My Home Seems Humid
Humidity can be bad for a home. Excessive moisture can crack walls, damage furniture, and ruin artwork. Yet humidity is produced everywhere in your home. It comes from the water in your shower, the damp soil in your houseplants, and a number or other areas.
Humidity can also promote mold and fungus, which can be hazardous to you and your family. The American Lung Association states that mold and fungus can trigger allergic reactions, and in general, these harmful particles can pose danger to people with respiratory problems.
In the summer, too much humidity makes the air feel hotter and makes your air conditioner work harder. And in the winter, simply adding a little humidity to the air makes your home feel warmer, so you’re less likely to turn up the thermostat.
Ideally, your home should be within the 35% to 60% humidity range. When your home is within the optimal range, you’ll be providing a healthier environment and conserving energy.
Some Rooms Are too Hot and Others Are too Cold
Indoor air quality problems can include the temperature of the air, too.
How many times have your received outrageous utility bills because your air conditioner or furnace had been running all day while you were away at work? Or how often do you walk into a room only to feel like you need to strip off a layer of clothing because it’s too hot or throw a sweater on because it’s too cool?
Out-of-date thermostats and inefficient heaters and air conditioners can radically affect your comfort level in your home and the money in your pocketbook!
Do any of these situations arise in your home? If so, it may be a sign that you have indoor air quality problems.
- You have a multi-level or split-level floor plan and only one thermostat.
- Your upstairs is “an inferno” in the summer and your downstairs is “an ice box” in the winter.
- You use expensive, noisy, and potentially dangerous portable heaters and/or fans to stay comfortable in specific areas of your home.
- You have a finished basement, attic, or new addition that is often too hot or cold to enjoy.
- The sun affects one part of your home during the summer or winter making either that area or the rest of the house unbearable.
- You have rooms with cathedral ceilings or a fireplace.
- You argue about the thermostat setting.