Mold and Moisture Damage Thrive With One Key Ingredient — Humidity
When the air becomes too heavy with moisture, some of it will condense on surfaces in your home. This can create serious problems in your home, and is something you need to avoid. Too much humidity can cause serious problems, such as:
- Discomfort in warm weather
- Damage to wood
- Mold growth
- Condensation on windows
Not only do mold and moisture damage necessitate costly repairs, but they can also create a health risk. Mold can cause respiratory problems and trigger or exacerbate allergies and asthma. To prevent mold and moisture damage, you need to measure the humidity level in your home. In the summer, keep the relative humidity less than 60 percent. If you find it creeping higher than that, use a dehumidifier to lower it. In the winter, keep the levels around 40 percent to prevent mold and moisture damage while also preventing problems with static electricity. Lower levels are important when the temperature is cooler, because cooler air holds less moisture, leading to a greater potential for condensation.
Finally, take a look at the appliances in your home. When cooking on a gas stove, use an exhaust fan or open a window. Dryers need to vent outside your home, not into your basement or attic. If you take these precautions, you can eliminate problems with mold and moisture damage by preventing the environment that creates these conditions.
Contact Sobieski Services, Inc. to learn more about preventing high humidity levels in your home. Our goal is to help educate our customers in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC & plumbing systems).
Image Credit: Claudio Matsuoka