Indoor humidity can be uncomfortable and can cause great discomfort when you have to work or get a few peaceful hours of sleep. Additionally, high humidity levels can result in excess moisture and dampness that can lead to the formation of mold, mildew, and dust mites.
As such, a dehumidifier or an air conditioner becomes crucial as it can help to absorb moisture from the air. However, they prove to be an expensive solution to reducing humidity levels.
Keeping this in mind, this article will list some DIY ways to control humidity and improve air circulation.
What is the Recommended Indoor Humidity Level?
Experts recommend keeping the indoor humidity levels below 60%. Any amount higher than this can lead to poor indoor air quality that can cause severe discomfort.
Luckily, you can measure your exact humidity levels with a hygrometer device. It is a very effective and easily affordable tool that helps you measure the humidity levels of your space. All you have to do is place it in a room, and it will measure the levels.
If the meter shows levels higher than ideal relative humidity, it is a sign that you need to take measures to control or reduce it.
Signs of Humidity in your Home
Too much humidity can be harmful to your health. As such, controlling the first signs of humidity is important and will save you from the trouble you may face later.
As such, here’s a list of important signs to look out for when there’s excess humidity in your indoor space:
1. Condensation
While you may have noticed and observed condensation outside your doors and windows on days when the weather is bad, the same inside your home is unusual and occurs only when there is excess moisture in a room.
This happens when the humidity level rises inside the house. Hence, this is one of the most first signs you should look out for.
2. Structural Damage
Too much humidity is often known to cause structural damage to your home.
When such is the case, you will notice that your home and its items will incur damages. For instance, wooden furniture usually warps under high humidity levels, and the paint starts chipping off from doors or windows.
Additionally, also look out for water bubbles on the outer paint of your house or for wet stains and discoloration.
3. Mold Growth
One of the most prominent signs of high humidity levels inside a room or home is mold formation. This is very easy to notice as your space starts smelling musty and unpleasant.
Generally, mold formation is very common in places like bathrooms and basements where the moisture remains stagnant and trapped.
Physical Symptoms and Disturbed Sleep
It’s surprising how too much moisture can affect your overall health.
When the humidity in your home is high, it can cause sleep problems as your body has to push harder to cool itself down. This can lead to difficulty in sleeping or staying asleep.
Additionally, it also results in other physical symptoms such as:
- Allergies
- Chronic coughing
- Difficult or heavy breathing
- Mild or severe headaches
Reasons to Remove Excess Moisture from your Home
Apart from the reasons listed above, a few other reasons for reducing humidity levels inside your home include:
Dust Mites
If you develop itchy skin and triggered allergies, then you’re most likely in the presence of dust mites. These bacteria thrive in moist and humid conditions and can trigger severe allergies and asthma.
Generally, they are found within pillows, carpets, upholstery, and mattresses.
Hence, you must maintain the indoor humidity levels below 50 percent to prevent your home from being a breeding ground for these mites.
Germs
More commonly known as microbes, they spread infections. Similar to dust mites, they are also known to multiply in warm, humid environments with poor ventilation.
Hence, keeping a check on the humidity levels is crucial as it will help keep germs, infections, and diseases at bay.
How To Reduce Humidity In House Without Dehumidifier
It is necessary to reduce humidity in your home to ensure a healthy and allergy-free living environment.
Thus, you must strive to create a natural dehumidifier through several DIY ways so as to also save yourself from investing in an expensive dehumidifier or air conditioner.
To help you with precisely this, here are some ways to create a dehumidifier with natural elements present around you:
1. Using Rock Salt
Rock salt is a non-toxic and 100% natural crystal element mined underground and taken to a special facility.
It is an excellent natural hygroscopic material that can be used to absorb the moisture present in the air inside your home.
All you need to do is use two buckets, drill holes in one of the buckets, and put it inside the other one. Thereafter, pour tons of rock salt into the bucket, and place it anywhere in your home to reduce the humidity level.
Additionally, make sure to empty the bucket once it is filled with water and repeat the process with more rock salt when required.
2. Using Baking Soda
Baking soda is another natural element with great drying properties that can be used as a dehumidifier for your home. It is usually found and used in the kitchen, but it also works excellently in absorbing moisture in the air.
Moreover, baking soda makes for a cheap and effective do-it-yourself option, especially when faced with an emergency humidity level.
When such a case arises, all you need to do is take some baking soda in an open container or bowl and place it in a humid room for it to pull the moisture from the air. Also, do note that you should place multiple containers if the room is bigger.
Not to forget, although baking soda may not be as effective as rock salt, it absorbs odors as well.
3. Using Calcium Chloride
Calcium chloride is another form of salt with similar drying properties as rock salt.
It’s great for absorbing moisture from the air, especially from larger rooms. All you have to do is use a sock and fill it up with calcium chloride, and hang it somewhere to dehumidify the room.
However, do note that you must place a bowl or container underneath as the salt turns into water once it absorbs moisture.
4. Add Indoor Plants
This can sound surprising, but some indoor plants draw moisture through their leaves instead of the roots. Hence, placing such plants in your room or space can help effectively reduce the humidity levels.
Thus, a few such plants include Peace Lilies, Boston fern, English Ivy, Reed Palm, Tillandsia, etc.
Additionally, do keep in mind that to ensure efficiency you must place these indoor plants in multiple numbers.
Lastly, you must also note that though these plants extract moisture and remove humidity, you still need to water them once a week to keep them healthy.
5. Use a Space Heater
Humidity is commonly associated with the summer month. However, there is a good chance of the humidity level increasing during the winter months as well.
But with a good space heater, you can combat both the cold and the humidity.
The dry heat and warm air help reduce the dampness and humidity inside. So, make sure that you invest in good-quality space heaters for optimum results.
6. Using Charcoal Dehumidifier
Charcoal is another excellent moisture-absorbing element that can help reduce the humidity level in your home.
It works by removing significant dampness from the air and also odor. As such, it’s ideal for places with high humidity like closets and bathrooms.
All you need is some charcoal, a screwdriver, and a container with a lid.
Using the screwdriver, drill some holes in the lid of the container and fill it with charcoal. Once that is done, put the lid on and place the container in any room.
7. Using Silica Gel
This is one of the most widely used substances to remove humidity from rooms or objects. Similar to charcoal, all you need is a container or jar with a lid, a screwdriver, and silica gel.
With the help of the screwdriver, make some holes in the lid. Now, add silica gel to the container and close the lid. You can now place this container wherever the humidity is high.
8. Ventilation
Ventilation is one of the best ways to maintain low humidity levels inside your home. Keeping the doors and windows open during mornings and daytimes can give you significant relief.
During warm summer months especially, cross ventilation is one of the best practices to allow air to pass through the space.
9. Air Conditioners
While investing in air conditioners can be an expensive journey, it is better in the long run as they help give relief from humid weather the best.
It works in the same way as a dehumidifier given that most air conditioners come with dehumidifying features.
10. Ceiling Fans
Another way of keeping the humidity low without a dehumidifier is by using ceiling fans.
Run them throughout the day to help improve air circulation. Additionally, keep doors and windows open during the day while you run the fans to allow better cross-ventilation of air.
11. Air Dry your Clothes Outdoors
One of the ways in which you may be increasing the humidity level in your home could be by drying washed clothes or dishes inside. These things can significantly impact and increase the dampness inside your room.
Instead, you should air-dry your washed laundry and dishes outside your home. This way, you won’t be trapping moisture levels inside your room, and your clothes and dishes will also dry faster.
12. Use Dri-Z-Air
It is a product made of non-toxic calcium chloride crystals and can be very helpful in keeping the humidity at bay.
It is very simple to use Dri-Z-Air as it comes in large and small bags or containers. All you have to do is purchase the Dri-Z-Air DZA-U pot made from recycled plastic. This pot contains a bottom and top part. The top part is where you can add the crystals, and the bottom part collects water.
These crystals then slowly disappear as they start absorbing moisture.
13. Avoid Boiling Water on Warm Days
Summer months can be tricky and challenging. What can make it worse is the presence of water vapor on days when it’s significantly hot. Hence, it is best to avoid boiling water on such days.
14. Avoid Taking Hot Showers
While it feels very relaxing to take a hot shower at the end of a long day, it will only add to the misery. Hot showers will release water vapor that will eventually lead to higher humidity inside your home.
Hence, you must keep your door or window open after taking a shower to allow the vapor to pass through. If you shut them right away, it could trap the moisture inside your bathroom, leading to dampness.
15. Fix your Water and Air Leaks
One of the most unpredictable culprits is water and air leaks that could be secretly contributing to the increased humidity in your space. So, take a close look and check if you have any leaking taps that need repair.
If you do, make sure you get them repaired at the earliest to prevent mold formation and foul odor.
Benefits of Dehumidifiers
Using a household dehumidifier can save you a lot of time and money that you will have to spend anyway if the humidity level damages your home.
But that’s not all, using a dehumidifier has many benefits that include:
- They ensure that the humidity level inside your space remains within the ideal range of 60%.
- They help reduce odors that usually occur when there is the formation of molds and mildew inside your home.
- Another benefit of a reduced moisture level is that your clothes will dry up quicker. Your food will also stay fresh for longer, and there will be fewer electronic and metal corrosion.
- It is also a much cheaper substitute for an AC unit. When the air gets too moist, AC units utilize more power to heat or cool your room temperature. This can eventually lead to potential damage to the unit.
- Dehumidifiers are also great devices for people with allergies. They can significantly bring down the number of allergies and asthma triggers by ensuring a supply of fresh air in your room.
- They are quiet and do not make a lot of noise while functioning. Hence, they do not disrupt your good night’s sleep whatsoever.
Best Dehumidifiers
Investing in a humidifier will be one of the best decisions you’ll make for your home and family. The options available in the market are endless, and you can choose whichever best suits your needs.
COLZER Commercial Dehumidifier140 Pint
If you’re looking for an attractive whole-house dehumidifier for your home, then this device by Colzer is the perfect choice for you. It has a tall and slim design that can fit any room.
It is a very effective dehumidifier that removes 140 pints of moisture every day and can cover an area of 6000 square feet.
It also comes with multiple modes to best suit your dehumidifying needs, such as drying laundry. You can also choose between settings like manual and automatic on this device.
Frigidaire FFAP5033W1 50 Pint Dehumidifier with Built-In Pump
- Easy-to-Clean Washable Filter: Capture dust from the air and keep your dehumidifier working efficiently with our easy-to-clean washable filter.Control Type : Electronic. Power Cord Length : 78"
- Custom Humidity Control: Maximize your comfort with customized control over the amount of humidity in your room
- Built-In Pump: Save time and energy normally spent manually emptying a water bucket. The built-in pump allows the unit to discharge moisture in an upward direction, either into a sink or out of a window
- Continuous Drain Option: Skip emptying the water bucket -- this unit continuously drains your dehumidifier so that you don’t have to lift a finger
- Automatic Shut Off: Unit shuts off automatically when the water bucket is full
If you’re low on budget but would like to invest in a dehumidifier, you can consider going for this single-room dehumidifier with tons of features.
It is built strong so that you won’t face any issues with the quality and comes with an active pump and has a capacity of 50 pints. It has a sleek design and an attractive display with 3-speed modes.
Not to forget, the humidifier comes with a 1-year warranty and a humidity sensor. This makes it one of the best devices in the market especially if you’re looking for low-budget options.
Conclusion
You will be surprised at the wonderful health effects that adequate levels of humidity can have in your life. For these reasons, you can consider investing in a dehumidifier that will allow you to have a healthy and allergy-free life.
Apart from this, you can always follow some DIY steps to make natural dehumidifiers if you don’t wish to invest in one or face a humid emergency. The options are endless, and you can choose whichever best suits you!