A little bit of humidity can be great. It can help ease your sinuses, keep your skin moisturized, and protect wood floors from cracking. However, it does not take long for humidity to get basically unbearable, particularly when it's combined with already sweltering outdoor temperatures.
If you’re tired of your home feeling like a sauna during summertime, use these tips to reduce the humidity in your living space.
1. Run Your AC Regularly
This is the simplest thing you can do to remove humidity from your home. As your air conditioner removes heat from the air that passes through it, your air conditioner also removes moisture from the air. Therefore, the air entering your home from your air conditioner is not only cooler but also less humid. If you notice an issue with your AC, give us a call right away to take a look. We can repair or replace the unit as needed, as well as install a new system if you don't already have one.
2. Ventilate in High-Moisture Areas
The areas with the most moisture in a home are usually the kitchen and bathroom. If you have an exhaust fan in these rooms, definitely make use of them.
Use your kitchen’s exhaust fan while you are cooking and for 30 minutes after you are done.
Use your bathroom’s exhaust fan while you are showering and for 30 minutes to an hour after a shower or bath. Opening a window an inch or two can also help!
3. Line Dry Laundry Outside
By line drying your clothes, you can save money on electricity and help certain fabrics last longer. However, line drying your clothes inside your home releases a lot of moisture into the air. To eliminate this problem, line dry your clothing in your yard or on your patio.
4. Cover the Dirt in Your Crawl Space
If your crawl space has an uncovered dirt floor, it’s very likely that moisture is rising up from the dirt and into your home. This problem can lead to other issues, including mold and wood rot. To prevent this, install a crawl space vapor barrier over the dirt.
5. Be Selective With Houseplants
Some houseplant varieties release a lot of moisture into the air through transpiration, which can make your home more humid. While transpiration occurs with all plants, if you’re trying to reduce humidity in your home, it’s better to select plants that are known for absorbing humidity, such as Peace Lilies, Boston Ferns, English Ivy, and Tillandsia (air plants).
6. Invest in a Dehumidifier
You can either purchase a portable dehumidifier that you can move to whichever area of your home that needs it most, or you can purchase a whole-home dehumidifier. While a whole-home dehumidifier has a higher upfront cost, it has the advantage of being able to monitor your home’s humidity levels and adjust the humidity accordingly.
Is your AC having trouble cooling your home on hot, muggy days? Our team of Canyon Lake HVAC experts is ready to provide you with service you can trust. Contact Air Care & Canyon Lake Air Conditioning today!