Is Your Home Too Humid? These Tips Will Make It Feel Instantly More Comfortable (2024)

High humidity is a common problem, especially during the warmer months of the year. When the humidity indoors is too high, condensation can form on the walls, leading to wood rot and structural damage. It can also make the air smell musty or stale, which is typically the result of mold or mildew growth.

If you're having issues with high humidity, try these 21 tips to lower humidity in your house.

Install Weatherstripping

When high humidity is a recurring problem for the home, there is a good chance that air from outdoors is entering through gaps around the doors and windows. You can purchase a weatherstripping kit or simply grab some adhesive backed foam. Use these products to install weatherstripping around the doors and windows to help prevent humid outside air from entering the home.

Run the Air Conditioner

As the temperatures rise, many people close the windows and turn on the air conditioner to remove heat from the home. Without even realizing, you are actually reducing the humidity indoors while cooling the house. If you are struggling with high humidity problems, turn the air conditioner on and let it run for an extended period to pull humidity out of the home.

Cover Pots While Cooking

The humidity levels in a home can be affected by a wide variety of sources, like cooking. The boiling water in pots and the moisture that is released into the air when frying foods can contribute to the humidity level indoors. To help reduce the amount of moisture that is created by cooking, simply cover the pots and pans to prevent the moisture from escaping into the air.

Fill a Bowl With Baking Soda

Fill a small bowl with baking soda, then set the bowl in the area of the home where you want to reduce the humidity. The baking soda will absorb the moisture from the air, gradually becoming harder. When the baking soda gets too hard, dump the old baking soda and refill the bowl with new baking soda.

Set Up Charcoal Briquettes

Another method to remove humidity from the air is to set up charcoal briquettes in a basket, can, or another type of container. Place the containers around the home where high humidity seems to be the worst. The charcoal will draw moisture out of the air, gradually reducing the humidity problem in the area. This method works best in small spaces.

Seal Cracks and Gaps

Cracks and gaps in the walls, roof, windows, and doors can allow hot, humid air to enter from outdoors. Similarly, cracks and gaps in the foundation can lead to moisture entering the basem*nt or crawlspace from the soil outdoors. You can seal gaps in the doorframe or window frame with caulking, but for unseen issues, it's best to contact a professional to assess the home and make repairs.

Install a Clothesline

Even when the dryer is properly vented, running this appliance can increase the humidity inside the home. Consider making the switch to an outdoor clothesline during the warmer months of the year. This will allow laundry to dry outside, releasing any moisture into the air, instead of adding to the humidity level indoors. If you don't have the space for a clothesline, you can set up an outdoor drying rack instead.

Clean or Replace HVAC Filters

A functioning HVAC system is essential for maintaining acceptable indoor humidity levels, so it's important to keep up with HVAC maintenance. Clogged or dirty filters will impeded airflow, reducing your HVAC's effectiveness. Clean or replace the furnace and air conditioner filters to restore airflow and reduce humidity levels inside the home.

Take Colder Showers

Long, hot showers can feel great after a long day, but the temperature of the water can affect how much moisture is released into the air. If your home has high humidity, then it's a good idea to turn down the temperature of the shower. It may not be quite as relaxing, but the cooler water can feel refreshing and invigorating, especially on a hot, summer day.

Increase Air Circulation

The airflow throughout the home helps to dry damp or wet surfaces and distribute humidity evenly throughout the house. However, if there is little to no airflow, then the air can get heavy and stagnant, contributing to high humidity levels and mold growth. Increase air circulation by running ceiling fans or portable fans, and move furniture away from wall corners to avoid trapping air in these narrow pockets.

Open Interior Doors

By opening doors to rooms and closets, you can help to even out the temperature and humidity levels throughout the home. With the doors open, air can flow freely, helping to improve the air circulation for the house.

Open a Window

Open a window in an area of the home with high humidity, then set up fans and open any nearby doors to increase airflow throughout the house. Generally, the best time to use this method is at night, when the outdoor air is significantly cooler.

Run Dehumidifiers

A dehumidifier is designed for the express purpose of removing moisture from the air, and is essential for any homeowner that is dealing with recurring high humidity problems. You can purchase portable dehumidifiers for isolated issues or have a whole-home dehumidifier installed to handle high humidity throughout the entire house. Just make sure to consult with the pros to ensure that the dehumidifier is big enough for the size of house.

Turn Off Moisture-Causing Appliances

This may seem like an obvious step, but if you have a humidifier or any other type of appliance that may be creating moisture, then you can reduce high humidity in the home by simply turning off the appliance. Since humidifiers release water vapor into the air, running a humidifier when the home is already dealing with high humidity levels is counterproductive.

Remove Humidity With Exhaust Fans

Exhaust fans are often installed in the kitchen and bathrooms of a home. These fans can be used to remove smoke, heat, and odors, but they are also useful for venting excess humidity to the outdoors. When showering or cooking, it's a good idea to run the exhaust fans so that the excess water in the air is pulled outside. However, make sure that the exhaust fans are not vented into the attic before using this method to reduce humidity levels.

Vent the Clothes Dryer to the Outside

When a clothes dryer is running, it uses heat and motion to remove moisture from the clothing, linens, and other items in the machine. The moisture is then released through a vent. Ideally, the vent for the clothes dryer should lead outside. If the vent does not go outside, then all the moisture that is pulled out of the clothes and other items is released into the indoor air. Make sure the dryer is vented to the outside to reduce indoor humidity levels.

Improve Crawlspace Ventilation

A crawlspace can quickly accumulate moisture if it is not properly ventilated. Depending on the home, a crawlspace may be completely enclosed, sealing any moisture in the space. Installing a wall vent can help to improve airflow through the area, preventing moisture from getting trapped. Homeowners can also install an exhaust fan to help remove high humidity during the warmer months of the year.

Install Vapor Barriers Over Dirt Crawlspaces

Moisture can enter the crawlspace from the outside air, but it can also seep into the crawlspace from a dirt floor. To prevent moisture from entering the crawlspace from the ground, you can put down a plastic cover over the floor, creating a vapor barrier to keep moisture out. Similarly, sealing any cracks or gaps in the walls of the crawlspace can prevent hot humid outdoor air from flowing into the crawlspace.

Repair the Gutter System

Gutters are designed to collect and redirect the flow of water away from the home. If the gutter system is clogged, damaged, or simply has a poor design for the home, then water can accumulate around the base of the house. This high amount of water in the soil can cause damage to the foundation and may also leak into the basem*nt. By repairing or cleaning the gutter system, you can prevent water from seeping into the basem*nt and reduce high indoor humidity levels.

Prevent Seepage

If the gutters are in good condition and seem to be redirecting water away from the home, then seepage may be occurring due to cracks in the foundation or landscaping issues. Homeowners should work to prevent seepage and reduce indoor humidity levels by sloping the landscaping away from the home, patching any cracks in the foundation, and investing in exterior waterproofing.

Fix Leaks

Leaking pipes, fixtures, drain lines, and appliances can all contribute to high indoor humidity levels. You should fix leaks as soon as possible to reduce humidity, but also to protect the home from further damage, such as peeling paint, loose floor tiles, wood rot, mold growth, and structural damage. If you aren't sure where the leak is or how to fix it, don't hesitate to call in the pros.

When to Call a Professional

If you are having trouble lowering the humidity in your space, then having a professional assess the situation can lead to a solution. Similarly, if you notice mold or mildew in hidden or hard-to-reach locations, like behind the walls, in the ceilings, or under the floors, then it's necessary to hire a professional to address the problem and remove the mold.

High humidity levels can also affect the structural integrity of the home. If you suspect that high humidity has caused structural damage, such as a compromised foundation or rotting wood beams, then contact a professional to evaluate the damage and suggest steps for repair. When the humidity issue is cause by an inefficient or malfunctioning HVAC system, you should hire an HVAC professional to repair, maintain, upgrade the system to prevent future problems.