Humidity in the house is a common phenomenon, it is formed during washing, cleaning the room, washing and cooking. But in some houses it is within the normal range, while in others it is increased, in this case the question arises “why does high humidity appear in the house and how to prevent it?”
With its excess, windows, glass and mirror surfaces, stains appear on the walls, often with a touch of mold, all this is accompanied by a musty unpleasant odor. What should be the humidity at home without causing problems? The norm is considered to be 30-60%, it is measured with a special device - a hygrometer. In addition, it must be remembered that even normal indicators can change for various reasons and it is quite difficult to maintain a normal level of humidity, especially in summer period because heaters dry the air in winter.
Of course, every owner who encounters this problem wants to know how to get rid of humidity at home, because it causes a lot of inconvenience and, moreover, spoils aesthetic appearance dwellings. Due to the constant dampness, a fungus can form on the walls, ceiling and in the corners, which is dangerous for human health, it causes chronic colds, allergies and bronchial asthma. Children are most susceptible to changes in humidity, their immune system suffers from this, and it has a detrimental effect on home premises.
Many factors can influence dampness in a house: weather conditions, the proximity of large bodies of water, building a house on a site with high flowing groundwater, poor ventilation and not regular airing of rooms.
To protect the house from high humidity, invented mass good ways, but in order to achieve the maximum effect and eliminate this problem forever, you need to apply these methods in combination. Naturally, such activities will require certain financial costs, but they will soon pay off, as they will help to avoid repair work and drug costs.
Before you start fighting dampness, you need to determine the level of humidity. As mentioned above, the norm of humidity in the house should be from 30-60%, the level of 45% is considered the most optimal. Having convinced of its excess, you can begin work to eliminate it.
by the most in an efficient way will be repair work in a damp room and waterproofing. So, for example, dry mortar based on cement. The bathroom floors are waterproofed using liquid glass. Besides, external walls dwellings are treated with plaster with cement base, and you need to make several such layers. You can "dress" the walls in a special protective water-repellent coating. These measures will prevent moisture from entering the house.
To reduce air humidity, modern dehumidifiers are used, which are divided into domestic and industrial. Household are used in residential areas, they are very compact and lightweight, so they can be moved from room to room and installed in any suitable place. Such devices are silent and easy to use.
Heating appliances will be a good option to fix the problem, especially in autumn and summer, when dampness on the street more than ever affects the increase in humidity in the room. Their frequent use during this period of time will dry the damp air and prevent the formation of mold. But on the other hand, if the housing is already heated, such appliances can be harmful to health. Today, on the shelves of stores you can see a large number of chemicals that eliminate high humidity. They effectively deal with this problem, but they only work for a certain amount of time.
Why high humidity appears in the house is greatly influenced by modern double-glazed windows, or rather their poor-quality installation. In order for the air in the room to circulate properly, windows must be installed above heating appliances, batteries, this prevents the glass from freezing and moisture from appearing on it. Extra items on the radiator or a very large window sill sometimes interfere with heating window panes. In the first case, you should get rid of the interfering object, and in the second, you need to make holes in a large window sill. Sometimes the reason lies in the double-glazed window itself, which may be defective and have a defect. The firm that installed the window incorrectly is obliged to solve this problem.
Often, the increase in humidity is caused by frequent drying of clothes in the room or a malfunction of the pipes in the bathroom, poor ventilation or its complete absence. To eliminate dampness, you need to check the pipes and, if necessary, replace them with new ones, check the ventilation system. Whenever possible, linen should be dried outside. It happens that things that are not sufficiently dried after washing end up in the closet, this also leads to dampness and the appearance of an unpleasant odor. Therefore, it is worth drying clothes as best as possible and preferably in the fresh air.
Oddly enough, too wet soil in houseplants can also contribute to dampness. You can not often and abundantly water the plants without letting the earth dry out properly.
To the question "how to remove humidity in the house?" there are a lot of answers, the most important thing is to identify its cause, and then choose the most right ways to eliminate it.
High humidity is typical for old residential buildings in need of major repairs. All of the above measures to eliminate it in this case won't help. There is only one way out - to do complete renovation dwellings using wood and drywall, which are natural materials. Drywall is famous for its ability to absorb excess moisture, and if necessary, on the contrary, select it. Therefore, it will perfectly serve to regulate the humidity in the room.
But still, how to reduce the humidity in the house, if its level has exceeded everything allowable norms? The simplest and effective way there will be frequent airing of the room, especially after cooking, washing and water procedures. In summer, it is better not to cover the windows with curtains, then Sun rays dry rooms faster. An excellent device that dries the air is a fan, traditionally used to cool it. It is impossible not to mention modern household appliances to reduce humidity. These are expensive air conditioners, and special hoods, and simple appliances for affordable price. Such devices absorb excess moisture in the air to an optimal level, protect the house from mold and fungus, provide rooms with dryness and warmth, as well as a pleasant smell, which is also important.
There are other methods to reduce the humidity in the house. It's effective chemicals produced on the basis of absorbents, moisture absorbers. In the process of their use, excess moisture enters the tank. You can use these drugs as needed.
If the house does not have ventilation, it will need to be installed immediately. This work can be done by the owner of the apartment himself or by inviting a master. In the wall of a problematic room, do through hole, which is closed by a lattice both inside and outside. A heat exchanger is preliminarily installed between the grilles, and it will draw raw air from the room, while leaving heat in the room.
Sometimes desiccant tablets help to cope with the problem, they can be found in hardware stores.
Before you reduce the humidity in the house to the desired level, you should find the cause of its occurrence, eliminate it and use the tips to prevent its reappearance.
In the process of combating dampness, many people forget that excessive dryness of the air is no less harmful to human health, so the main task is not to overdo it and “adjust” the humidity to the optimal level.
AT damp apartment walls become moldy, things deteriorate, rot and collapse wooden items and furniture. Dampness adversely affects the health of households. should be given dampness control Special attention. In capital houses and structures, during construction and design, a number of activities are carried out aimed at dampness prevention. But in our conditions, miscalculations in design are not uncommon, as a result of which dampness appears. Dampness can appear even in a properly designed and built house.
In Chinese medicine, diseases due to dampness, are characterized by fat content, dirt, unpleasant odor and stickiness. Heaviness and aches in the body, headaches, greasy hair and a shiny face, fungal diseases and purulent inflammation, diseases of the joints and bad smell from the mouth can be the cause of dampness in the apartment. Long-term non-healing wounds can also be the result of high humidity and dampness in the living room. There may be disturbances in the work of the spleen and respiratory organs. To prevent such diseases, you should maintain optimal humidity and try as quickly as possible. get rid of dampness in the apartment.
Dampness in the apartment leads to the formation of fungus on the walls. The fungus comes through top coat walls (wallpaper, plaster, paint) and appears as dark or black spots. Ingoda fungus covers significant areas of the walls in the apartment. Another damp symptom in the apartment - wet things. Wet clothes give a feeling of coldness when dressed, while wet clothes favor colds. Drops (dew) may appear on the walls of a house or apartment - this also indicates increased dampness in the apartment.
To determine cause of dampness in the apartment such an experiment can be done. For a day, firmly attach a piece of glass to the wall. It is highly desirable to choose a flat section of the wall so that the glass is attached to it tightly. In a day, inspect the glass - if it is damp outside, then the cause of dampness is in the processes occurring in the apartment, if the dampness is from the side of the wall, then the dampness in the apartment comes from outside.
The reasons for the appearance dampness in the apartment may be drying a large number linen, poor ventilation of the room, poor heating in winter period, building design flaws, etc. There are many reasons for the appearance of dampness in the apartment and they must be systematically dealt with. It should be understood that in one apartment there may be several reasons for the appearance of dampness, leading to increased humidity. common cause appearance dampness in apartments in panel and brick houses is insufficient thermal insulation of the outer walls or flaws in the seams of the building. Especially often dampness, and after it the fungus, appear in corner apartments when two walls of one room form outer corner at home.
If a cause of dampness is design features buildings, then the main measure to get rid of dampness should be insulation. Sealing the seams between the panels, insulation of the outer part of the wall, insulation from the inside of the apartment. When insulating from the inside of the apartment, and this is usually achieved by removing the wall with the installation of insulation, it is imperative to carry out antifungal treatment of the walls, otherwise all the work may be in vain.
Area increase heating appliances can also be an effective way dampness control in the apartment. Another climate weapon in the fight against dampness and mold can be air conditioning. Drying the air, it helps to remove moisture from the room.
To get rid of moisture ventilation is required. Cleaning the ventilation wells, checking the draft, airing the room in dry weather is the basis for the success of the fight against dampness in the apartment. pay attention to washing machines with a drying function, so as not to dry the laundry in the apartment. Use exhaust ventilation when preparing food.
There are four main reasons why you need to get rid of the humidity in the apartment as soon as possible:
Poor ventilation, nearby sources of moisture, savings on heating and improper insulation- the main causes of dampness in a private or apartment building.
Poor ventilation is the most common cause of high humidity. AT apartment buildings, especially in the old fund, the laid ventilation shafts and grates are clogged, overgrown with debris. As a result, air movement stops. The situation is aggravated by plastic windows, especially cheap samples, low-quality materials for covering ceilings and walls. In private houses, especially self-built ones, the owners sometimes try to save money through ventilation, believing that there are enough windows and doors. This is not true!
If the ventilation system cannot cope, it is not necessary to make a draft, especially in winter - this is fraught with hypothermia. More expensive but most practical solution will be forced exhaust ventilation, as well as amplifiers of an existing system, for example, exhaust fans.
Another solution to the problem is the installation of a heat exchanger or the use of a special air dryer. The latter device is indispensable if the cause of dampness is excess moisture (for example, in a bathroom, pool, with an abundance of home flowers).
Sources of moisture in the apartment:
Shambo or septic tanks can be located near a private house, which impregnate the grant with moisture. And as a result, the basement becomes very damp, mold develops in it. Another source of moisture in the basement and on the 1st floor is a split blind area (a waterproof coating located around the perimeter of the house). Moisture from the soil and precipitation will seep into the house or basement.
An unheated room is a haven for dampness. Ideally, the walls of an apartment or house should warm up to at least half the thickness, then the place where condensate forms will go outside (on the street). In frozen walls, the place where condensate forms is shifted to a warm area, and often even located on the surface of the walls on the residential side. The problem is exacerbated by poor ventilation.
Housing, where people do not live or which is not heated enough, begins to damp very quickly: wall decoration is destroyed on average in two seasons. In addition, in addition to natural wear and tear, the structure loses an additional 5% of strength every year precisely due to dampness.
Advice! Vacation home, cottage - not a single seasonal housing can be left without heating. Hire a person or arrange with a neighbor who will periodically monitor this. If you are visiting for a couple of weeks, do not close the valves of the batteries.
Incorrect insulation also causes dampness. The main faults are an insufficient layer to provide warmth, and poor, zero vapor permeability materials.
To properly insulate an apartment, you can use one of two options:
To deal with humidity, it is likely that a tangible cost of either money or time and patience will be required.
The most reliable ways to combat dampness are expensive. However, after the restructuring, you do not have to think about drafts or sachets. Methods are expensive, but pay off with interest:
Available and simple ways reduce indoor humidity:
Advice! Regularly ventilate the room, regardless of the season, will allow the installation of plastic windows, which are equipped with the "micro-ventilation" function.
Increased humidity is removed if you constantly maintain the same heating in the room.
Often, high humidity is accompanied by a characteristic smell of dampness. Its cause is a fungus, therefore, in order to eliminate the problem, the infection should be destroyed. Thoroughly wash off mold stains, if it is deeply ingrained, replace the coating (up to the plaster layer), if possible. Then treat with a disinfectant, and then with a protective one. Products should be labeled "anti-fungal" or "fungicide".
In order for the mold not to divorce again, in addition to treatment with protective preparations, it will be required in warm, dry weather:
Advice! In winter, heaters, household air dryers, air conditioners, which are equipped with a heating function, will allow you to dry the room.
Folk recipes also help to dry the air in the apartment:
Advice! Replace calcium chloride with charcoal or quicklime.
Eliminate dampness in the apartment can be simple and accessible ways. Wall processing special formulations kill mold and prevent it from reappearing. Systematic prevention will protect against increased humidity and the formation of fungus.
If you enter a room and smell a musty smell or see dark spots on a shelf or walls, it's mold. It's all about dampness. It is detrimental to health, furniture and the house itself. She must be fought against.
Find the reason first
There are many reasons for increasing humidity in your home. Before taking measures to eliminate moisture, you need to find its causes.
To determine the cause of moisture on the wall, you can test it with foil. Dry part of the wall with a hair dryer. Attach the foil tightly to this place and fix it there (with adhesive tape). If after a day the foil becomes wet on the outside, then this is condensate; if it is wet under the foil, then moisture seeps in from the outside.
Damp spots around windows and doors can be caused by water leaking into cracks after rain. If the stains are under the windowsill, the reason may be in the teardrop, which is designed to drain rainwater. Check for its presence and whether it is sealed with cement.
To determine where the roof is leaking, you can water it with a hose and see where the leak is. If the roof does not leak, but wooden structures wet, then condensation is the culprit. Moist air from rooms rises and condenses on cold surfaces. Then you need to adjust the ventilation of the attic.
Check pipes for leaks, especially if they are embedded in a wall or floor. It is better to leave such pipes alone and make a stroke.
Let the house breathe
There are several ways to deal with condensation.
Let a couple out
To combat moisture in all its manifestations:
Let your home be cozy and warm!
If you enter a room and feel musty, see dark spots on the ceiling or in the corners of rooms affected by fungus and black mold - know that high humidity is to blame. It's like a ticking time bomb. It is detrimental to the health of all family members living in the apartment. Dampness also has a destructive effect on furniture, clothes, wooden shells, and doors.
To get rid of humidity in a residential area, it is necessary, first of all, to identify it. possible reasons. By tightly attaching and strengthening a piece of foil to the wall of the apartment for a day, you can find out from which side moisture enters the house.
If dew drops are noticed on the foil from the side of the wall, then the source of penetration of excess moisture is from the outside, and if it is dry there, then the source of dampness must be sought in the apartment.
There are many reasons for mold in your home, but the main ones are:
In addition, constant dampness is often present in the bathroom and kitchen, where damp fumes are particularly intense. The larger the number of households, the higher the percentage of humidity. The number of stages of cooking, washing, showering, bathing, drying clothes is directly proportional to the number of family members. Even with normal ventilation, the abundance of moisture in these rooms, especially in the bathroom, leads to the appearance of mold and a persistent specific smell. Gradually, an unpleasant smell spreads throughout the apartment.
High humidity in the apartment can also be from the hobby of the owners ornamental plants and flowers. Especially tropical species that require high humidity in the care. Sometimes such a hobby comes to the point of absurdity, when the apartment turns into a real greenhouse with its specific wet fumes.
Often, high humidity in apartments appears due to defects in interpanel floors or insufficient thermal insulation of external walls of brick and panel houses. Especially these shortcomings are manifested in the corner apartments, where the walls of the room form the outer corner of the house.
High humidity adversely affects human health, as it is the cause of chronic diseases.
At room temperature indoor dampness has a beneficial effect on the development of various pathogenic bacteria, is the cause of skin diseases such as eczema, fungus and allergic manifestations.
It is very difficult for asthmatics to stay in such rooms, in which moist air provokes attacks of coughing and suffocation. The most common cold in such conditions often drags on for long period sometimes with complications.
Children, whose immunity is not yet strong, and the elderly, whose immune functions are already weakening due to age-related changes, suffer the most.
A constant companion of high humidity - black mold - is a strong carcinogen that can provoke cancer.
However, under these conditions, not only the health of the residents of the house suffers. Mold can affect all wooden structures, furniture, and even ruin clothes. In addition, such foodstuffs as flour, cereals, bread, vegetables and fruits become damp and deteriorate in such premises. Products covered with mold should not be eaten.
The fungus infects the walls of the rooms. It is sometimes very difficult to remove it, since mycelium spores penetrate deep into the structure. The only way out is to dehumidify the air and overhaul the premises affected by the fungus.
Based on the requirements of sanitary and hygienic standards for residential premises, at an air temperature of 20-21 ° C, air humidity should be in the range of 40-60%. Under such conditions, the human respiratory system works in the most favorable mode. It has been noticed that during an influenza epidemic, people who are at home and at work in rooms with an optimal humidity value fall ill much less frequently.
by the most effective method drainage of residential premises is their periodic heating and ventilation.
A dehumidifier will help get rid of dampness in the apartment. It can be purchased at any store household appliances. Dehumidifiers come in different capacities and with humidity sensors. The more powerful the dehumidifier, the more effectively it will eliminate the increased moisture in the apartment.
Be sure to give vent to the steam that forms in the bathroom, kitchen. To do this, periodically ventilate the premises.
Install windows with a ventilation function that ensures constant circulation of fresh air.
In the kitchen, it is advisable to adapt a forced hood over gas stove. This will help eliminate the steam that is generated during the cooking process.
Can be installed in the bathroom electric towel warmer, which effectively removes the moisture released during the drying process.
Perfectly maintains the specified microclimate in the rooms air conditioner. It not only dries humid 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 during the check the draft turns out to be weak, then this can also be the cause of dampness in the house. Troubleshoot yourself or call a specialist to help eliminate the cause of poor traction.
To keep in the house optimal humidity, it is necessary to eliminate its sources. If using foil, as described earlier, it is revealed that the source of dampness in the apartment is external factor, the following steps need to be taken:
If the source of dampness is in the apartment, you must adhere to the following rules:
By following these recommendations, 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 adverse factors that are fraught with high humidity. Good health and a comfortable life to all!