Excess humidity inside your home can do more than make you feel sticky and uncomfortable—it can invite mold, damage your belongings, and even affect your health. If you’ve noticed persistent dampness, condensation on windows, or a musty smell in the air, your indoor humidity might be out of balance. Let’s look at five common culprits and what you can do to restore comfort and control.
Poor Airflow
When your home lacks proper airflow, everyday moisture from cooking, bathing, and breathing tends to linger. Over time, trapped moisture can accumulate to unhealthy levels. To counter that cumulative effect, run exhaust fans during and after showers or cooking, crack windows open on mild (and low humidity) days, and consider installing a whole-house ventilation system. Portable or ceiling fans also help promote air circulation throughout your living space.
Hidden Water Leaks
Even a minor leak under the sink or a drip in the ceiling can quietly raise humidity levels over time. Moisture from plumbing or roof leaks can saturate materials and feed mold growth behind the scenes. If high humidity is making you miserable in your own home, conduct a thorough check of pipes, faucets, ceilings, and the roof. Look for discoloration, musty odors, or damp spots. Address any issues right away to prevent long-term damage.
Damp Basements or Crawl Spaces
These low-lying areas are naturally prone to moisture build-up, especially in older homes or neighborhoods with high water tables. Without proper sealing, such homes can open their doors to high indoor humidity. Seal foundation cracks and install a vapor barrier in crawl spaces. If necessary, add a sump pump or basement dehumidifier to keep moisture levels in check.
Outdoor Humidity Seeping Indoors
On humid days, outdoor air can sneak in through gaps and windows, raising your home’s moisture levels. So, keep windows and doors closed during humid weather and seal gaps with weatherstripping. A dehumidifier – whole-house or otherwise – can effectively remove excess humidity, while a central AC system – one that’s properly sized and installed – can do even more to keep humidity levels at comfortable levels
Oversized or Inefficient HVAC System
If your air conditioning system is too large, it may be cooling your home too quickly and, in the process, shutting itself off before it’s dealt with excess indoor humidity. And that’s just one reason HVAC sizing is so important. At your request, Eagle will assess your current system and, if needed, recommend a replacement system that will keep you cool and comfortable with low relative humidity both now and later.
Turn to Eagle Service Company – Your Friends in the AC Business
If high indoor humidity is making your home feel more like a swamp than a sanctuary, call us today. Regardless of when your AC system was installed, we’ll inspect it to see if it’s properly equipped to remove excess humidity, and how well it’s doing its job. Eagle Service Company – your friends in the home comfort business.
