergens, & mold
- Reduce odors
- Increases efficiency of HVAC system
- Keeps food fresh
- Limits chance of mold growth on clothing or drapery
- Limits insects & other pests
Our homes are supposed to be a haven from the elements. When your home feels just as uncomfortable as it does outside on a particularly humid day, a dehumidifier may be right for you. Exceedingly humid air can have a great effect on those with allergies or asthma. Talk to the technicians at Childers Air Plumbing & Electric to learn more about our dehumidification products.
Effects of Humid Air on Your Health
As mentioned above, humidity can affect your health without you even realizing it. Those who suffer from allergies or asthma may notice an increase in symptoms if their home is too humid. Humidity can also cause tiredness and fatigue, making it difficult to perform daily tasks.
High-moisture areas are a breeding ground for mold and mildew, which can both have a poor effect on your lungs. If you live in a humid area and notice mold or moisture in your home, it is best to implement a dehumidifier into your home.
Humidity can also affect your indoor air quality. As we’ve mentioned in our last few posts, air quality can have a great effect on your health. Humidity can cause an increase in dust, mold, and other bacteria, reducing air quality. Even if you have an air filter, it may be difficult to keep up with cleaning or replacing it if you see an increase in dust and other allergens.
Can Humidity Affect My Household Items?
Along with your health, humidity can also have a poor effect on your home. Clothing, bedding, drapery, and other materials can experience mold growth, foods can have a shorter shelf-life, and your walls or floors may experience mold growth and other moisture damage, as well. Once these problems begin, they can ruin areas of your home or your belongings and cost more to repair than to prevent. Reducing the humidity too much can cause exceedingly dry air that will have a poor effect on your home as well, but we’ll discuss that later.
No Dehumidifier? No Problem!
If you do not have a dehumidifier in your home, there are still ways to make the air more comfortable. A few simple tricks to decreasing the humidity in your home are:
- Use air conditioning regularly
- Use air filters to promote cleaner air & limit bacteria
- Run fans/exhaust fans
- Open windows
- Take colder showers
- Hang wet clothing or materials outside
- Leave plants outside
- Check for leaking pipes or high-moisture areas
To learn more about how to reduce the amount of humidity in your home, talk to the technicians at Childers Air Plumbing & Electric in Beckley, WV. We carry high-quality products to keep your home comfortable no matter what.
For more information on dehumidification for your home, call Childers Air Plumbing & Electric at 304-407-6880. For any future updates, follow us on Facebook and check out our site.
