What is the Normal Humidity Level in the House?
Comfort is at the top of most Canadian homeowners' priority lists. During the hot summer months, homeowners rely on their air conditioners to keep their homes cool and fresh. And during the cold winter months, homeowners count on their furnaces and fireplaces to stay warm and toasty.
But do you know what you should do if your home is too humid? What about if your home isn't humid enough? Having the right humidity level is important, as it helps you keep your family comfortable and healthy. Maintaining the right humidity level can also help prevent avoidable issues, like condensation and mold, from damaging your home.
This leads to today's question, "what should the humidity be in the house throughout the year?"
Continue reading to learn the answer!
What should the humidity be in the house throughout the year?
Do you want to keep your family healthy and comfortable? Then you should take a moment to assess the humidity level in your home.
The ideal relative humidity in a house varies from season to season:
During the winter, you should try to maintain a relative humidity level of 30%. In the summer, you should aim for a humidity level of 50%. This is useful information if you’ve been wondering, "what should the humidity be in the house throughout the year?".
Maintaining a normal humidity level in the winter can help homeowners prevent condensation. Large amounts of condensation can cause certain aspects of your home, like wooden window trimming, to absorb excessive amounts of moisture, which can cause them to rot.
Additionally, too much condensation can lead to mold, which can further damage your home and potentially compromise your family's health.
Now that you've learned the ideal humidity level for your home in the summer and winter, it's time to learn how to test the humidity levels in your living space.
How do you test the relative humidity in a house?
Testing the relative humidity levels in your home is surprisingly easy; all you need is a nifty tool called a hygrometer.
Hygrometers are useful tools that allow homeowners to assess the humidity levels in various rooms in their homes. These tools are relatively inexpensive and can be used to test the humidity level of most homes (this depends on the size of the living space), thanks to a natural phenomenon referred to as evaporative cooling.
Remember that you need to calibrate your hygrometer before you use it if you want to get the best results.
How to get a good humidity level for your house without breaking the bank
Now that you know the answer to the question, "what should the humidity level be in a house?", you most likely want to start making some necessary changes. But how do you alter the humidity level in your house?
It's pretty simple!
All you need to do is make use of the following tips if you want to change the humidity levels in your house. These tips are straightforward, cost-effective and easy to implement, so practically anyone can try them out.
How to increase the humidity levels in your home
Is the air in your house too dry? You can use the following tips to obtain normal humidity in a house:
- Purchase a humidifier for problem areas in your home
- Air dry wet clothing inside to release moisture into the air in your home
- Boil a pot of water on your stove when the air in your home feels too dry
- Decorate your home with tropical houseplants to increase the humidity levels
Making use of these tips can help you increase humidity, improve air quality and save money throughout the year.
How to decrease the humidity levels in your home
Is your home too humid? Then your property may be at risk of humidity-related issues, like mold. If you want to decrease the humidity in your home, feel free to try out these valuable tips and tricks:
- Purchase a dehumidifier for your home
- Try taking shorter showers with cooler water
- Turn on your kitchen exhaust fan while cooking meals and boiling water
- Use fans in rooms that are prone to excessive humidity
- Replace your HVAC units' filters on a regular basis
- Get your HVAC systems professionally maintained once or twice a year
Although some of these tips may require you to make changes to your daily routine, it'll be well worth it! It won't be long before you notice a considerable difference in the humidity levels in your home.
Does home insurance cover mold damage caused by high humidity?
This is an interesting question. Home insurance providers can cover mold damage, but there are specific stipulations.
For instance, if the mold was caused by a sudden, unforeseen risk (that's listed on your policy), then your home insurance company can cover all or a portion of the related expenses.
However, if the mold is the result of something gradual and avoidable (like condensation caused by high humidity levels in a home), then you most likely won’t qualify for coverage.
With this in mind, you can see why it's essential to maintain a good humidity level for your house.
Check out this blog or speak with a Surex insurance advisor to learn more.
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