Humidity Explained: Gaining Control in Your Chatsworth, Georgia, Home

You know the feeling — the sticky, oppressive sensation you get when humidity levels are high. While you can’t adjust the humidity outside, you can do something about it inside your Chatsworth, Georgia, home. Learn how you can manage indoor humidity levels and stay comfortable all summer.

Humidity Defined

Humidity is a measurement of the amount of moisture or water vapor present in the air. Relative humidity is expressed in percentages. The percentages tell you the amount of moisture in the air relative to the maximum amount of moisture the air can hold given the temperature. For example, if the air is holding half the amount of moisture it can, the relative humidity is 50 percent.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends an indoor relative humidity level of 30 to 50 percent. To check home humidity levels, you can use a device like a hygrometer or a humidistat which you can find at home improvement or hardware stores. When humidity levels exceed 50 percent, condensation can form on pipes, tile, and windows. This condensation can provide an environment for biological growth or rust to develop. Controlling humidity is not difficult. You can improve comfort with a few simple and affordable adjustments.

Tips for Dehumidifying Your Home

When the humidity level in the home is excessively high, it can cause wood to warp and damage furniture and flooring. Certain areas of the home, such as bathrooms, are particularly susceptible to high humidity. Too much moisture can also affect drywall and window frames. If the air in your Chatsworth home is stuffy and hot, the following tips will help:

• Use exhaust fans in bathrooms and kitchens.
• Keep condensation from forming on window frames by using weatherstripping to seal windows tightly.
• Repair leaky faucets and pipes as soon as possible.
• To combat damp basements, use a dehumidifier to remove excess moisture and control mustiness and odors.
• Use desiccants to help control moisture in spaces such as cabinets, closets, and drawers. This dehumidifying product includes items like activated clay, chalk, and silica gel.

Smart or programmable thermostats can help address humidity problems. Programming your thermostat properly will help you to manage comfort and maintain consistent temperatures in any weather. Failing to regulate the moisture level will increase reliance on your air conditioner which will lead to higher energy bills.

Keep Your Home Cool

By using your thermostat correctly, your air conditioning system will effectively control humidity levels in your home. However, a few additional strategies can help to make humidity management even easier:

• Use window coverings such as blinds and curtains to block or reduce the amount of sunlight that enters through windows during the daytime.
• Use ceiling fans to help circulate the cool air from the air conditioner.
• Control the use of heat-producing appliances that can affect humidity levels in your home. Dishwashers and dryers can add heat to your home. During the summer months, use these machines at night or early in the morning. Avoid using them during the day when it is hotter.
• During the early morning and late evening, open windows in your home to help air circulation and reduce the humidity level in your home.

Managing indoor air quality keeps your home more comfortable and also helps your home’s HVAC system to work more efficiently. Persons with respiratory problems will also benefit when you keep indoor humidity within its recommended levels. If humidity challenges persist, consider investing in a dehumidifier.

At Dalton Heating & Air, our service technicians help homeowners like you to maintain air conditioning systems for optimum comfort throughout the year. We’re also happy to provide information and products that help you optimize your indoor air quality. Call us today at 706-619-2799 to speak with an HVAC expert or to schedule an appointment.

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