We all know that it’s humid in and around Tampa Florida. But you don’t have to deal with the humidity inside of your house. It’s no fun feeling sticky in your house, and humidity can result in serious health problems if mold and mildew develop as a result. Many homes in Florida have ceiling fans to help distribute cooled air from your AC system. But can a fan help with the humidity in your home? Here’s what you need to know.
Understanding Humidity: How It Affects Your Home and Health
Humidity is the amount of water vapor present in the air. When humidity in your home is high, the excess moisture can encourage mold growth, which results in health problems such as allergies, skin irritation, and respiratory issues. Humidity can also exacerbate symptoms of asthma and other respiratory diseases.
On the flip side, too little humidity can dry out your skin, eyes, and mucous membranes, leading to an itchy throat and dry, cracking skin.
Having a healthy humidity balance is key to a comfortable and safe home environment.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) suggests that indoor humidity should be maintained between 30% and 50%. This range is considered ideal for human health and comfort.
Have you bought a new house in Pasco County and your home feels more humid that you would like? We have found that some new construction homes have issues with the way their ductwork was installed, missing vents and having issues with higher humidity than what is considered normal. If you have purchased a home in Florida between 2020-2023 and are experiencing higher than normal humidity, please reach out for a free consultation at (727) 233-5566
Now the question is, how do fans factor into the equation? Do they help with humidity or not?
Can A Fan Help With Humidity?
Fans are a quick and budget-friendly solution to heat, but they won’t change the actual humidity in your Florida home. Fans, regardless of type or size, aren’t able to alter the water vapor content of the air. They work by moving air, speeding up the evaporation of perspiration on your skin, making you feel cooler and less sweaty.
In other words, fans tackle the consequences of humidity rather than the cause. While the moisture level in the air remains the same, you feel less of the sticky discomfort of high humidity.
An interesting fact to note is that sometimes, fans can actually increase the sensation of humidity. During humid conditions, body perspiration tends to evaporate less quickly.
When a fan blows air over your skin, it speeds up the rate of evaporation, causing your body to produce more sweat to cool down and giving you a false sense of a more humid environment due to the increased perspiration.
4 Effective Ways To Control Humidity At Home
Dehumidifiers
In particularly damp areas or if you have rooms in your home with persistent humidity issues, a dehumidifier is a worthwhile investment. They reduce moisture levels by extracting water from the air and storing it in a tank which you empty regularly.
They come in various sizes, from small units suitable for a compact room to larger ones capable of servicing an entire house.
Plants: Nature’s Own Dehumidifiers
House plants can absorb moisture from the air, effectively acting as natural dehumidifiers. They also reduce dust by as much as 20%, according to one study. Boston ferns, spider plants, and peace lilies are all excellent at helping control humidity. Of course, if you overwater them you will end up increasing humidity, so make sure to water carefully.
Improving Ventilation
An effective way of controlling indoor humidity is by improving ventilation with additional vents or fans in areas like the bathroom or kitchen that generate lots of moisture. Regularly opening windows and doors can also help cycle air and reduce humidity. Of course, in the typically extremely humid weather of Pasco County, opening doors and windows is likely to just let more humidity in.
An Efficient and Well-Maintained HVAC System
An efficient and well-maintained HVAC system is a key player in controlling the humidity levels in your home. When in cooling mode, your HVAC unit draws in warm, moist air. As it cools down, the excess moisture in the air condenses on the evaporator coil and drains out, reducing the humidity levels in your home.
When in heat mode, the air is dried as it is warmed and water evaporates from it.
Regular maintenance is essential for your HVAC to do it’s humidity-reducing job well. Replacing the air filters regularly, keeping the condensation drain clear, and scheduling routine professional maintenance to check and clean and seal ducts if necessary are keys to keeping humidity down in your home.
If you are having issues with humidity in your home, give Millian Aire AC & Heating a call today to have one of our technicians come out and see what is going on. We can check your ductwork to ensure humidity isn’t leaking in through any gaps or rips.
We can also purify your ductwork and HVAC system so if high humidity has been causing mold, we can get rid of it. Why deal with a sticky home or the health problems that mold can cause? Give us a call today at (727) 233-5566.
