Corpus Christi, Texas, can experience a lot of humidity, especially in the summer. While residents are used to experiencing this outside, having a humid home is unpleasant and uncomfortable. Here are six tips for keeping the moisture out of your home and improving your indoor air quality without sacrificing your energy efficiency:
Ventilate Your Bathrooms
Ventilation is one of the best ways to get rid of moisture in your home. Most houses have vent fans in the bathroom that work by drawing out moist air from the atmosphere. This, in turn, reduces the overall humidity levels.
After you shower, make sure you take advantage of any bathroom fans you may have once you leave the room. Let them run for five to 10 minutes to get most of the moisture out of the air before turning them off.
Ventilate Your Kitchen
By using ventilation in kitchens, you can reduce moisture from cooking implements and other household utilities. Some of the biggest culprits of home humidity are the exhausts caused by your washer and dryer. Be sure to feed your utility air exhausts outside. It’s generally always important to make sure your laundry room has plenty of ventilation and airflow to prevent the further moisture in the atmosphere.
One of the easiest ways to tell if your home needs more ventilation is built-up condensation on the windows. It indicates a humidity issue.
Cook Carefully
If you find yourself in the kitchen on a regular basis, you’ll know that cooking – especially boiling – can introduce a lot of moisture into the air of your living space. Cooking can also raise the indoor temperature of your kitchen, which can lead to higher levels of unpleasant humidity.
When cooking, run your stove hood to help remove some of the excess moisture in the atmosphere. If you have a closed-off kitchen, open the doors and windows to keep airflow circulating. You should consider installing a fan for added ventilation and airflow.
Keep the Temperature Low
Cool air doesn’t hold as much moisture as warm air. Keeping your home cooler may help reduce humidity levels.
Of course, you’ll want to stay as efficiency-conscious as possible when adjusting your temperature. A smart thermostat can help regulate your home’s temperature in a reasonable and beneficial way. Plus, newer climate control units are far more efficient and accurate, so consider upgrading your system if possible.
You don’t need to turn your home arctic to get the humidity levels down. But most homeowners will notice a substantial difference once you’ve decreased the temperature a few notches.
Shorten Showers
As we’ve mentioned, bathrooms often experience a build-up of moisture due to the use of regular and often prolonged showers. To help reduce this intensive humidity and prevent it from leaking into your whole home, shorten your showers by a few minutes or using cooler water. This can make a dramatic difference in your home’s humidity levels, especially if you don’t have bathroom vents or if they aren’t particularly strong. You don’t have to rush through your shower. But a 30-minute soak is likely to lead to a large increase in home humidity levels.
Clear Your Gutters
The exterior of your home can have an impact on your home humidity levels just as much. If you have cluttered gutters with a lot of leaves and debris causing blockage, some of the water may make its way indoors. Not only can this impair your home’s indoor air quality but it can also lead to a more humid interior. Blocked gutters can cause roof damage or water puddling by your foundation when they finally overflow with more water than the soil can handle. Regular gutter cleaning should be a part of your home maintenance plan to prevent these issues.
These tips are a great way to get started on controlling your home’s humidity levels. However, If you’re still concerned about your home’s indoor air quality, schedule an appointment with the experts at Bodine-Scott. Call us today at (361) 883-9900.
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