How to Measure the Moisture in Your Home

If you live in a climate that includes periods of dryness, humidifiers are an essential part of your home. These devices offer numerous benefits, including mitigating allergic reactions, preventing dry skin and more. A lack of humidity in the air can become a serious issue, but it’s also important not to overuse your humidifier. Let’s look at how a residential moisture inspection can help you better understand your home’s indoor air.

Problems with humidifiers and humid climates

If you constantly run a humidifier in the home, or you live in a humid climate, it may put you and your family at risk for certain health conditions. While the appropriate use of a humidifier will help with allergies, overuse will actually have the opposite effect. Exposure to high humidity will increase the chance that bacteria and viruses will spread in your home.

High humidity is associated with the growth of mold and mildew as well. On top of these health concerns, excessive humidity may result in structural issues. Mold growth on the walls, ceilings and any other surface can lead to damage.

Using a hygrometer to measure humidity

If you suspect that your home is too humid, it’s time to look into measuring the humidity levels of your indoor air. A tool called a hygrometer is a great way to measure humidity. This device works by measuring the amount of water present in the atmosphere. The most common type of hygrometer is electrical, and measures the moisture in the air via a static electric charge that’s transferred between two plates.

Other methods

A hygrometer is a bit of an investment, so if you want a quick and easy way to check humidity levels, there are other methods:

• Wet and dry bulb temperature test: Bring in a fan and two mercury thermometers, then shake the thermometers so the mercury settles into the bulb. One thermometer is fine as is. With the other, wrap a wet cloth around the bottom of the thermometer. Take the two thermometers into the room with the fan and let the fan blow on them. After a few minutes, check to see how wet each is, then note the temperature of each. You can find tables online that show how to calculate the relative humidity in your home through this test.
• Ice cube test: If that all sounds too complicated, this method is much simpler. Place a few ice cubes in a glass of water. Check out the water after five or 10 minutes. If there’s considerable condensation on the glass, you have higher humidity. Little to no condensation means less humidity.

Do you believe your home suffers from high humidity? You may benefit from a consultation with experts in residential mold inspection and treatment. Active Mold Control LLC is a family owned and operated business that offers high-quality, affordably-priced mold control solutions. We educate all our customers on how to treat and prevent mold from growing in their homes and businesses. Contact us right now to learn more about our services and get a free quote.

Categorised in: Mold Prevention

This post was written by Writer