Summer is hot, but for a place like Louisiana, it is humid too. Sometimes it’s hard to figure out which one is worse. Hot, humid air can hang over a city like a cloud that suffocates and makes life miserable during the day, but inside humidity is a different story. High levels of humidity can lead to stagnant air and water, which can lead to mold. Nobody should ever breathe moldy air inside their home so we came up with this blog for easy tips to reduce humidity and increase indoor air quality.

 

If you’re going to face a problem, it’s important that you know and understand its cause. Humidity is a broad subject that can have many different sources but here are the main causes:

Poor Ventilation:

Whether it’s in an attic, bathroom, or closet, places inside your home that lack proper ventilation are highly prone to humidity build-up and mold. This can become a major problem quickly and can easily become a nightmare to deal with.

 

Indoor Plants:

Plants require water, and watering indoor plants can turn your home into a greenhouse. Water that isn’t used by the plant evaporates and builds up in your home because it cannot escape to outside. This will create an unnatural mugginess to the air in your home.

 

Leaks:

Leaks in your home, whether it be cracks in the roof, attic, or outdoor walls, let water and moisture in. Unfortunately, it’s much easier for water to get in than it is for water to get out. Leaks that are not closed let water and mold build up at an accelerated rate.

 

Location:

Unfortunately, in South Louisiana, it will never not be humid. It’s one of the things that makes this place what it is. Acknowledging your home’s climate and weather pattern is the first step to preparing your home against the outdoors.

 

Now that you know the major causes of humidity inside your home, you can confront it with the proper solution. These tips are everything from quick, simple fixes, to long-term solutions:

 

Ventilate Your Bathroom:

If your bathroom has a window, open it after you’re done showering and turn on the fan to let the mist leave your home. Keeping your bathroom dry is a major key in the battle against unhealthy amounts of humidity.

 

Ventilate Your Attic:

Attics are very hot and humid places. Take a fan and place it in the attic to circulate the air and get the humidity flowing out of it. This will keep you from having a mini-cloud hanging over your home.

 

Find & Seal Leaks:

There could be unknown leaks in your roof that lead to your attic. There can also be minor cracks in the walls or foundation of your home. First, you must find any leaks, clean them out, dry them up, and seal them off. This will make sure that no unwanted water seeps into your home and affects the air you breathe.

 

Remove Plants:

Indoor plants are nice for decoration but they should be fake. This way, you can still obtain the ambiance and avoid the humidity. Watering living plants creates a water cycle that turns your home into a greenhouse and that benefits no one.

 

Reduce Wet Objects:

Don’t take long, hot showers and reduce the amount of wet clothes, towels, and rags that linger in your home. Increase the number of floor mats and don’t bring in wet umbrellas. These may seem like only small things you can do but they will add up to greatly benefit you.

 

Check Your Ducts & Vents:

Ducts and vents work together to create a pathway for the air to travel in your home. Make sure your ducts and vents are clean and clear to enhance air flow. Also, check your dryer to make sure it vents outside to keep the inside moisture free.

 

Invest In A Dehumidifier:

Dehumidifiers are great products that will manage the level of humidity in the air. You can set it to allow a certain level of healthy humidity inside your home. They’re perfect to put in areas where humidity may be an issue. The most obvious include bathrooms, attics, closets, or washrooms. If you are looking for a more immediate solution, purchase a DampRid. These plastic boxes contain particles that suck moisture out of the air and are great fixes for temporary leaks.

 

Fight Humidity With Lee’s

These 7 tips will keep your home moisture and mold free. They’re simple and easy things you can do to enhance the quality of air inside your home. All you have to do is get up and do something. We understand that as South Louisianans, humidity is a daily part of our lives, especially during the summer, but that doesn’t mean you have to have a negative experience.

If you have any more questions, would like anymore advice, or want to schedule an appointment, contact us today!