Maintaining the humidity in your home will prevent damp, mold, and dust. You and your family are also less likely to experience respiratory problems. Studies have found that the ideal indoor humidity level is between 30 and 50%. But there are things you could be inadvertently doing that could be affecting the humidity in your home. So, what should you be aware of and how do you keep the humidity in your home just right?

There's a leak

A damaged or broken pipe will increase the moisture in your home. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports that the typical household wastes 10,000 gallons of water in leaks every year. Even if half of this wasted water makes it into your home, the humidity levels will soar. The first thing you should do is look in common areas for leaks, such as around the sink, shower, or washing machine. If you can’t determine the cause, call in a professional plumber. They’ll use their expertise to identify the source of the leak and repair the issue. You can then do things, such as opening the windows and running the air conditioning unit, to reduce the humidity in your home.

The air-con or heating is on too often

91% of US households have air-con. Air-con is good for reducing humidity levels, but it can also cause it to drop too low. On a hot day, it’s easy to leave the air-con running for hours in a bid to keep your home cool. But, the problem with this is that the humidity could drop below 30%. One way to maintain humidity levels while your air-con is on is to use a humidifier. Humidity levels can also drop too low when the heating is on for long periods. Heating dries out the air and puts you at risk of dry skin, scratchy throat, or allergy symptoms. A whole house humidifier can be attached to your ductwork to keep the humidity in your home stable and to tackle dryness. This will blow moist air into your home so you haven’t got to worry about your home being an unsafe environment.

Your showers are too hot

The hotter the temperature of your shower, the more the humidity will rise. Thankfully, there are lots of things you can do to control this. First of all, dropping the temperature a few degrees and shortening your shower by a few minutes can make all the difference. While you’re showering, open the window in your bathroom and run the extractor fan. When you’ve finished, wipe down all surfaces, including the tiles, floor, and shower screen, to remove as much water as possible.

Humidity is a tricky issue that people often find tough to get right. By adjusting your lifestyle, keeping an eye out for plumbing issues, and actively managing it with appliances and technology, you can ensure the humidity in your home is as stable as possible.

Guest Contributor: Alicia Rennoll