3 Reasons High Humidity Is Bad for Your Health

A major contributor to poor indoor air quality, high humidity is bad for your health in more ways than you might expect. Here are three reasons you should keep humidity levels in check in your Mobile, Alabama home.

Dust Mites Thrive

Dust mites can’t live in just any environment. To thrive, these pests require high humidity levels and plenty of dust. Excess moisture in the air, dusty conditions, and carpet that isn’t vacuumed regularly provide the perfect setting for dust mites.

The best way to keep sneeze-inducing dust mites out is to keep the house clean and the humidity level low. Dust surfaces in your home with a damp cloth at least once a week, and follow up with a thorough mopping or vacuuming session. Be sure to vacuum upholstery, textiles, and other fabrics where dust mites often live.

Airborne Chemicals Flourish

A number of household items, from paint to carpet to furniture, produce volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Breathing in large amounts of these dangerous airborne chemicals is never a good idea, but high humidity can actually cause VOCs to off-gas and become airborne more quickly.

Keeping VOCs in check is a two-step process. Maintain a reasonable level of humidity in your home, and increase ventilation with stand-alone fans or a ventilator that works with your HVAC system.

Mold Grows

You should try to keep indoor humidity under 60 percent — between 30 and 50 percent if possible. If the humidity is consistently higher than recommended levels, excess moisture can foster mold growth, which leads to variety of problems from health issues to structural damage in your home. For many people, inhaling mold can trigger allergic reactions like sneezing, rashes, and runny noses.

Though mold remediation will remove this allergen from your home, it’s much easier to prevent mold growth from the start. Investing in a whole-home dehumidifier is an effective option. These devices pull excess moisture from the air and reduce humidity before it becomes a big problem.

Is your home’s humidity out of control? Call Keith Air Conditioning, Inc. today at 251-476-3610 to speak with our indoor air quality experts.