6 Easy Ways to Reduce Moisture in Your Home



It's always a good idea to reduce moisture in your home. Excess water in the air and around the house can cause breathing issues, infections, and hazards like mould and rot.

Pay Attention to the Bathroom
Your bathroom is the wettest area at home. Therefore, it's helpful to make every effort to reduce water in the bathroom. A simple yet effective method is to use an instant dry bath mat for soaking up water after showering or bathing. Additionally, always leave the bathroom window open, even in Winter. Allowing cooler air into the bathroom reduces the temperature and absorbs excess water. As a result, you will significantly reduce the chances of growing black mould and red bacteria. You can also wipe down surfaces with antibacterial spray.

Open Windows to Reduce Moisture in Your Home
You can help prevent excess moisture in the bathroom by leaving the window open. However, this also extends to the rest of your home. Letting air circulate throughout the house levels out the moisture levels and enables you to breathe easier. This is essential if you or someone in your family has conditions like asthma. But you can also help prevent mould from building up and reduce the chance of excess moisture in the wood. Additionally, indoor air is more hazardous than outdoor air, even in heavy traffic or polluted areas, and is better for health.

Keep Your Gutters Clean and Clear
Your house has multiple drainage systems that move water from your home and into the relevant outflow pipes. However, your home's drainage systems can become blocked for many reasons. One of the most common is a clogged gutter after a rainstorm. Blocked drains cause water to back up. And when it has nowhere to go, water will seep into your home. In addition, water from gutters gets into the wooden frames of your home, causing mould and rot. And it can spread from there. So always check your channels before and after a storm when it's safe.

EXTRA: Warning Signs of Too Much Moisture
Excess moisture in your home causes severe problems. Sometimes it's obvious and can be clearly seen. But mostly, you won't know until it's too late. Here are some signs:

There is a musty smell around your home that you can't quite find the source of.
Mould in the bathroom or another area of the home.
Wood in the loft or basement has begun to rot.
Wooden doors or windows are sticking because of expansion.
Visible water stains are coming through on your ceilings.

Any one of these alone indicates excess moisture in your home. More than one means you have a severe issue, and you should act to get them fixed as soon as possible.

Don't Dry Clothes on the Radiators
Washing and drying clothes is a natural part of a healthy and hygienic lifestyle. And you might be tempted to dry clothes on your radiators to save money as energy costs increase. However, the water from wet clothes enters the air in your home and will contribute to problems like mould and mildew. Therefore, drying clothes on radiators isn't recommended in a damp house. Instead, if you have outdoor space, use a drying line. Air drying is effective and costs nothing. If you have no outdoor space, use your dryer on a low setting for longer, saving energy money.

Air Conditioning Helps Reduce Moisture in Your Home
In some countries, HVAC air conditioners are standard and not so common in others. For instance, 75% of homes in the USA have HVAC systems, compared to 0.5% in the UK. HVAC systems let you control the temperature in your home. Yet they are also excellent for keeping humidity to a minimum. However, HVACs are expensive to install and will cost money to run all the time. So consider the cost if you are limited on funds or looking to reduce monthly bills. To run HVAC for dry air, keep the conditioner clean and replace the filters regularly.

Install Dehumidifier Machines
HVAC systems are great for keeping your home fresh and dry. But they are expensive to install, run and maintain. Fortunately, there's a cost-effective alternative in the form of dehumidifiers. Dehumidifiers cost a fraction of an HVAC system and actively pull excess moisture from the air around your home. However, there are some drawbacks to consider. They need constant maintenance as you need to clean them and dump the water they gather. And some models are noisy. Additionally, they will increase your energy usage, so aren’t ideal if you want lower bills.

Summary
Reducing water in your home is essential for health and safety. Open windows to circulate air and reduce mould. And check your home's drainage. You can also run HVAC or dehumidifiers.