Follow these tips for a comfortable indoor environment that increases air quality too:
- Keep indoor humidity between 30 and 50 percent: Use a moisture or humidity gauge, available at most hardware stores.
- Install a dehumidifier in spaces that consistently have a relative humidity level that is higher than 60%: If dehumidifying a basement, consider purchasing a model designed for basement use
- When outdoor air leaks in through cracks and gaps in your home, the indoor humidity level will become closer to the outdoor humidity level: Air sealing can be done to fix this problem.
- If it is warm, turn on the air conditioner: Air conditioners get rid of moisture in the air as a by-product of cooling.
- Vent appliances that produce moisture, such as clothes dryers, stoves, and kerosene heaters to the outside where possible, and hang your clothes outside to dry in summer.
- Run the bathroom fan or open the window (if it is not humid outside) when showering.
- Use exhaust fans or open windows whenever cooking, washing dishes etc.
- Cover cold surfaces, such as cold-water pipes, with insulation to prevent condensation.
- Too many plants can contribute to higher humidity: Avoid overcrowding with indoor plants.
- Moisture problems in carpets often occur from underneath: Regularly cleaning them is the best way to prevent issues.
