6 tips to combat excessive damp in your home…
Condensation often forms on apartment windows, especially during the winter months. In the long run, this can be a nuisance, as the water has to be wiped off regularly to prevent mold. Condensation on windows can be caused by high humidity levels. If you reduce the humidity, there’s no condensation.
What is the ideal humidity level in an apartment?
According to the Consumers’ Association, the ideal humidity level in living spaces is between 40 and 60 percent. “If air humidity is permanently higher, the risk of mold increases”. The best thing to do is to ventilate two to four times a day. But you can also take other supportive measures.
6 tips to combat excessive humidity in your home
1. Ventilate against humidity
Even when it’s cold, it’s a good idea to ventilate several times a day. Moist, stale air needs to be evacuated and freshness restored. It’s not enough to do this once in the morning and once in the evening. If you have the time, you should ventilate several times a day.
According to the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment, a four-person household releases around 12 liters of moisture into the air every day. “The most effective way is to use what is known as jog ventilation, i.e. to ventilate vigorously several times a day for about five minutes with the windows fully open, rather than leaving them tilted all the time. Tilt ventilation carries the risk of mould formation by condensation on the edges of the windows, and is not very effective”.
It is particularly important to ventilate rooms where there is a source of humidity. This means that rooms in which there is potentially a lot of moisture should be ventilated in particular. These include rooms where laundry is dried, cooking or sleeping.
2. Heating to combat humidity
It’s currently a little expensive, but quite effective. Warm air can absorb more moisture than cold air, so it makes sense to heat rooms where humidity is particularly high. It’s important to maintain a constant temperature indoors, writes the Federal Office for the Environment. However, at night or when no one is at home, it is possible to reduce the heating by a few degrees.
3. Reduce humidity with an air dehumidifier
If heating and ventilation aren’t enough, you can use a dehumidifier. There are several different types. There are active dehumidifiers, powered by electricity, and passive dehumidifiers, powered by granules. The latter, however, are recommended for smaller rooms. With electric dehumidifiers, it’s important to keep electricity consumption in mind.
4. the right cooking technique
You’ve probably already noticed: as soon as the liquids in the pan start to steam up, the kitchen windows fog up. If this happens, there’s a simple remedy: put a lid on. Once the lid is on the pan, less steam escapes to the outside. You can also activate the extractor hood.
5. Plants can help reduce humidity
Many guides tell you to remove plants if the humidity is too high. This makes sense, as plants release the water they have absorbed through photosynthesis back into the air. But there are plants that can help reduce humidity – you’ll find a selection here.
6. place a dish with salt
If you need a quick fix to lower the humidity in your room, you can also place some salt in a dish. Salt extracts moisture from the air and binds it. You should, however, change the contents of the dish from time to time. You can also use rice or cat litter.
How to prevent high humidity?
There are a number of things you can do to prevent high humidity from building up in your apartment. For example, it’s sometimes a good idea to put a lid on the saucepan when cooking, to prevent water vapor escaping. And don’t open the dishwasher immediately after you’ve finished. This way, the steam can still condense in the machine and not spread around the room.
