How to Deal With Humidity in an Apartment

Humidity results in more than an uncomfortable home.

Too much humidity in your apartment can do more than make you uncomfortable and ruin a good hair day. Excessive moisture in the home causes mold and mildew to develop, leaving stains and odor in your home. While some humidity is important to the comfort and air quality of your apartment, it's important that the amount of humidity be controlled to prevent damage and discomfort.

Things You'll Need

• Exhaust fans
• Electric fans
• Dehumidifier

Instructions

1. Use exhaust fans in the bathroom and kitchen to draw moisture from showers and cooking out of the rooms. Run the exhaust fans during the time steam is present and continue to use them for 15 to 30 minutes afterward to ensure no humidity lingers in the air.

2. 

   Open windows to allow dry air into the home.

   Open windows on dry, sunny to partly sunny days when the humidity level outdoors is low. Allow the dry air from outside to circulate in your home and counterbalance the high level of humidity in your apartment.

3. Turn on electric fans near open windows to draw dry air in.

4. 

   Regular use of the air conditioner keeps the air moisture level down.

   Use your air conditioner or heating unit as weather conditions demand. Both help to dry out the air as they control the temperature of the apartment.

5. Run a dehumidifier to remove humidity from the air. Keep your dehumidifier clean and empty the water reservoir, as needed, to ensure it continues running. Set the dehumidifier around 50 percent humidity and adjust it according to your comfort level.

Tips & Warnings

• If the dryer vents into your apartment, talk to the maintenance supervisor or apartment manager to see if the vent can be moved to blow its outside. Moisture from a dryer vent transfers to humidity in your apartment.

• Houseplants and fish tanks contribute toward the air moisture level in your apartment. Keep fish tanks covered and move houseplants to an area with good air circulation or a sheltered balcony or patio, if possible.

References

• Oregon State University; Home Moisture Problems; March 2008
• North Dakota State University; Keep Your Home Healthy; Kenneth Hellevang; 2004
• Colorado State University; Improving Air Quality in Your Home; K.R. Tremblay Jr., et al.; July 2006