Water in your home can come from many sources.
Water can enter your home by leaking or by seeping through basement floors. Showers and even cooking can add moisture to the air in your home.
The amount of moisture that the air in your home can hold depends on the temperature of the air. As the temperature goes down, the air is able to hold less moisture. This is why, in cold weather, moisture condenses on cold surfaces (for example, drops of water form on the inside of a window). This moisture can also encourage biological pollutants to grow.
Water or frost on the inside of your windows and sills is a symptom of excess humidity inside your home. High humidity can also cause woodwork to swell, drawers and doors to stick, odd odors, and even create the perfect conditions for mold and mildew. Indoor humidity can be measured with an inexpensive humidity gauge called a Hygrometer.
This chart describes the proper indoor humidity levels when the indoor temperature is 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
| Indoor Temperature |
Indoor Relative Humidity |
|---|---|
| +20o F. | 35% |
| +10o F. | 30% |
| 0o F. | 25% |
| -10o F. | 20% |
| -20o F. | 15% |
A dehumidifier can be used to keep the humidity levels within range, however, it is very important to determine the source of the moisture.
Sources of humidity include:
- Water leaks
- Roof leaks
- Plumbing leaks
- Foundation leaks
- Dryers not properly vented to the outside
- Not running the fan when cooking
- Not running the fan when bathing
- Improperly vented crawlspace areas
- Crawlspaces without a vapor barrier to cover the bare ground
- Normal everyday sources of humidity Daily living of a family of four can add up to 18 gallons of water in a given week.
- Normal perspiration and breathing of a family of four adds about ½ a pint of water into the air every hour.
- Cooking three meals a day adds 5 pints of water into the air.
Brand new homes can have moisture problems while older homes may not.
- Newer homes are built tightly, to save energy, and have little or no air infiltration, thus they require ventilation.
- Most older homes aren’t sealed tight and can have extra ventilation through gaps and cracks. This unintentional natural ventilation typically eliminates excessive humidity.
In summary, It is important to monitor the humidity in your home
- Identify and resolve the source of any water intrusion problems
- Control moisture through dehumidification
For additional information, check out this information from the US EPA: Control Moisture in the Home