Controlling high humidity in your house
When building your home, be aware with the
humidity present in timber and other construction materials.
Some moisture problems have their origins in the use of
wetted building materials.
Building materials should be kept dry
during construction and materials that are damp or wet for 48
hours or more should be discarded.
Bad drainage:
a major structural cause of high humidity levels
Bad drainage is often a cause of moisture and
high levels of humidity. To solve drainage problems, you should
implement:
- Sloped roofs
- Sloped intake plenum: in order to eliminate the eventual
intake of rain or snow...
- Adequate ground slope: ground next to your house should slope
away from the foundation to prevent pooling of water next to the
building.
- Sufficient overhang in exterior entries: covered entries and
air intakes of your house should have sufficient overhang to
avoid moisture, rain or snow from being blown into it.
- Well cleared and opened gutters and downspouts.
Controlling indoor humidity
There are many ways of controlling high indoor
humidity. Some are simple, but others may demand structural
modifications in your home. It all depends on the origins and
causes of your particular problems.
Here are some practical tips on controlling indoor humidity:
- Whenever possible, increase ventilation and air movement by
opening doors and/or windows.
- If you use a clothes dryer, make sure that it is properly vented to the outdoors. If you do not use a clothes
dryer, then dry your clothes outdoors (do not hang them inside
for drying).
- Stoves and kerosene heaters should also be vented to the
outside, if possible
- Use vent fans in your
kitchen and in bathrooms (and other
places where water
vapor is created).
- Cover cold surfaces - cold water pipes, for instance - with
insulation.
- If practical, whenever cooking or running the dishwasher, use exhaust fans or open windows…
- Keep air conditioning drip pans clean; and keep drain lines
unobstructed and flowing properly.
- Improve the drainage concerning your home. See
Drainage strategies
- Improve your house’s
insulation and
ventilation
- Repair eventual leaking outdoor faucets and clean roof gutters
regularly.
- Use air conditioners and/or dehumidifiers when needed.
See also:
Basics on Humidity
Dry home air and Humidifiers
Controlling home's high
levels of humidity
Moisture and
insulation
Mechanical ventilation: HEV and HRV
Natural
Ventilation: cross and stack
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