Conquer Your Home’s Humidity

Summer brings outdoor adventures in the beautiful weather, and cooling off inside with a glass of lemonade. However, cooling off can be tough when your home’s humidity levels are off the charts. For those of you that live in an arid climate, you likely don’t have to worry about humidity in your home. But for the rest of us — our home’s humidity can be a constant battle.

From minor inconveniences like frizzy hair and sticky skin, to major problems like mold and woodwork damage, humidity should be top of mind. Here are some of the best ways to take care of your home’s humidity:

Ventilation. Increasing air flow is a great way to reduce humidity. Opening the windows and setting out fans help keeps air moving throughout your home. Remember to replace your AC and heater filters when they’re clogged, since that can hinder air flow too.

Check pipes. Leaking pipes just add more moisture to the air — so it’s important that all leaks are patched ASAP. Condensation on pipes is also a humidity source, so fitting your pipes with pipe insulators (or a pool noodle, if you’re crafty!) will help keep condensation at bay.

Plant smart. Stock up on houseplants that suck humidity out of the air. Ivy, table palms, and peace lilies are all great natural dehumidifiers! Remember to cover the plants’ soil, as the evaporating water just adds to your home’s humidity.

Shorten showers. Reducing the time you spend in the shower means less humidity in the air. Plus, it’s better for the earth!

Install a clothesline. Dryers often add to the humidity levels in your home, even when they’re vented outside. Instead, hang your clothes out to dry outside. Line drying is better for your clothes anyway, and they’ll smell extra fresh.

Get a dehumidifier. When all else fails, a dehumidifier is your best bet. If you don’t hook it up directly to your plumbing, you can get creative with the water — like using it to water your plants or to make tea!

Now that you’ve got some ideas, you can get to work kicking humidity to the curb. Remember, with a little planning and persistence, you can work with Mother Nature to make your home as comfortable as possible all year round.