How to Reduce Moisture & Humidity in Your Home this Winter

Worried about the dampness and dripping water that you may have seen in parts of your home lately? With temperatures fluctuating in recent weeks, it’s likely due to the humidity in your home, which is the amount of water vapour that’s present in the air. On colder days when warm air comes into contact with cold air, the resulting moist air freezes in areas such as windows and attics, causing a build-up of ice. When the temperature rises, melting occurs which results in the excess moisture in your home.

While this can be a concerning issue, not to worry – there are steps that you can take to prevent excess moisture from gathering and to control your home’s humidity levels. Keep reading!

Things That Can Contribute to High Humidity in Your Home

Aside from the weather, it’s also important to realize that many other factors can add moisture to the air. Daily activities, such as cooking and taking a shower, is one reason as they both involve water. If there’s poor air circulation between a room, it’ll prevent the moisture from getting out. Even having lots of plants or a fish tank can contribute to excess humidity in your home.

How Do I Reduce This Moisture?

Luckily, it doesn’t mean you have to stop cooking during the winter! The key is to have continuous air exchange and movement throughout your home, so that the moisture doesn’t stay trapped in one place. Here’s how you can make that happen:

• Turning on your bathroom fans for up to 24 hours during cold temperatures.
• Turning on your kitchen range hood when cooking and boiling water.
• Open all bedroom and bathroom doors whenever possible to ensure adequate air circulation throughout the home. Running a furnace fan continuously can also help circulate air between rooms.
• Refrain from using humidifiers during cold temperatures, as they add moisture to the air.
• Opening drapes and blinds during cold weather and overnight.
• Wiping up any condensation that may form on windows during colder periods.
• Being careful when using programmable thermostats – ensure you are not setting the temperature too low when leaving your house.
• Providing sufficient heat to all indoor areas in the home and ensure it flows over exterior walls, ceilings windows and doors.
• Making sure all heat registers are open, and that any cold air returns aren’t being blocked by furniture.
• You can also purchase a hygrometer to measure humidity in different areas of the home.  They’re relatively inexpensive and are available at local hardware or building supply stores.