Problem: Mold, Mildew, Allergies, & Asthma

Many people think high humidity is merely uncomfortable, but it can also put one’s health and home at risk. Dust mites, mold, and mildew thrive in humid environments and can trigger allergies, asthma, and other respiratory problems. Furthermore, prolonged high humidity in the home or business can cause walls and wood to decompose.

High humidity is also unpleasant. A musty, unappealing odor in the home is a sure sign of mold and mildew. When the air is hot and humid, hair gets frizzy and bodies get sweaty. Additionally, the presence of mold spores and dust mites can irritate eyes, nose, and throat. In those with more severe allergies, these complaints become very serious.

Cause

Climate and the lack of ventilation in today’s well-sealed and tightly built homes are to blame for basement humidity. Newer homes, built to be energy efficient, tend to trap moisture. Older homes often have basement waterproofing problems, such as wall and floor cracks, which add even more moisture to the basement. When moisture builds up, conditions are perfect for mold, mildew, and dust mites. These life forms need water and the condensation that results from high humidity creates a thriving environment for them.

There are other common activities can also increase the relative humidity in your home. Hot showers and baths make the bathroom one of the most humid rooms in the home, especially bathrooms in a finished basement. Doing laundry or hanging clothes up to dry in the basement can also add moisture into the air. The combination of an airtight basement, moisture-creating activities, and basement waterproofing problems create a musty, humid basement.

Solution

The best way to reduce humidity in the home is to install a dehumidification system. It is also very important to keep your home thoroughly ventilated, replacing stale air with fresh air. Exhaust fans should be used in high humidity rooms like the kitchen or bathroom. Opening windows from time to time (weather permitting) is a good practice that will also increase ventilation. However, even these measures are not enough to foster a moisture-free basement environment.

Affordable Waterproofing specializes in Humidex systems, an advanced solution that dehumidifies and ventilates your whole home. A Humidex dehumidification system, unlike a simple dehumidifier, provides air circulation throughout the entire home, removes contaminants from the air, and reduces moisture. The comprehensive ventilation and dehumidification circulates fresh, clean, dry air throughout your home, creating an environment friendly to humans and hostile to mold.