Not sure why you need to to think about humidification or better yet dehumidification? There are signs that will help tell you if dehumidification is needed.
You know you need a dehumidifier if:
- Moist or wet stains are present on walls or ceiling.
- Room feels unpleasantly stuffy.
- Windows are covered with condensation.
- Musty odors exist.
- Mold is visible.
- Excess moisture
If you’re not carful humidity can cause all type of problems from health to material that will cause more headaches then a week long seminar on tax codes. Many factors come in to play as to how much consideration you will need to put into dehumidification such as geographical location, type of construction and use. Here are a few of the finer points of dehumidification that you need to think about when conditioning a space.
Every homeowner’s worst nightmare, mold.
1. Mold Prevention
Mold is a fungal species that causes natural materials to breakdown through a process known as biodegradation. Mold can become dangerous in large quantities, putting household residents’ health at risk. Symptoms of mold allergies can include: eye and throat irritation, skin rashes, sneezing, itchy throat and/or coughing, not to mention help contribute to asthma attacks.
Moist, damp air is the ideal environment for mold to flourish (50-65% humidity), and a dehumidifier can remove the surplus moisture while preventing new mold from growing. If you or anybody in your home suffers from frequent asthma attacks or if you see mold growing in various places, then you should strongly consider getting a dehumidifier for your home.
2. Improve Air Quality
The quality of air in your home is not only measured in the amount of toxins that you may or may not be breathing in, but also by the humidity levels of the air itself. While there’s no denying that an air purifier is the most effective way to cleanse the air of potentially harmful substances, a dehumidifier does indeed play an important role in improving your indoor air quality.
In fact, no matter how many houseplants you have in your home or air purifiers running, it is impossible to keep your quality of air in your home at a healthy level if there is too much humidity.
3. Helps Eliminate Dust Mites
As we discussed above, dehumidifiers play an intricate role in improving the overall indoor air quality within your home. Not only by removing excessive levels of humidity, but also by eliminating dust mites — who may be the culprits for why you’ve been wheezing so much recently.
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Household dust mites are a common cause for many allergy-related symptoms and asthma, and they thrive in humid, warm climates. Dehumidifiers help keep the overall humidity in your house at an optimal level, therefore helping eliminate the environment in which dust mites survive in.
While you’ll likely never completely rid your home of these tiny mites, there are plenty of things you can do to keep them at bay. By creating an unfavorable environment for them to live in will go a long way in preventing the possible health-related ailments that they may cause.
4. Protects Your Home
High humidity levels can destroy your home’s structural integrity. Over time, moisture can affect the wood in your home, including the support beams, causing them to warp, crack or even split. Mold can start to grow in the wall. Metal fittings may start to rust. All because there is too much humidity in your home. A dehumidifier is an easy way to prevent your home from slowly deteriorating, while simultaneously creating a healthier living environment for your family.
5. Helps You Feel Comfortable
When moisture is present in your space, temperatures may feel warmer than they actually are. By removing moisture from the air, you will feel more comfortable without having to crank up your air conditioner. In fact, you could probably raise the temperature on your thermostat and make your home more energy-efficient, as a result. This is especially true throughout the warmest times of the year.
This article references Allergy and air.com
