How to get rid of excess moisture in the house

If you enter the room and feel stale, you see dark spots on the ceiling or in the corners of rooms affected by fungus and black mold - you should know that humidity is the cause. It's like a time bomb. It is detrimental to the health of all family members living in the apartment. Moisture also has a destructive effect on pieces of furniture, clothing, wooden loot, doors.

Causes of moisture and moisture

To get rid of moisture in a residential area, it is necessary, first of all, to identify its possible causes. Tightly attaching and strengthening a piece of foil to the wall of the apartment for a day, you can find out which side the moisture comes into the house.

If dewdrops are seen on the foil on the side of the wall, then the source of excessive moisture penetration is from the outside, and if it is dry there, then a source of moisture must be sought in the apartment.

The causes of mold in the house are many, the main ones are as follows:

• there is no ventilation in the house at all, and if it is, it means that it is poorly adjusted or crammed;
• unscrupulous neighbors from the upper floor, who constantly heat the apartment;
• poorly plastered seams in the house;
• the basement in the house is constantly flooded, wet steam rises to the apartments on the first floors;
• improperly installed kitchen appliances or faulty plumbing;
• the roof leaks and the apartments of the upper floors are constantly flooded.

In addition, constant dampness is often present in the bathroom and kitchen, where wet fumes are particularly intense. The greater the number of households, the higher the percentage of humidity. The number of stages of cooking, washing, taking a shower, bathing, drying clothes is directly proportional to the number of family members. Even during normal ventilation operation, an abundance of moisture in these rooms, especially in the bathroom, leads to the appearance of mold and persistent specific odor. Gradually unpleasant smell spreads throughout the apartment.

The increased humidity in the apartment can also be from the enthusiasm of the owners of ornamental plants and flowers.Especially tropical species that require the maintenance of high humidity. Sometimes such a hobby comes to the point of absurdity, when an apartment turns into a real greenhouse with its own specific wet fumes.

Often the increased humidity in the apartments is due to defects in interpanel ceilings or insufficient insulation of the external walls of brick and panel houses. Especially these shortcomings manifest themselves in corner apartments, where the walls of the room form the outer corner of the house.

The danger of high humidity

Increased humidity adversely affects human health, as it is the cause of the development of chronic diseases.

At room temperature, the dampness of the premises has a beneficial effect on the development of various pathogenic bacteria, causing skin diseases such as eczema, fungus and allergic manifestations.

It is very difficult for asthma patients to find such rooms in which moist air provokes coughing and choking attacks. The most common cold in such conditions is often delayed for a long period, sometimes with complications.

The most affected are children, whose immunity is not yet strong, and old people, whose immune functions are already weakening due to age-related changes.

Permanent companion of high humidity - black mold - is a strong carcinogen that can provoke cancer.

However, in these conditions, not only the health of the residents of the house suffers. Mold can affect all wooden structures, furniture, and even spoil clothes. In addition, food such as flour, cereals, bread, vegetables and fruits is dampened and spoiled in such rooms. Products covered with mold, you can not eat.

The fungus affects the walls of rooms. Sometimes it is very difficult to remove it, because the spores of the mycelium penetrate deep into the structure. The only way out is to dry the air and overhaul the premises affected by the fungus.

What is the normal air humidity

Based on the requirements of sanitary and hygienic standards for residential premises, when the air temperature is 20-21 ° C, the air humidity should be in the range of 40-60%. In such conditions, the human respiration system works in the most favorable mode.It has been observed that during a flu epidemic, people who are at home and at work in rooms with an optimal value of humidity get sick much less often.

Ways and methods of getting rid of excess moisture in the house

The most effective method of drainage of premises is their periodic heating and ventilation.

Get rid of the dampness in the apartment will help dehumidifier. It can be purchased at any hardware store. Dehumidifiers come in different capacities and with humidity sensors. The more powerful the dehumidifier, the more effective it will be to eliminate the increased moisture in the apartment.

Be sure to give a way out of steam, which is formed in the bathroom, kitchen. To do this, periodically ventilate the room.

Install windows with an airing function that provides constant circulation of fresh air.

In the kitchen, it is advisable to adjust the forced hood over the gas stove. This will help eliminate the steam that is formed during the cooking process.

An electric heated towel rail can be installed in the bathroom, which effectively removes the moisture that is emitted during the drying process.

Perfectly maintains a given microclimate in the rooms air conditioner. It not only dries moist air, but also perfectly maintains the desired temperature in the room.

Be sure to check the condition of the ventilation shafts in your home. If, when checking, the thrust turns out to be weak, then this can also be the cause of dampness in the house. Solve the problem yourself or call a specialist who will help eliminate the cause of poor traction.

How to avoid high humidity

To maintain optimum humidity in the house, it is necessary to eliminate its sources. If using foil, as described earlier, revealed that the source of dampness in the apartment is an external factor, the following measures should be taken:

1. Seal all interpanel gaps to prevent the inflow of moist air from outside.
2. To insulate the outer walls of the apartment using mineral wool. The thickness of its blocks should not be less than 10 cm. But in no case should polystyrene be used for this purpose, which not only protects your apartment from excessive moisture, but also creates a dew point on the walls.
3. Replace all windows in the apartment with high-quality metal-plastic, having the function of ventilation.
4. If your apartment is on the first floor, it needs additional heat sources. We recommend to equip floors with electric heating.

If the source of moisture is in the apartment, you must adhere to the following rules:

• Keep the ventilation system in good condition.
• Periodically air the premises.
• We recommend replacing linoleum flooring with parquet or laminate made of natural wood.
• It is advisable to replace the wallpaper with latex, which does not "breathe" on mineral materials.
• Provide optimal heat exchange in the apartment by installing additional heating.
• In the kitchen and bathroom equip the hood and electric towel warmer.
• It is desirable to dry the linen on the balcony or on the street.
• If you like indoor plants, give preference to less moisture-loving.
• Treat the walls in the bathroom with antifungal agents.

If these recommendations are observed, a favorable microclimate and comfort will be created in your apartment. And, most importantly, you will protect yourself from the risk of exposing your health to the effects of adverse factorswhich is fraught with high humidity. Good health and comfortable life!