Improving Indoor Air Quality with Home Moisture Control

manage humidity
manage humidity

hygrometer gauge

Nashville, Murfreesboro, Knoxville and Chattanooga TN

Managing humidity in your home is critical to maintaining healthy air quality. Too much — or too little — humidity in a home can cause poor air quality, which can damage your home and belongings and, worse, be harmful to the health of those living in the home.

Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air. For comfort and prime air quality, humidity levels in your home should be between 35 and 60 percent. The higher the moisture content in your air, the warmer your home will feel. Hot summer months like those we are experiencing in Tennessee bring with them high levels of humidity.

If you struggle with too much humidity in your home, especially during the hot summer months, our moisture control professionals in Murfreesboro are providing some important information today to help you take charge of your home and health by controlling moisture levels in your home.

What causes humidity in my home?

Moisture lingering in your home is a recipe for disaster. Moisture is brought into the home from normal, everyday activities like showering and cooking and also through leaks in ceilings, walls, faucets or sinks. It can even creep into a home from cracked windows or doors. And we’ve all been in a basement that gives off that unmistakable musty odor that’s a tell-tale sign of too much humidity.

With no way out, consistent moisture, especially in dark, damp places of your home, promotes mold and mildew growth and provides the perfect conditions for bugs like cockroaches and earwigs. 

Health effects of high humidity in a home

Environments with too much moisture promote the growth of mold and mildew spores, dust mites and other dangerous allergens. Bacteria and viruses that cause respiratory illness also thrive in environments with humidity levels that are too high.

Other health problems promoted by high humidity:

  • Difficulty breathing
  • Headaches
  • Skin and/or eye irritation
  • Aggravated asthma and/or allergy symptoms

What are ways I can control humidity levels in my home?

  1. Check exhausts/fans — Everyday activities, such as taking showers or cooking, increase humidity levels inside your home. Run exhaust fans when showering or cooking. And be sure the exhaust from the laundry dryer is in proper working order.
  2. Run a dehumidifier in areas of your home where humidity is high, or invest in a whole-house dehumidifier or one that works in tandem with your HVAC.
  3. Open windows when possible to promote air circulation.
  4. Remove standing water in crawl spaces and/or the basement.
  5. Run fans.
  6. Be sure your HVAC is in proper working order because it works to remove heat and thus moisture from the air in your home.
  7. Waterproof your basement.
  8. Invest in house plants that naturally help control humidity.

Home moisture control in Nashville and Murfreesboro, TN

Improving air quality in your home can be as simple as finding the culprit behind high humidity levels. If you feel a bit overwhelmed by it all, call our moisture-control professionals with Ameri Care Services today at (615) 823-8224, or visit us online. We can evaluate your home for ways to control humidity levels to care for your home and the health of its inhabitants.