Even in modern housing, it is often necessary to get rid of high humidity in the apartment. Such a microclimate is not only unpleasant but can cause various problems, including human health. Dampness causes mold. It is the reason for the development of allergies in people, poor health. The fungus also affects the room’s aesthetics, and it can be quite difficult to remove it.
Contents
The normal level of humidity in the apartment and how to measure it
The normal level of moisture vapor content for different rooms may differ slightly, but its indicator should be at the level of 40-60% in general. For the work area, office, and library, humidity of 30-40% is more acceptable. In the bathroom and kitchen, the level will always be higher.
The humidity for the apartment changes throughout the year. After turning on the heating batteries, its indicator drops. However, its level often remains high for reasons independent of the weather.
According to SNiP, the maximum allowable level of water vapor in the room is 65%. According to the standards – 40-45%, the maximum allowable is 65% in the winter months.
Relative humidity has two indicators: optimal and acceptable. The second is the maximum possible level, which does not greatly affect health, but can lead to deterioration in well-being and performance;
You can measure the exact level of humidity using special devices. Electronic sensors are now available that additionally measure temperature. They are called household meteorological stations. If it is not possible to purchase a device, it is determined by improvised means.
. You need to take a glass, fill it with water and cool it for three hours to a temperature of 5 degrees. Then put the glass in the room away from heating systems. After a while, condensation appears. If it evaporates quickly, the humidity is low. If it remains on the vessel walls, it is normal, and if it starts to drain in trickles, it is very high.
. If you put it in a very dry room on a spruce cone, then the scales will dry out and open. In a room with a high concentration of moisture, the scales will close together.
. The glass constantly sweats, and water flows from them, black fungi appear on the frames – the humidity is too high.
. A high level of moisture in the air was felt. The clothes become unpleasant to the touch. They do not dry out to the end. The floor also dries for a long time after cleaning.
Thus, the normal values are:
. Temperature – 20-24 degrees,
. Humidity – 40-60%,
As the temperature rises, the moisture is felt more strongly. The warmer the room, the more water the air can absorb. In addition to finding moisture in the atmosphere, it is absorbed by furniture, books, air conditioning. Indoor plants actively release moisture, especially those in need of frequent watering.
Causes of high humidity in living quarters and how to fix it
Before taking measures to normalize the microclimate, you need to find out why this problem arose.
Improper or insufficient ventilation
When building houses, a prerequisite in the design of ventilation ducts – they help circulate air inside the room and regulate the microclimate. Violations in construction can lead to the fact that ventilation is installed incorrectly or is absent altogether. In older buildings, mines can become clogged with debris, which slows down the movement of air. As a result, there is increased humidity in the house.
In recent decades, property owners have preferred to install plastic windows. Trying to keep warm, they do not open them. High-quality plastic windows do not allow air to pass through. Older models do not have micro ventilation holes. As a result, there is no air movement in the room.
What to do if the apartment has poor ventilation:
. Check ventilation openings, clean them regularly.
. Open windows or put them in micro-ventilation mode. It is not recommended to keep windows closed at all times. In the summer, air conditioners often work. Still, together with the creation of coolness, the microclimate is disturbed because the air circulates inside the room, so ventilation is necessary even if cooling systems are installed in the house.
There is no air ventilation in a tightly closed room, which means that favorable conditions are created for the development of mold and pathogenic bacteria, and a specific smell appears.
Thermal imbalance
The air in the room is heated and cooled. Moreover, it should circulate normally. In small rooms, it mixes well, and its temperature and humidity remain constant. In a large space, the air temperature may vary from place to place. When calculating the heat balance in a room, external and internal factors are taken into account. Correct installation of heating systems and air distribution is important. Other heating surfaces, such as gas stoves in your home, also affect the heat balance. The heating from the sun through the windows and the wall surfaces’ thickness is also taken into account.
To properly design air conditioning and ventilation systems, it is necessary to study all the factors affecting indoor temperature change.
Suppose the humidity in the house is disturbed due to an incorrect thermal balance. In that case, it is necessary to pay attention to the sealing of the walls and the installation of heating devices to help air circulation.
In some apartments, one room is very cold and the other warmer. In a cold room, the humidity will be higher, condensation will accumulate on the windows, and mold will appear on the walls.
Often there is a violation of the thermal balance when the temperature is low near the floor and high closer to the ceiling. A fan should be turned on to help stir the air. Besides, it is important to properly insulate the floor so that the cold from below does not penetrate into the house.
Poor-quality heat and waterproofing of the apartment
One of the reasons for the increased humidity is errors in design and construction, as a result of which the thermal and waterproofing in the apartment are broken. As a result, it is very cold in the room in winter and overheats in summer. The presence of seams at the joints, the use of low-quality finishing materials, and the penetration of water from neighbors contribute to maintaining a constant high humidity. This problem is often seen in old and wooden houses. As a result, a musty smell, mold appears, which can be quite difficult to eliminate.
Before you start to deal with high humidity, it is important to remove the causes of its appearance.
. If you have a private house, pay special attention to the floor – it is better to concrete or cover it with polymer materials. The earthen option is the reason for the increase in humidity.
. Walls can be painted with water-repellent paint and special plaster to prevent the appearance of fungus.
. Remove cracks, thoroughly seal the joints. In wooden houses, the source is the joints between the logs.
. In apartments made of foam blocks, bricks, in addition to properly equipped hydro and thermal insulation, air dehumidifiers are used. Some air conditioners have this built-in function.
Humidity problems are common in new homes. It is necessary to carry out competent repairs, immediately identify problem areas and remove flaws during construction.
Presence of a moisture source
Humid air in an apartment or house happens because there is a source of moisture in the room:
. Bathroom and poor ventilation in it;
. A kitchen where food is often prepared;
. Faulty plumbing;
. Poor roof insulation – this is especially true for upper floors;
. Passage by a number of groundwater sources;
. Basement;
. Water leakage from neighbors;
. The presence of a large number of indoor plants;
. Indoor aquarium installation;
If the reason is in the bathroom, you should improve air circulation in it: install a fan, clean the ventilation holes and grilles. If you open the door in the bathroom, the humidity will decrease, but there is a possibility that it will rise in other nearby rooms.
In the kitchen, especially when preparing food, it is important to keep windows or vents open. Timely repairs eliminate plumbing malfunctions.
It is also not worth striving to lower the humidity too much – dry air adversely affects the microclimate, human health, and interior items.
A comfortable stay in a room is determined, first of all, by humidity. For good health, indicators of 45-65% are sufficient. More than 70% is humid air in the apartment, which negatively affects the inhabitants of the house and the furniture and supporting structures.
Moisture above the norm creates ideal conditions for the multiplication of various bacteria, fungi, and mold. These microorganisms release into the air a huge amount of spores that enter the human respiratory system as a result: constant illness and poor health of the inhabitants of your home.
What does high humidity lead to?
Even if there are only small streaks on your walls, black dots – it’s time to “sound the alarm.” Experts have proven that harmful bacteria multiply within 24-28 hours after emergence.
Moisture leads to the formation and spread of:
- Bacteria – colonies of these microorganisms live on plaster, parquet, slabs. Antibacterial agents most often cannot cope with the entire volume of parasites without completely destroying them.
- Mold – leads to the development and exacerbation of respiratory and allergic diseases. Mold is often the culprit for poor health and frequent ill health in both adults and children.
Another “pest” is dampness. Due to its presence in the house, seasonal illnesses, as well as allergies and SARS, are aggravated. A damp room is ideal for the development of infectious diseases. Young tenants – children – are the first to suffer from abnormal moisture.
The effect of high humidity on children
This is one of the main factors that significantly affect the health of kids or schoolchildren. Normal air humidity in an apartment for a child (from a newborn to a teenager) is 40-60%.
Excess can lead to serious health problems such as:
- Bronchial disease;
- Headache, migraine;
- Runny nose, general malaise;
- Stomach upset;
- Nosebleeds;
The abnormal humid air processes lead to the formation of dampness and a decrease in temperature in the dwelling, which is especially undesirable in the winter and off-season. At this time, the main problem is hypothermia in babies, which invariably leads to regular colds. With normal moisture levels in the room, children breathe without difficulty, there is no runny nose, and bronchitis and cough are quickly cured.
Who else is at risk?
Too humid air is contraindicated:
- Allergy sufferers;
- Elderly people;
- suffering from diseases of the cardiovascular system;
- Hypertensive patients with atherosclerosis;
An increase in the rate of moisture can lead to the worsening of ailments or the formation of new ones. It is usually difficult for a person to understand the cause of these diseases, he undergoes drug treatment, but after it ends, the symptoms return again. High humidity indoors is the main cause of ailments.
In people who have lived in such conditions for a long time, doctors ascertain irreparable changes in the respiratory organs, which lead to the formation of asthma and tuberculosis. Excess moisture is one of the factors leading to malaise, weakness, and constant fatigue.
The harm of warm humid air
Moisture is especially acute at high ambient temperatures. A dangerous property of humid air is that it makes a person feel hot. The body secretes sweat in an attempt to cool itself. But in the case of abnormal humidity, it does not work as a “cooler” of the skin, but on the contrary, the whole body continues to heat up, which leads to the loss of water and beneficial microelements.
The high temperature and humid air in the room lead to overheating and dehydration. It is worth remembering that with high humidity in the room, physical activity and training (if it is, for example, a gym) are prohibited. People of any age can be at risk, even young and physically healthy people.
High humidity combined with elevated temperatures in a residential area can lead to:
- Cramps, muscle spasms;
- Fainting and falling blood pressure;
- Fluid loss and increased body t;
- Lethargy, confusion, disorientation;
Humid air is a “denser” inconsistency than cool or normal air. A person begins to physically feel how the air literally “sticks” to the body, causing discomfort and the above negative consequences.
The harm of humidity to the room
Abnormal moisture brings “troubles” not only to household members but also to the interior. The higher it is, the faster molds develop.
From moisture appear:
- Black spots on the ceiling and walls, especially in the corners;
- greening on the surface of the wallpaper;
- Unpleasant odors in the home;
Increased moisture leads to deformation of the parquet, “swelling” of doors, which are difficult to close/open. Even the things in the closet are not “insured” from dampness, which leads to their deterioration and dilapidation. Fungi and bacteria attack any wooden structures. Mold especially loves pictures and musical instruments. Dampness disappears, cereals and products in the kitchen.
Traditionally, rooms with high humidity are:
- Kitchen – while cooking;
- Bathroom – in the process of taking bath procedures;
- Pantry – due to lack of access to sunlight;
- rooms with aquariums, many indoor flowers;
- rooms where linen is dried;
- Basements and attics;
First of all, mold and mildew attack the bathroom. It is warm and humid here – ideal conditions for the development of pathogens. Black bloom is especially noticeable on tiles near the bathtub and sink. In the kitchen, chopping boards, a bread bin, a refrigerator are “under attack.” The danger is that microbes easily enter the digestive tract immediately during a meal.
In practice, any room (bedroom, living room, corridor, and nursery) can suffer from dampness and mold. Residents of the first floors, “Khrushchev’s,” new buildings especially suffer from this. Corrosion and rust on furniture and equipment are inevitable for structures located in the humid air.
How to eliminate excess moisture?
To begin with, it is worth carrying out a few simple manipulations:
- ventilate the room;
- check the condition of the plumbing;
- assess the state of ventilation;
- use climatic equipment.
Dehumidifiers or so-called dehumidifiers have been developed to combat humid air, which can be used in private housing, apartment, and office. Such devices not only eliminate the excess moisture but also control its performance. The operation of a dehumidifier is based on moisture condensation during the interaction of air and a cold surface. Simply put, air from the room enters the evaporator, moisture condenses, and the dry airflow returns to the apartment.
Moisture absorbers can help solve the following problems:
- reduce the humidity in the apartment;
- create comfortable conditions in the room;
- clean the room from dust and bacteria.
Factors contributing to the increase in humidity
Unfortunately, it is much more difficult to eliminate dampness in an apartment building than in a private one – if in the latter it is enough to provide normal ventilation or install heat-insulating materials to solve the problem, then in the case of an apartment, everything is much more complicated.
One of the most adverse consequences of constantly high air humidity is the appearance of a fungus that destroys the building and leads to the occurrence of numerous diseases in humans.
The most common causes of high humidity are:
. Poor quality of insulation between the foundation and the wall;
. There is a leak in the pipes located in the basement.
. Insufficient ventilation; It often happens that the apartment’s ventilation is either poorly debugged or absent a priori. Most often, residents themselves impede normal ventilation by wallpapering the ventilation holes. In addition, it is unsafe and prohibited by the regulations of the housing and communal services.
. Unscrupulous neighbors or a leaky roof; And if in the latter case you can at least see traces of water leaks, then the intrigues of the neighbors from above can be physically unnoticed – unless, of course, there was a full-fledged flood. The thing is that water does not always seep through the ceiling and enters the apartment located one floor below. The overlap absorbs small portions. Or the suspended plastic ceiling may not miss it. It is these situations that create high humidity with all the ensuing consequences.
. The presence of poorly sealed inter-wall seams; if during the repair work violations were made, including the finishing and plastering of the walls, you will not have to wait for normal humidity either;
. Basement flooding; the reason for this can be a burst pipe and the usual flooding with meltwater; It is enough for the water to stand in the basement for several months, and the fungus appears on the first floors.
. Breakage of a pipe built into the wall. An accident of such a plan poses a great danger to the whole house because dampness will be not only in the apartment where the leak has formed but also in all the others. The current situation is also problematic because access to such pipes is difficult – they are inside the boxes, and it will not be possible to quickly determine the leak’s place.
. Incorrect installation of any equipment, one way or another, related to water. A constantly flowing tap or even a banal accumulation of condensate on the toilet cistern – all these things will cause dampness.
Defects that cause the presence of high humidity are hidden in the first stages of construction. And, if in the case of private homeownership, everything can be fixed, then the apartment owners have a more difficult time.
Attempts to physically eliminate mold and other consequences of high humidity will not bring the desired result. High humidity in the room – the main cause of this problem, remains unresolved.
Developers often make gross mistakes, forcing apartment owners to struggle constantly with high humidity and consequences. Moreover, a long stay in such a room can adversely affect the health of all household members.
The most common diseases in people who stay in an apartment with high humidity for a long time are bronchial asthma, tuberculosis, and aspergillosis.
In theory, the management company should deal with eliminating problems of this kind, but not all of them are conscientious about their obligations.
There is one effective way to identify the source of excess moisture penetration. Take a flat piece of glass and lean it against the wall closely. After a couple of days, remove the glass.
If, after removing, there is moisture on the wall’s surface against which it was leaned, it penetrates into the apartment from the street. If the surface remains dry under the glass, it is necessary to look for a source of dampness in the apartment walls.
We also recommend reading our other article, where we talked in detail about the effect of air humidity on human health.
Effective ways to reduce moisture
And yet, the problem of high humidity in the apartment can be solved. Several ways to deal with it are discussed in detail below, which will not be difficult to implement. To achieve the desired result, it makes sense to simultaneously use several of them.
In order to make sure that the humidity in the room is exceeded, we suggest using the following devices.
Option number 1 – airing the apartment
The proposed method of air drying is simple and affordable, but at the same time, it is quite effective. Please note that you only need to ventilate the room in dry and windy weather – otherwise, the event loses all meaning.
It is especially important to ventilate after cooking, taking water procedures, washing, or general cleaning, accompanied by the use of a washing vacuum cleaner.
Airing is the simplest but, at the same time, very effective way of dealing with high humidity in the apartment. Also, by ventilating the room, you provide an influx of fresh air enriched with oxygen.
An interesting point about how to reduce the humidity level in the apartment in summer, spring and winter; everything is very simple – to solve the problem, if the humidity is high, but not too much, a powerful fan will do.
Using this device, you can dry the air in the room – it is not always possible to ventilate it.
Option number 2 – heaters and dehumidifiers
If the room’s humidity exceeds all permissible limits and you constantly feel dampness, you will have to think about buying household dehumidifiers. Unlike industrial devices, these are compact and quiet. And they should not work constantly – for a successful fight against humidity, it will be enough to turn on the device 2-3 times a week.
The use of heaters in the cold season, outside the heating season, provides pleasant warmth and reduces the humidity in the room.
In the cold season and in early spring, heating devices are perfectly saved from dampness. The heat emitted by them significantly dries the air – but here, you need to be careful because there is a risk of over-drying it.
In order not to overdo it in the fight against high humidity, do not use heaters during the heating season.
Option number 3 – modern finishing materials
Would you like to protect yourself from moisture for a long time? Prepare for a major overhaul.
The use of unnatural materials contributes to an increase in humidity in the apartment, so it makes sense to avoid the use of plastic and other types of finishes that retain moisture whenever possible.
Carrying out “drainage” repairs involves the following activities:
- Removing the remnants of the previous finish;
- Eliminate, if possible, a source of increased dampness.
- Using a heat gun-this allows you to dry out the very walls wall.
- Carefully seal all possible sources of high humidity. First of all, you need to pay attention to the walls’ joints and the floor seams. For this purpose, the slots are poured with cement mortar and twice treated with hydro – and bio-protective compounds—the most commonly used silicone-based sealants.
- Walls should be treated with a water-repellent primer or biosensor. The ideal option is to use both.
- The prepared room must be finished with moisture-resistant plasterboard – one that has a green tint. The thickness of drywall sheets is about 10–12 mm.
For interior decoration of a dwelling with high humidity, use non-woven wallpaper with vinyl spraying. This coating effectively resists moisture.
Moreover, when cleaning, non-woven wallpaper can be wiped with a damp cloth; if you don’t want to use non-woven wallpaper, compact vinyl wallpaper will do.
Coating with acrylic paint not only prevents an increase in air humidity in the apartment and protects against fungus but also looks great, allowing you to bring any design solutions to life.
Acrylic paint and putty are a combination ideal for treating walls in rooms with high humidity. Acrylic itself is highly water-resistant, and when mixed with putty, it provides a reliable water-repellent film.
Another suitable decor option for wet rooms is ceramic tiles. But its high price limits the scope; therefore, in the overwhelming majority of cases, the scope of its use is limited to the kitchen and bathroom.
Although, if funds permit, it is possible to tile the living rooms, only the tiles themselves should be larger than those used to prevent the increase in humidity in the rooms mentioned above.
Option number 4 – tablets for dampness
An effective remedy is special absorbent tablets. For example, Ceresit “Stop Moisture,” Henkel “Stop Moisture”; are used in a set with a desiccant – a container where the saline solution formed from the absorbed moisture flows down. The proposed tool can absorb about 0.4 liters of water per month.
Using dampness tablets is perhaps the easiest and most effective way to deal with constantly high humidity in the room. They turn out to be ineffective only in the most advanced cases when major repairs are needed.
Please note that the room area in which the absorbent tablet is used cannot be more than 20 square meters. M.one tablet can be used within 2-3 months.
Option number 5 – folk remedies
If the humidity in your apartment is slightly exceeded and the dampness is not particularly felt, at least it does not lead to the occurrence of fungus.
Or the problem is acute, and you need to solve it urgently, but when you do not have enough money to start a full-fledged repair, you can try to deal with high humidity in the room with folk remedies.
Products with absorbent qualities
Foods with proven absorbent properties are:
. Salt;
. Sugar;
. Rice groats;
. Coffee beans;
You do not need to put bags of salt, rice, or sugar right in the middle of the rooms. It is quite enough to pour the above products into small containers and place them in inconspicuous places – under the bed, on the chest of drawers, etc.
From coffee beans, you can get not only a delicious and refreshing drink but also an excellent remedy for combating high humidity in an apartment.
At the same time, you need to remember that using sugar as moisture – absorbing agent is fraught with the attraction of unwanted neighbors to your home – all kinds of insects like cockroaches, ants, etc., which are much more difficult to fight than with high humidity.
Therefore, it is better to use any other products as absorbents of natural origin. By the way, with the help of coffee beans, you can make a beautiful decorative composition in a glass thicket – for this, it will be enough to add other bright components there.
Using silica gel
Silica gel is a compound that can be found in sachets in many industrial products made from genuine leather (shoes, bags, wallets). The compound perfectly absorbs moisture. The only thing is that the amount of silica gel you get with shoes and other leather goods will obviously not be enough to reduce the room’s humidity.
Who would have thought that with the help of these small bags, you can solve the problem of high humidity in your home?
You can buy an absorbent at a pet store – where silica gel is sold as a component for cat litter. When working with silica gel, be extremely careful: under no circumstances should small children have access to the silica gel balls, who want to try everything “to the teeth.”
The ideal option is to use silica gel, not in bulk, but to spread out fabric bags filled with this material.
Calcium chloride, coal, and quicklime
If high humidity is observed exclusively in non-residential areas of your apartment – pantry, vestibule, balcony, then it is permissible to use the substances listed above as absorbents. But in no case should they be used to reduce the humidity of the living room – this can cause a sharp deterioration in households’ health.
The principle of using the substances listed above as absorbents is extremely simple. Calcium chloride, charcoal, and quicklime are poured into containers previously placed in the corners of a damp room.
That’s it, nothing else is needed – after six months, the composition of the containers will need to be replaced because the substance will be saturated with moisture to the limit.
Coal can become not only fuel for a fireplace but also a means of combating high humidity. Use only large sheets and do not break them.
The safest option for reducing humidity in living rooms is charcoal. However, care must be taken to ensure that it does not become a source of coal dust: this will adversely affect households’ health.
Choose only large pieces of coal and never place coal in walk-through areas. Lime is suitable for reducing humidity on a loggia / glazed balcony. If you will use calcium chloride as an inexpensive absorbent, do not forget to dry it thoroughly in the oven and then grind it before use.
Indoor flowers in the fight against moisture
Many do not even realize that some plants effectively absorb moisture, so indoor flowers can solve the problem with increased dampness!
So, if you wish, you can combine business with pleasure – having got indoor flowers that absorb excess moisture from the air. Please note that not all plants can absorb moisture effectively.
Naturally occurring absorbents include:
. Geranium;
. Spathiphyllum;
. Fern;
. Myrtle;
. Lemon;
. A coffee tree;
. Laurel noble;
. Syngony;
Only geraniums can be grown at home because all the other plants listed above need abundant watering.
Geranium will not only decorate your apartment but also protect your household from high humidity in the room.
Accordingly, they can easily become a source of dampness and even the mold’s appearance in the room. Especially if there are several flower pots on the same windowsill;
Recommendations for dealing with dampness
It is very important to dehumidify the apartment’s air even if the dampness and high humidity themselves do not bother you.
The fact is that these conditions contribute to the emergence of mold – dangerous fungi, the vital activity of which can cause serious diseases in humans, as well as provoke damage to property and materials used to decorate the premises.
Only an integrated approach to the problem of high humidity in an apartment will ensure the desired result’s achievement. It is also not worth over-drying the air – this can cause problems of a different nature.
If you missed the moment and are already struggling not only with the increased level of moisture in the apartment but also with the consequences of this phenomenon;
Or are you thinking about taking preventive measures aimed at preventing an increase in humidity? It makes sense to follow the tips listed below:
. Do your best to identify the causes of the high humidity and try to eliminate them. Otherwise, the fight against increased dampness will be permanent;
.Be sure to ventilate the rooms after any manipulations in one way or another related to the abundant use of water – this is true about washing, cooking, and hygiene procedures.
. If there is no desire to keep the windows open for a long time in winter, and there is, by and large, no special need for this – the ingress of snow into the house will not bring a decrease in humidity, the easiest way is to use the tactic of “extreme ventilation – open the windows completely, but for only 2-3 minutes;
. Install a hood and use it daily – at least 30-40 minutes, even if you are not preparing food;
. Systematically heat the house during the cold season – at least until the district heating is turned on. Remember: saving on heating is fraught with the appearance of fungus and the need to fight it. Believe me. It is better to dry the air a little than to allow an increase in humidity;
Use plastic double-glazed windows with built-in ventilation – absolute tightness becomes the reason for a significant oversaturation of the room with moisture.
The installation of double-glazed windows that do not have built-in ventilation often turns into an increase in humidity in the apartment – especially if the hostess practices drying clothes indoors.
It will also help use an air conditioner with an air purification function and a function that regulates humidity.
Useful the topic
How to get rid of humidity in a room with a moisture absorber:
An increase in humidity is not as dangerous in itself as the consequences that it is fraught with – a constant feeling of dampness, the appearance of a fungus, the incidence of household diseases, and other very unpleasant things. Only an integrated approach to solving the problem can normalize the air humidity in the apartment.
Have you had high humidity problems in your living area, and how did you manage to cope with them? Please share your experience with our readers. The communication block is located under the article.
In winter, the humidity level in the apartment drops to 15–20%. And that’s bad. Why?
Firstly, because dehydrated air dries out the skin and mucous membranes, it contributes to decreased immunity and the development of diseases such as sinusitis and sinusitis. By the way, young children are especially sensitive to its effects.
The second reason is that insufficient moisture damages plants, books, wooden furniture, and musical instruments.
You can measure air humidity using a special device – a hygrometer. If you don’t have one, use the next method. Fill a glass with cold water and leave it in the refrigerator until the liquid’s temperature drops to 3-5 ° C. Then remove the glass and place it in the room away from the batteries. Observe the glass surface for five minutes. Evaluate the result in this way:
. If the glass walls are first fogged up and dry after five minutes, the air in the room is dry.
. If the glass is still fogged up after five minutes, the humidity is medium.
. If streams of water appear on the glass, the humidity is increased.
Is the air dry? Then use one of the following tricks to restore normal moisture levels.
Use the bathroom
It is probably one of the easiest ways; leave the door to the room open every time you shower or bathe. Vapors will penetrate into the apartment and humidify the air.
You can also not immediately drain the water from the bath, but let it cool down first: this will increase the steam.
Dry things in the room
Another way that does not require any effort from you; Just to place the dryer with the washed items next to the radiator: clothes will dry faster, and the air will be saturated with moisture.
A similar way to humidify the air is to hang wet towels over the radiator. You can extend the life of such a humidifier by using a water bottle.
Boil
All you need is a stove and a saucepan or kettle.
. Option: 1. Bring water in a saucepan to a boil and place it on a table or windowsill so that the steam will humidify the apartment.
. Option: 2. Boil the kettle and leave it on low heat for longer evaporation. This technique can be used when preparing food (the air often gets dry at this time).
You can also add a few drops of tea tree oil or eucalyptus oil to the water. Their scent is soothing, and the vapors kill germs and reduce the risk of colds and flu. You can also throw cinnamon sticks, herbs, or other spices into the water to create a fragrant air.
Place the containers with water around the apartment.
You can do it without boiling. Just fill vases, bottles, and other containers with water and place them near heat sources. If you add stones and flowers, you get a beautiful composition – the guests, most likely, will not even guess that these are not decorative elements but homemade humidifiers. Just do not forget to periodically wash the containers and change the water.
Get indoor plants
House flowers not only humidify the air but also ionize it. Some are also excellent at cleaning and disinfecting.
The following plants give off a lot of moisture:
. Nephrolepis (home fern);
. Fatsia;
. Cyperus;
. Sparmania (indoor linden);
. Ficus;
. Dracaena;
. Hibiscus;
Set up an aquarium or fountain
Both of these decorative elements also moisturize the air. Of course, buying them specifically for this purpose is irrational. But if you want to have fish or decorate your house with a small fountain, you should not forget about this additional property.
Ventilate and do wet cleaning
Even in winter, it is not superfluous to ventilate the apartment 2-3 times a day to maintain a comfortable humidity level. Well, you probably know yourself that you need to dust off and wash the floors from time to time.
Important to remember
High humidity in an apartment (more than 70%) is no better than dry air. It promotes mold and allergies. And it just creates an unpleasant feeling of dampness. So don’t overdo it with hydration – and the strength will be with you!
Why high air humidity is dangerous
The normal indicator for the relative humidity in the living area is 45-60%. This moisture content is considered optimal for maintaining human health and, therefore, the most comfortable. If the humidity level exceeds 70%, the fungus appears, and associated diseases begin to develop. Unfortunately, in many living quarters, factors sometimes arise that lead to an increase in dampness.
One of the reasons for the increased air humidity may be condensation on plastic insulating glass units.
Causes of high humidity
Air humidity will increase if:
. You live on the first floor of a multi-store building, and the basement is flooded under it (although sometimes it is enough just the closeness of the apartment to a too damp subfloor);
. Ventilation does not work well or is absent at all;
. The neighbors flooded you from above;
. The seams between the walls are not sealed; there are cracks under the doors and window frames;
. New ventilation ducts made for the installation of household appliances block the main ventilation, which is an installation error and badly affects the downstream apartments;
. Water supply pipes are filled with furniture or other objects that interfere with the timely removal of leaks;
. Plastic double-glazed windows were installed without installing additional ventilation, or a room with plastic windows is rarely ventilated, which retains moisture in the air and contributes to its accumulation;
. In the bathroom and kitchen, at the tiles’ joints, humidity increases due to a large number of vapors.
We often realize that our dwelling is too humid, only after the furniture and clothes in the closets acquire an unpleasant smell of dampness and become, as it were, wet. But this is only one, and rather insignificant, a consequence of exceeding the relative humidity level. But among the more serious are the following:
. The appearance and active reproduction of mold, the numerous spores of which lead to inflammatory processes in the bronchi and lungs, exacerbation of allergies and even asthma;
. Damage to the interior: the wallpaper falls off the walls due to the soaking of the glue, the furniture dries up, and the parquet is swollen;
. The appearance of black spots from the fungus on clothes and interior textile items, which may not be completely washed;
The easiest way for this purpose is to use a hygrometer – a device for determining the humidity level, which shows it as a percentage. If you do not have this device, you can use more time-consuming and less accurate home methods.
How to reduce humidity in your home
Having identified a significant excess of the humidity level, everything possible should be done to normalize it because all households’ health depends on it.
Ventilation of the room
This method of air drying is the simplest, most affordable, and quite effective. Airing, of course, is desirable in dry and windy weather; otherwise, there will not be much sense. It is especially important to carry out this procedure after cooking, bathing, washing, and general wet cleaning.
Heaters and dehumidifiers
If the room’s dampness exceeds all possible limits, you will have to think about purchasing dehumidifiers. These devices can be used both in residential and industrial premises. For home use, of course, you need a household dehumidifier that is compact and quiet. You can turn on the device as needed.
Household dehumidifiers will not only reduce their humidity but also get rid of harmful particles.
In winter and the off-season, heating devices become real salvation from dampness. The heat emitted by them significantly dries the air. However, for the same reason, you may later have to deal with its dryness. Therefore, to not dry the room, try not to overheat it by using additional heaters in the presence of centralized heating.
During the heating season, the heating batteries dry out and can even dry out the air.
The use of modern finishing materials
If you want to protect your premises from dampness globally, get ready for a major overhaul. Non-natural materials contribute to moisture build-up in a room, so try to avoid plastic and other moisture-trapping finishes. For “drainage” repairs, you should:
- Remove the remnants of all previous finishing materials.
- Find a source of increased dampness, if it is in the home, and eliminate it.
- Thoroughly dry the room and, most importantly, the walls; it is best to use a heat gun for this.
- Thoroughly seal all places that provoke high humidity, usually wall joints, and floor seams. For this, the gaps are filled with cement mortar and treated with hydro- and bio-protective agents, most often based on silicone.
- Treat the surface of all walls with a water-repellent primer or biosecurity, or even better – both.
- Finish the prepared room with moisture-resistant plasterboard, which has a green tint inherent only to it. The thickness of the sheets of such material is usually 10–12 mm.
Moisture-resistant drywall is highlighted in green.
- To decorate a dwelling with a high level of humidity, choose non-woven wallpaper with vinyl spraying. This coating resists moisture well, and some varieties can even be wiped clean with a damp cloth. And you can also use compact vinyl wallpaper.
Compact vinyl wallpaper is suitable for finishing dwellings with a high level of humidity.
Acrylic paint and putty are excellent duos for treating walls in rooms with high humidity. Acrylic itself is a water-resistant material, and in the form of paint mixed with putty, it creates a reliable water-repellent film. Another best option for decorating wet rooms is ceramic tiles. True, due to its high cost, it is mainly used in the kitchen or the bathroom. Although, if the required funds are available, it is quite possible to decorate living rooms with tiles, only tiles need to be chosen in larger sizes than in the above premises.
Folk remedies
If the dampness is insignificant or you do not have a lot of money, you can try to dry the room with folk remedies.
Absorbent Products
Salt, sugar, rice, and coffee beans absorb moisture well from food products. Naturally, they do not need to be put in bags in the middle of the rooms. It is enough to pour into some small containers and place them in inconspicuous places – under a sofa, on cabinets, etc. True, sugar can attract unwanted neighbors to your home – cockroaches, ants, etc. But with the help of coffee beans, you can make a beautiful decorative composition in a glass thicket, adding other bright components there.
Coffee beans absorb not only excess moisture but also provide unlimited scope for creativity.
Calcium chloride, charcoal, and quicklime
The listed substances can be used to reduce the humidity of non-residential premises. They are poured into containers that are placed in the corners of a damp building. The safest option for a home is coal. However, care must be taken that it is not a source of coal dust: this is dangerous to households’ health. Choose large pieces of coal and do not place coal in “walk-through” areas. Basements, garages, and other non-residential premises are usually dried with lime. Calcium chloride should be oven-dried and crushed before use.
Tips for dealing with fungus and indoor dampness
If you are already struggling with the effects of increased dampness in your home or are thinking about preventing high dampness, try these tips:
. Try to eliminate all the causes of increased dampness;
. Ventilate the rooms after any manipulations associated with the abundant use of water – washing, cooking, and hygiene procedures. If you do not want to open the window for a long time in winter, the easiest way is to use the so-called extreme ventilation – open the windows completely, but only for a couple of minutes;
I don’t want to ventilate in winter, but it must be done at least 3-5 times a day.
. Install the hood and do not forget to use it;
The hood removes moisture vapor from the apartment during cooking.
. Heat your home regularly during the cold season-saving on heating will lead to the need to fight the fungus;
. Install plastic double-glazed windows with built-in ventilation – complete tightness leads to a noticeable oversaturation of the room with moisture;
Choose windows with a ventilation system
. Use an air conditioner that most effectively regulates humidity and also purifies the air.
Many air conditioners have a “Dehumidification” mode among the basic modes, how much water is removed per hour – it is written in the instructions.
