Signs Your Home Needs a Humidifier or a Dehumidifier

As the seasons change from one to another, you may notice moisture fluctuations taking place in your home. Humidity levels often shift as summer turns into fall, and fall into winter. Summers in Salt Lake City are relatively dry, and almost twice as much rain falls in the autumn than in the summer. These changes in moisture levels can cause fluctuations in the relative humidity of your home.

Humidity levels in a home can have a big effect on human comfort. Homes that are too humid can grow mold, while dry homes experience problems with wood framing and furniture. These problems can be fixed by installing either a humidifier or a dehumidifier, depending on the issue.

When you know the signs that your home is too dry or too moist, you can decide what your home needs to remain a healthy place to live.

Signs Your Home Is Too Humid

Humidity in homes can be caused by leaks, poor ventilation, and poor drainage. High humidity is a common problem in newer homes, which tend not to breathe the way that old homes do. There are many signs that a home is too humid.

Condensation on the Windows

Condensation is one of the most common signs that a home has too much humidity. Condensation can form on interior windows when the temperature of the window is cold and the air inside the home is warm and humid. The more condensation on the inside of the window, the more humidity there is in the room.

Mold or Musty Smell

Mold can form on the walls of the home for lots of reasons, including leaks and ice dams. However, a patch of mold or a musty smell is a common symptom of humid air. If you've noticed that your home is prone to developing mold on the walls, and this has happened in multiple parts of the house, humidity is a likely cause.

Cupping Floors

Hardwood floors are hygroscopic, which means that they absorb water from the air. When this happens, floorboards expand. If the air is very humid, the boards may absorb too much moisture and expand until the edges of the boards push against one another. Boards take on a convex shape when this happens.

The phenomenon is known as cupping because the boards become cup shaped, with high walls and low centers.

Signs Your Home Is Too Dry

Excessively dry air is a common problem in older homes. Air flows freely through old homes; this is why they are often referred to as drafty and cold. Often, human activities like cooking and showering put water back in the air as needed, but lifestyle and habits play a big role in this.

If you run your heat a lot and cook little throughout the winter, you may develop a problem with dry air. Below are the symptoms of a dry home.

Dry Skin, Dry Throat

Your body absorbs moisture from the air, just like floorboards. When you breathe in a dry home, your throat becomes parched. When you live in a dry home, your skin becomes dry and irritated.

Cracking Wood

Wood that contains the proper amount of moisture is relatively supple. Wood that is too dry becomes brittle and can crack. You may notice this problem in your furniture, floors, and any wooden fixtures inside your home.

Excessive Dust and Static Electricity

Dry air causes static electricity to build up in your home, which in turn can cause dust to cling to surfaces like furniture. If your home is too dry, you'll notice static cling and static shocks on a regular basis.

Get a Humidity Monitor

The relative humidity of your home should be between 30 and 50 percent. If the humidity of your home falls outside this range, then it is either too dry or too moist. You can find out whether or not your home has a problem with humidity by getting a humidity monitor and paying close attention to the readings it gives.

Install your humidity monitor in a part of the house that is not often excessively humid. In other words, install your monitor away from the kitchen or bathroom. The best place to install your humidity monitor is in an open but centralized area where you frequently spend time or right next to your thermostat.

Contact Your HVAC Contractor

There are things you can do to keep your home within the range of preferred humidity. Whole-house humidifiers and de-humidifiers enable homeowners to control the humidity in their home safely and conveniently throughout the year. Have your system installed by a capable HVAC contractor who knows how to install and work these important household fixtures.

If you have more questions about how to control the humidity in your home, contact Comfort Solutions . We'll be happy to answer your questions and keep you informed about HVAC issues.