Mold is a major issue that can cause structural destruction and health issues. Breathing in mold or encountering it on a regular basis can lead to an increase in allergy symptoms, asthma attacks, shortness of breath, respiratory problems, headaches, fatigue, and much more. Mold is common in a home when there is moisture present. This can come from leaks, but also from high levels of relative humidity. Let’s look at how a whole-house dehumidifier can help you control your indoor humidity and other ways to prevent mold growth.
The Basics of Relative Humidity
In a residential setting, indoor relative humidity should remain between 30% and 50%. If you have a reading that is below 30%, this can cause dry and irritated sinuses and airways. Low humidity levels can also affect the structural integrity of your home and furnishings.
If you have high levels of humidity in your home, this can lead to problems with mildew and mold growth. You’ll need to remove moisture from your indoor air if levels are climbing near 50% or above.
Whole-House Dehumidifier Use
You may be familiar with the portable dehumidifier units that can be plugged into an outlet anywhere in your home where it is needed. They work relatively well, but they don’t address enough square footage at one time to really make an impact on high levels of humidity. Instead, we recommend that you have our team install a whole-house dehumidifier onto your HVAC system. All the air passing through your system will be cooled to condense moisture droplets and move it away from your home via a drain line.
There is minimal maintenance involved with whole-home dehumidification. There isn’t a reservoir that needs to be emptied like a portable unit has. You can have our team check your dehumidifier as part of your annual maintenance.
You can control your whole-house dehumidifier using your thermostat. A smart unit will provide you with accurate humidity readings. You can use this device to turn your dehumidifier on or off manually. This equipment can switch itself on and off as needed as well.
Whole-House Dehumidifier Maintenance
For your dehumidifier to work properly, it’s ideal that you keep up with regular maintenance of your equipment. A portable unit tends to require a lot more work, which is why it’s not the ideal setup. A whole-house unit doesn’t have a collection tank to be emptied, but you will need to inspect the drain line on a routine basis. Mineral deposits and sediment can accumulate over time, leading to a clog in your drain or a decrease in drainage.
Your whole-house dehumidifier may have a filter that needs to be cleaned or replaced periodically. The frequency of these filter changes is much longer than what you experience with your furnace. Most whole-house dehumidifiers will require a filter change once every 12 months or so. You may want to complete this process more frequently to prevent the growth of mold on your filter or in your unit.
Since this equipment encounters moisture anytime it runs, it’s imperative that you ensure it’s working correctly. Any buildup of moisture can spread mold into the rest of your home. Since a whole-house dehumidifier works with your HVAC system, that means mold can end up in your ductwork, the interior components of your furnace or air conditioner, etc. This can lead to a widespread mold problem throughout your home that can make you and your family sick. Mold can also damage different materials and structures in your home.
Other Ways to Control Humidity
While a whole-house dehumidifier can do a great job of controlling the humidity in your home and preventing mold, there are other methods you can use to keep humidity low as well.
Use Ventilation Fans
Your home likely has exhaust fans already installed in your bathrooms and potentially in your kitchen above your stove. These fans are designed to remove air from the areas where they are installed and vent it outdoors. You’ll want to run these fans when you’re creating a lot of humidity. For example, during bathing or showering, cooking, cleaning, etc.
If you don’t have adequate ventilation in your home, fans can be installed elsewhere. It’s common for our team to install ventilation fans in attics and other common living spaces.
Decrease Drafty Areas
When humidity is high outside, this can cause issues inside your home if you have a lot of gaps and cracks letting air in. Assess your home for drafts and seal them up immediately. You can use different materials for this process depending on the area. Caulk, weatherstripping, and expanding foam.
Run Your Air Conditioner
The process of running your air conditioner and cooling the air in your home will remove some of the moisture. Don’t allow the inside of your home to become too hot and humid, especially in the middle of the summer.
Circulate Your Air
The air inside your home should circulate throughout the day to prevent any excessive amounts of humidity from accumulating. You can utilize ceiling fans for this purpose. Make sure that you’re running them in the proper direction based on the season. For example, fans should spin in a clockwise direction during the winter to bring warm air back down and cool air upwards. In the summer, switch the direction to counterclockwise.
Keep Up With Professional Plumbing Services
Another source of moisture in the home is plumbing leaks or issues. A routine inspection of your plumbing system each year is a great way to ensure you don’t have moisture accumulating anywhere. Issues should be repaired as soon as possible.
Look for Signs of Humidity
Keep a close eye on your home to spot signs of moisture early on. This includes things such as pooling water around pipes or plumbing that indicate a leak. Condensation on windows or other surfaces of the home indicate high levels of humidity. Your home should never smell musty regardless of the time of year. Wallpaper and paint shouldn’t incur damage or start to peel. If you notice any of these issues, reach out to our team for assistance.
Utilize Professional Service
It’s important that you have our team routinely inspect and service your HVAC system in addition to any whole-house dehumidification equipment that you have. This process will ensure that everything is running effectively and efficiently, better controlling the relative humidity of your home. It’s ideal that we catch problems as early on as possible. This allows us to make minor repairs before a catastrophic breakdown occurs. There are several issues that can come up. For example, your air conditioning equipment may be experiencing a refrigerant leak. This would result in your air conditioner not removing as much moisture from your air as it should, potentially leading to the growth of mold in your home.
If you would like assistance with the installation of a whole-house dehumidifier, reach out to the team here at My Guy Heating and Air, LLC. In addition to dehumidification equipment we also install, repair, and maintain heating and cooling equipment. We also address indoor air quality concerns with air purification and ventilation equipment.
Call My Guy Heating and Air, LLC to schedule an appointment in Firestone, CO today.
