High Humidity Is A Sneaky Driver Of Mold Growth: 10 Ways To Avoid It

When you think about creating a healthy home, indoor air quality is hopefully at the top of the priority list. And there's one issue that factors into air quality but often gets overlooked in the home health equation: humidity.

When's the last time you thought, "Huh, I wonder what the moisture content in my home's air is?" That being said, maintaining the right humidity level is key for ensuring your home has a safe indoor environment free of mold. Summer is a particularly difficult time of the year to keep humidity in balance because of the high humidity levels outdoors.

Here's how to maintain proper humidity at home this season and beyond to make sure contaminants like mold don't bog down your warm-weather fun.

Humidity is a way to describe how much moisture (water vapor) is present in the air. "Relative humidity" is typically how we refer to levels in a home, and it's expressed as a percentage. The ratio describes the current amount of water vapor in a given area relative to the amount that would be present if the air were saturated.

The more moisture there is in the air, the higher that number will be. Warmer temperatures can hold more moisture, which is why these levels often remain high in many places during the summertime. As mentioned above, that can translate to higher levels of humidity indoors, and that is a situation we want to avoid.

When the humidity is too high, it can cause poor indoor air quality, structural issues, and microbial growth. (Mold can grow at a relative humidity level of 60%.)

However, you also don't want it to be too dry indoors! That can lead to adverse health reactions like respiratory discomfort and structural issues like wood separation.

The ideal humidity level in a home should be between 35 and 50%. Ideal humidity should be maintained not only for comfort but also for safety.

While showering, turn on the exhaust fan and crack a door or window. This will help replace all of the moisture-rich air with drier air from outside the room. Leave this on for 30 minutes after finished. For kitchens, use the exhaust fan while cooking or crack a window. If the levels do not lower, consider placing a dehumidifier in these rooms.

Whole-home dehumidifiers can also ensure high humidity levels from the outdoors do not increase the humidity level inside, particularly during warm, humid spring and summer months.

Standing water can contribute to humidity inside, so avoid it as much as possible. As soon as a spill or some sort of watery situation pops up, dry it thoroughly as soon as possible.

Chances are you've left clothes in the washing machine for longer than you should, and when you opened the door, you were met with that potent musty odor. We want to avoid this situation because damp materials left to sit in the washing machine are not only prime areas for microbial growth, but they also add to the moisture content of the air. With that in mind, dry clothes immediately after washing. However, avoid hanging them up inside because that can increase indoor humidity.

The air conditioner not only keeps your home well ventilated (which helps reduce humidity), but it also helps actively remove moisture from the air. When warm air comes into contact with the cold evaporator coils, the temperature difference causes the moisture present in the air to condense into water droplets. It's similar to water droplets forming on the surface of a chilled glass. The condensed water collects in a tray or pan located beneath the coils. All of the cool, drier air will then be blown out into the living space.

Whether it's a small or large leak, this unfortunate scenario can create excessive moisture in a home. Not only can it lead to water damage, but it also increases the humidity as it evaporates into the air. Routinely check for any issues throughout the home during the summer months (and year-round). If any problems are found, address them immediately and properly.

This will help prevent the transfer of temperature and humidity between indoor and outdoor environments. During the summer months, chances are the humidity levels outdoors are much higher than in your home. Sealing doors helps prevent that moisture from making its way indoors. Sealing windows and doors also helps prevent moisture from weather-related events like rain from getting inside. Do your best to keep windows and doors closed when it's raining.

Improperly installed gutters or a lack of maintenance can allow for moisture intrusion into the home. The more moisture there is, the higher the indoor humidity will be. Keeping gutters clean and in good shape will help prevent this watery fiasco.

When there's too little or no insulation, it can create condensation problems in the walls since the material helps separate the wide ranges of hot and cold temperatures. Summertime is a great example: When it's hot outside, the A/C will be running, and the interior of the home will be cooler. However, condensation can begin to develop when the two differences in temperature meet. Top-notch insulation that is installed correctly will help act as a barrier to prevent this. It also helps maintain temperatures inside and prevent wide fluctuations in humidity.

Opening doors throughout the inside of your home and turning on fans can help prevent humidity from settling in one area. It also helps dry out any moisture-rich situations that develop.

Carpets can retain moisture, increasing the levels within your home. Reducing this material as much as possible will help keep humidity steady.

Keeping an eye on indoor humidity can go a long way in preventing things like mold growth and poor indoor air quality. Collectively, these 10 steps will help ensure that the moisture content in your air doesn't get high enough to allow for microbial growth, cause structural issues, or negatively affect your health.