Here in Raleigh, we suffer from high humidity all year long. The North Carolina subtropical climate suffers with hot and humid summers, but also wet and cold winters. During the summer months, removing moisture through dehumidification is the priority. Depending on the conditions and materials in your home, in the winter you might need to control some elements to control indoor moisture and prevent costly water damage restoration.
Where you live isn’t the only factor that can affect your humidity levels. Standard home functions, such as showering or cooking, add to your home’s humidity levels. To keep your home feeling comfortable, keep the temperature around 68 degrees and relative humidity of 30 – 40% in the winter. If it is too dry from the HVAC system, you can also place water basins near your heating system. But be diligent about managing errant water on the floor– you probably need some additional tools and techniques to remove excess water and prevent water damage and restoration costs.
By installing a humidifier connected to your furnace, you can monitor and control the humidity of your home all year long. And, if you use a humidifier at home, consider turning it off in the winter, or running it less frequently than you have in the past; it may be that the air in your home isn’t so dry that this appliance needs to run constantly. Invest in a hygrometer to keep close tabs on the humidity level. Turn down the humidifier if you notice condensation in your bathroom, kitchen, or nursery. In the nursery this problem is often caused by a humidifier, which many parents use.
Purchasing a dehumidifier is an easy, inexpensive way, to remove the moisture in your home. Some dehumidifiers will need to be turned on and off, while others will come on automatically when the humidity level in the home reaches a certain point. The latest units can be controlled from your smartphone.
Consider using a moisture eliminator product. If you suspect that there is excess moisture in certain areas of your home, you can purchase a moisture eliminating product, such as DampRid. Try a bucket that you can set on your floor or in bags that you can hang in your closet.
Circulating the air can also help reduce the condensation on your windows and excess moisture. Use your existing ceiling fans, even in the winter to rotate in a clockwise direction to push warm air off of the ceiling back down to the floor. When it isn’t too cold, you can open your windows. This will release some of the warm, moist air that is trapped in the house.
Take advantage of the kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans about 20 minutes every time you cook or shower. These activities release a lot of moisture into rooms that have a lot of tile and impervious surfaces.
Raising the temperature of the windows will reduce the condensation on them. Condensation occurs when warm air hits the glass, so raise the temperature of the house slightly. You can also use blinds, curtains, or drapes to control the window temperature as well.
Adding weather stripping helps keep warm air from leaving your home and reduces condensation on your windows during the winter months. Weather stripping also helps make your home more energy efficient. Plus, well sealed windows also reduce indoor dust and pollen.
Plants release moisture into the air as they grow, so move them off your windowsill during the cold season. Plants release moisture into the air, so if you have a number of plants by your windows, moving them to a different place can help reduce condensation on the windows. And always use the proper trays to catch any overwatering mistakes.
Proven Professional Construction Service is the company to call after you discover water damage in your home. The water damage restoration technicians will arrive with the equipment and experience to correct the original problem, restore the damaged areas, and keep your family safe.
If it is not an emergency, you can also schedule ahead for preventative maintenance such as a furnace tune-up or water heater flush or slow running drain clogs. The water damage restoration experts at Proven Professional Construction Service have the knowledge, time, and tools necessary to make all the needed repairs after any water damage restoration disaster.
