If you’ve ever experienced the discomfort of high humidity levels in your home, you know how uncomfortable it can be. In winter, relative humidity levels can soar, due to the combination of indoor moisture and cold temperatures. Luckily, there are several effective ways to reduce humidity in your home during the winter. Let's look into them!
Open Windows
When temperatures outside are cold, windows should remain closed most of the time. However, when outside conditions are comfortable and the temperature is above freezing, opening a few windows can help reduce indoor humidity levels. This is because fresh air contains lower humidity than stale air inside your house. Just make sure that you don't leave them open for too long so that you don't increase your energy bills!
Dehumidifier
A dehumidifier is an excellent way to reduce indoor humidity levels during winter. It works by drawing warm air from inside your house and running it through a refrigerated coil that cools down the air and condenses moisture from it. The condensed moisture is then collected in a tank or drained away while drier air is circulated back into the room. Dehumidifiers come in various sizes and models so make sure you get one that fits your needs.
Ventilation System
Another great way to reduce indoor humidity levels during winter is to use an efficient ventilation system like a heat recovery ventilator (HRV) or energy recovery ventilator (ERV). These systems draw fresh air from outside while exhausting stale air from indoors at the same time. This type of system helps keep indoor air quality healthy and can help reduce excess moisture levels inside your home as well as control odors and pollutants.
- A heat recovery ventilator (HRV) is a device that helps reduce energy loss in homes by transferring warm air from one space to another. The HRV works by extracting warm air from inside the home and using it to preheat cold outdoor air coming into the home. This process helps ensure that warm air isn’t wasted, reducing energy consumption and utility bills. The HRV also helps reduce humidity levels in the home, providing an additional benefit for dehumidifier users.
- An energy recovery ventilator (ERV) is a device that helps reduce energy loss in homes by transferring warm and cool air from one space to another. The ERV works by extracting warm air from inside the home and using it to preheat cold outdoor air coming into the home. At the same time, the ERV extracts cool indoor air and uses it to precool hot outside air before it enters the home. This process helps ensure that both warm and cool air isn't wasted, reducing energy consumption and utility bills. The ERV also helps reduce humidity levels in the home, providing an additional benefit for dehumidifier users.
High humidity levels inside your house can cause discomfort during winter months but luckily there are several ways to reduce it effectively. Opening windows on occasion when temperatures allow can help bring some fresh dryer air into your home while investing in a dehumidifier or installing an efficient ventilation system will help keep relative humidity under control all season long. Taking these steps will help ensure that your home stays comfortable even during cold weather months.