TWIN CITIES WEST Blog

Why Does My Home Always Feel So Humid?

Minnesota may be known for its cold winters, but our summers can get quite hot. When you head inside for refuge, it shouldn’t feel muggier than it does outside! Humid, moist air can also damage your house. How? Mildew and mold can build up, and paint, wood, and insulation can suffer damage. Even allergic reactions can become more severe.

But achieving the best indoor humidity levels is not as simple as cranking up the air conditioner. Let’s take a look at some problems and solutions for stuffy indoor air.

Your AC Unit’s Too Big

“Wait,” you might say, “My AC causes the humidity in my home?” That seems counterintuitive, right? Regardless, it could be true!

If your air conditioning system is too big for the square footage of your house, it can bring the temperature down too fast. While this makes the air feel cooler, it does nothing to reduce humidity. That’s because the evaporator coil inside your AC also functions as a dehumidifier. If it’s only running for a few minutes before it shuts off, it can’t do its job. 

Sounds like your situation? You may need to talk to a knowledgeable AC specialist about changing to a unit that better matches your house.

Poor Ventilation

When humidity builds up in your house, it might be moisture with nowhere to go. This is often the case in rooms like your kitchen and bathroom. The humidity will stick around if you don’t have fans to carry away the moisture from showers and hot sinks! If your home doesn’t feature a ventilation system, have one installed. The upside is, once the warm, moist air gets removed, there’s cool, dry air left! That is, as long as your house isn’t poorly insulated.

Leaks and Cracks

Your plumbing system may have corroded, broken, or loose pipes. Leaking water can cause wallpaper to separate, paint to bubble, and drywall to become soft and pliable. Have a plumber check your system for these issues! Some leaks can go undetected for a long time even many years if they’re small enough.

Leaks and cracks aren’t just a problem for plumbing, though. If your walls, doors, and windows aren’t sealed, humidity can make its way in. Your home might need new attic insulation and weatherstripping. An airtight seal can help the cool, dry air stay in and the warm, humid air out.

Moisture from the Soil

Your house’s foundation may be trapping rainwater, allowing that moisture to rise from the ground up throughout your home. This is called “rising damp” and can be a major issue if your home has a structure made primarily of porous materials like brick or wood. 

Awnings, gutters, and rain spouts can redirect water away from your house to keep it from accumulating in your basement. Just like you need attic insulation and ventilation, you may also need to consider a ventilation system and insulation to keep your basement dry.

What to Do About Humidity in My Home?

According to Energy Star, the best indoor humidity is between 30% and 50%. They compiled a list of potential problem areas you may need to address, and the common thread is insulation. Poor insulation may be what’s crushing you in your fight against indoor humidity! 

Koala Insulation of Twin Cities West has the expertise to find every uninsulated nook and cranny. If you’re tired of having no control over the humidity in your house, we can fix that. Schedule a free consultation today to have Koala Insulation drive high humidity away!