Showing posts with label Humidity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Humidity. Show all posts
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Indoor Pool Humidity - Problems and Fixes

Have a pool at home? You're fortunate. You can enjoy swimming anytime for as long as you want. But with fortune comes some misfortunes too and the misfortune associated with indoor pools is that their maintenance is not only crucial but also difficult. And the lack of maintenance leads to serious problems ranging from health issues to interior damage issues. We'll discuss today why and how you need to be overly cautious when you have a pool at home and to keep the right settings for it to remain a joy and not become a problem.



Pool and high humidity - The consequences

When there's a water body inside of your home, it will be evaporating water all the time. And the water droplets will rise and spread in the home increasing the indoor humidity. The rise in humidity will lead to;
- Discomfort for homeowners
- Damage to the interior or exterior of the house; wallpapers parching, dampness, spots on walls, damaging of decorations items etc
- Production and rapid spread of mould and spores
- High humidity when raises the moisture level in the air, also raises the chances of the spread of viruses and bacteria

Factors causing pool humidity

It is not the presence of the pool that creates problems, rather the improper presence and the lack of maintenance that does. For example; check out the following causes; 

- Improper building material
When a house is constructed with a design to add a pool in it, it is crucial to use the most compatible type of building material needed. In the case of houses with pools, the material suggested is the material that could prevent condensation within the walls of the house since this would lead to the production of mould and other problems.

- Not installing an adequate ventilation system
It is crucial to install an adequate ventilation system in all homes but particularly in homes where there are pools. The proper ventilation will let the moist air out before it could harm the indoor or causes discomfort for the homeowners.

- Dehumidification - Much needed Air Conditioners do offer dehumidification but there are two things to note;
- You need to set your Air Conditioner to the settings where it could offer the best dehumidification; Fan at ''Auto''
- Your AC may not be sufficient to dehumidify the indoor air because the humidity the pool creates is too much. In this case, you are required to install a separate dehumidifier.


How to maintain a fair balance in humidity with a pool at home?

The relative humidity level should in no case exceed 60%. You should strive to maintain humidity level somewhere between 40%-60%. With a pool at home, it is difficult but the following steps can help;

- Set the pool temperature two degrees lower than the air temperature. This will decrease evaporation which will consequently decrease the moisture
- Consider installing a good quality dehumidifier preferably a whole home dehumidifier
- Make sure you have a proper ventilation system and that the humidity is not causing problems in the indoor which may not be visible to you at the moment

In the end, a bonus for you; so how would you know about the level of humidity in your indoor? If you have a Smart Thermostat installed, congratulations. It can give you the reading of the indoor humidity level and can also track the data for you. In case you're still running an old model, installing a Smart Thermostat could be the right investment for you to continue enjoying all joys without having to make any compromise on your comfort.

Check out our range of Thermostats HERE and request a quote anytime at 1-855-245-4328

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Here's how high humidity disturbs home comfort in summers


Here the summer season comes and there we begin to feel all irritated because of the hot weather and more than that, the high level of humidity. When the level of humidity rises, it produces a warming effect making you feel warmer than the actual temperature. All this is bearable on the outside since not much can be done in order to combat the outdoor heat & humidity completely but when it comes to the indoor, discomfort is not bearable for the long hours that we spend in the indoor. And technology has provided us with practical and affordable solutions to combat both heat and humidity. But did you know what effects does high humidity makes on your cooling system? It burdens the cooling system! Actually, as the cooling system tries to cool the indoor, it also dehumidifies it. And when there is a high level of humidity, the system has to work so hard and in some cases, it trips without properly cooling the indoor. So you constantly run the appliances, give high energy bills and still can't manage to enjoy cool indoors in the most irritating summers just because of high humidity.

You may never be sure if your home has a desirable humidity level. So many people never check for humidity level and so many others just can't do it because they have a conventional mercury thermostat. But there are signs and symptoms that can tell you your home has a high level of humidity that you need to fix and not put everything on the delicate shoulders of the poor Air Conditioner.

- Foggy Windows

The kind of water vapours that you see on the outside of the window in winters as the ice melts, you'd see a similar kind of water vapours on the inside of the windows when humidity is high in your indoor in summers. This foggy moisture on the windows glass or near the window panes shows that the Air Conditioner is failing to ward off all the excess moisture and that you are living in an undesirable humidity level.

- Musty Odours

Musty odours is a clear consequence of moisture that is constantly keeping your indoor environment (and of course the things) wet. The moisture which is basically the high level of humidity causes musty odours in the entire home and particularly at places that are relatively closed; basement, store rooms etc.

- Clammy air

Ever felt irritated in the cool blows of air? That irritation usually comes when the air is clammy and that happens once again as a result of moisture in the indoor that is more than necessary. The Air Conditioner does work constantly to cool the air but as it fails to take away the humidity, the humid air gets cooled and gives cool yet unpleasant and sticky feels.

How to fix high humidity?

In Summers it is normal for the humidity levels to go up. But depending on the location, the architecture of the home and other factors, it could sometimes be unusually difficult to manage the humidity. For that, you can do the following;

- If your AC has a hard time combating the humidity, consider installing a Dehumidifier
- Check your doors and windows for proper insulation. Insulation equally benefits in summers as it benefits in winters
- Call a professional to check the cause of high humidity. Sometimes, the cause of excessive humidity is; leaking pipes or other constantly damp areas in the home.

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Signs of high humidity and how to control it

Humidity is good but mind you! levelled humidity. And by levelled humidity, we mean relative humidity of 35% - 45% in the air. Whenever this level goes down or rises extraordinarily up, it causes problems both for the home and the homeowners. While not all homes have a humidity meter installed, there are some signs that can help indicate insufficient or excessive humidity. Since we are closer to the summer, in which humidity level rises, this blog is on the signs of excessive humidity and ways to control it.



Signs that your home has excessive humidity


- Mould production


One of the most common and easily observed signs of excessive humidity is the presence (and rapid spread of mould). Any place in your home with insufficient air circulation is likely to produce mould more quickly. You can find green and black spots on walls, ceilings or in cupboards, usually of bathroom and kitchen. Using exhaust fans at the time of cooking, bathing can reduce the risks of the further spread of mould. As a permanent solution, best is to install a dehumidifier or an Air Conditioner that offers advanced dehumidification controls.

- Sweating

When there's a lot of moisture in the air, it condenses as it rises. And this moisture makes patches on walls, ceilings or windows etc. You can find large yellow spots on walls as a consequence of sweating or slippery windows and floors also indicate excessive moisture.

- Creaky Floor

The wooden floors, in constantly high humidity, will begin to smell. Marble and other material often times begin to creak. If your home is constantly under a high humidity condition, chances are your floor will creak and will always be felt wet.

- Soggy food

Ever happened to you that you opened the jar of chips and they were rather soggy instead of crispy? That's also a sign of high humidity when dry food items begin to get soggy. A soggy chocolate chip biscuit can tell you very loudly what ruined it.

- Worsening Allergies

In addition to all the above-mentioned signs, another is worsening allergies. Overly humidified air doesn't let the pollutants and allergens to exhaust quickly. They remain floating in the air for long causing allergies and making them long term. Moreover, a constantly high-level relative humidity is also proven to increase the risks of cancer among the homeowners.


What to do?

With all those signs, what is the best way to monitor and control the humidity level in the indoor? Can a common homeowner keep a check on humidity by himself? Here are some solutions.

- The first and foremost is to follow the right practices. Mostly, the cause of a sudden rise in indoor humidity is a consequence of homeowner's own malpractices like leaving bathroom walls wet after a bath and keeping the kitchen wet etc. Fix the causes!

- Once you are done with cleaning the already build-up mould, consider installing a Dehumidifier as a good and permanent solution to keep humidity under control. This is the best you can do to control a constantly surfacing problem of humidity

- Dehumidifiers are separate appliances that many homeowners find either a burden on their budget or an additional maintenance to do. If dehumidifiers aren't compatible with you, consider replacing your Air Conditioning unit with the one that offers advanced dehumidification controls. This will automatically provide you with levelled humidity

- Smart Thermostats offer data regarding indoor/outdoor temperature as well as humidity. Installing one can keep you aware of what humidity level you are living under allowing you to install a solution in time or change the practices that are causing it.




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