How To Lower Humidity In House (Without Dehumidifier)

If you experience high humidity in your house, then this guide on how to lower humidity in house without dehumidifier will help you deal with this issue effectively. Humidity is a nuisance when it’s outside of your house let alone inside, and while you can’t control the weather, you have plenty of control over indoor humidity levels.

During the winter, the reason for the humidity may not be so obvious, so it’s important to look at all of the things that contribute to the humidity, as well as the different ways to combat the effects. The following are some effective ways to manage indoor humidity so that you can enjoy greater comfort for the long term.

How To Lower Humidity In House Without Dehumidifier

Ventilation and Air Circulation

Two of the most important ways to dehumidify also happen to be the most accessible and least disruptive. The only way you couldn’t ventilate or circulate air is if you didn’t have windows, but for most people, this isn’t an issue. Homes are generally equipped with ceiling fans and vents as well, and in some cases, this is all you need.

Consider the moisture that builds up when you are showering or cooking a meal. The vents in your bathroom and your kitchen will expel the moisture being generated so that it doesn’t stick around, so it’s important that you are running your vents during these activities.

Fans can ventilate and facilitate evaporation, and while opening your windows can have the same effect, you have to be careful. If it’s humid outside, you will want to keep the windows closed.

Run Your Air Conditioner

Another surefire way to reduce humidity is to run the air conditioner. Your air conditioner will filter out moisture and pump crisp, clean air into the home, and you can achieve similar results by opening your windows on a cold, winter afternoon. If the humidity is a result of your air conditioner not working, you should contact an HVAC technician to have a look.

Rethink Your Showering Habits

Everybody loves a steamy, hot shower, especially in the middle of winter, but if you are trying to drop your home’s humidity levels, a steamy, hot shower will have the opposite effect. Since the doors are closed, the moisture from the shower is just hanging around, and unless you turn on the vent, it’s going to stick around. This not only creates humidity, but the moisture can also damage the paint on the walls.

While running the bathroom vent will expel some humidity, a better solution might be to rethink your showering habits. As bad as it sounds, taking colder and shorter showers can be beneficial for both your home and your body. You will generate far less steam, and you’ll, more or less, eliminate one source of humidity in the home.

Consider Hang Drying Your Clothes Outside

Laundry is a common source of humidity, especially if your washer and dryer are older and less efficient. Some laundry rooms are more humid than others, and while washing and drying can create humidity, hang drying your clothes leaves you even more vulnerable.

Clothes that hang dry are letting moisture into the air, but you can eliminate this problem by hanging your clothes outside instead of inside.

Replace Your Carpet

Carpets can actually trap and hold onto moisture, along with dirt, dust, and other particles. It can be difficult to tell whether or not the carpet is the issue, but if it’s considerably old, replacing it will benefit you in more ways than one. Along with the humidity, dirty carpets can also contribute to poor air quality in the home, so if it’s in the budget, replacing your carpet could be a great idea.

Use Charcoal and Other Absorbent Products

Charcoal briquettes can actually be useful outside of the grill, and since they are absorbent, they can be useful when tackling humidity in the home. Stick some briquettes in a basket and place them around the home, and you they will ultimately absorb some of the moisture that’s in the air. You might also try this with bags of rice or other products that share this quality.

Move Your Plants Around

Plants are aesthetically pleasing, and they can actually improve air quality in the home. However, they tend to release more moisture than they take in, which can be a problem if you are already having an issue. Your plants’ contribution to the humidity is most likely minimal, but if you have a lot of plants in a room that is particularly humid, it could be helpful to take them out.

You can place your plants in a well-ventilated room or temporarily place them outside. It may also be enough to simply cover the soil.

Check Your Pipes and Gutters

If water is leaking into your home from any point, you are bound to have humidity issues, at the least. Two common sources of indoor leaks are your pipes and your gutters.

If you can’t figure out why your home is so humid, check your pipes for leaks. Pipes that are leaking or forming condensation due to lack of insulation can create some humidity in the home, so if you notice that your pipes are leaking or sweating, it’s important that you take care of that.

Also, make sure your gutters are clean, functional, and that the downspouts are doing what they are supposed to do, which is get water away from your home.

Waterproof Your Basement

Basement flooding will certainly cause some humidity issues, but even slight exposure to water can escalate and eventually cause some problems.

If your basement is damp or taking on water, you should think about how to solve this, especially if it’s a recurrent issue. Waterproofing your basement will prevent moisture from building up, but you can also have peace of mind knowing that flooding is no longer a concern.

Get a Dehumidifier

Of course, the ultimate way to dehumidify the home is to purchase a dehumidifier. Dehumidifiers are effective, and they can be moved from room to room as they do their job.

Unlike an air conditioner, a dehumidifier can remove moisture without dropping the temperature in your home. You can find dehumidifiers in varying types, and some will be more powerful than others. So, if you want a surefire way to get rid of moisture, you couldn’t go wrong with a dehumidifier.

How to Tell Your Home Is Too Humid

The nature of humidity makes it pretty easy to recognize. You’re hot, uncomfortable, and maybe a little bit sweaty. Persistent humidity can even damage indoor paint, create an environment suitable for mold growth, and cause a number of different health problems. A lack of moisture, on the other hand, can dry out your skin and be uncomfortable in its own way, so if you really want an accurate assessment of your home’s humidity levels, you can purchase a hygrometer.

Generally, the sweet spot for indoor humidity is about 30-50%. Hygrometers will tell you just how much humidity is in your home, and if you are higher than 50%, you can start to make adjustments and monitor the hygrometer until it reads a satisfying number.

Consider Whole-Home Dehumidifiers

Dehumidifiers are the only items on this list that are specifically intended for de-humidification, so if this is the route you are choosing, it’s important to consider your options.

There are different types of dehumidifiers, some of which are small and portable, whereas others attach to your HVAC system. If the humidity doesn’t affect the entire house, a plug-in dehumidifier will likely do the trick. However, if your entire home suffers from high humidity, then you want to find the most efficient and effective way to tackle this problem.

Whole-home dehumidifiers are dehumidifiers that attach to your HVAC system, and they have a built-in hygrometer that measures humidity levels in your home. As a result, these devices generally work both ways. They can add moisture when your home is too dry, and they will dehumidify when humidity levels exceed a certain percentage.

The Importance of Home Ventilation

Home ventilation concerns air circulation between your home and the outside environment. Poor ventilation means there is nothing expelling toxins, allergens, and moisture, and it also means that there is nothing circulating fresh air into the home. Over the long term, this can be extremely damaging to your home and create an uncomfortable living situation. There are essentially two types of ventilation: natural ventilation and mechanical ventilation.

Windows and any gaps in your home’s structure create natural ventilation, but the problem is that you have little control over these things. Mechanical ventilation, on the other hand, can be switched on and off, and it’s better for creating a more uniform ventilation.

Similar to a dehumidifier, you can buy whole-house ventilation systems. These days, with the focus on efficiency, homes are designed to be airtight, creating an even greater need for forced ventilation. Fans, range hoods, bathroom vents, and whole-home systems become extremely useful.

Proper ventilation ensures your home stays comfortable and that you get rid of as much dirt, allergens, and moisture as possible. Making sure your home is properly ventilated ensures there is one less reason for humidity levels to rise.