Home Improvement Stack Exchange
Home Improvement Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [humidity]

233 questions
32
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9 answers

What humidity should I set my dehumidifier to?

I just bought a 50 pint dehumidifier for my basement. What humidity level should I aim for? This time of year the outside humidity is very high (over 80%) and we do not have central air. Right now it is set to 55% and seems to be running…
auujay
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6 answers

What are the pros and cons of a whole house humidifier?

In the winter, my house (~2500 sqft) becomes unbearably dry. Last winter, my wife and I used a tiny humidifier for the master bedroom to keep us from completely drying out, but since then I have been exploring a whole-house solution, complete with…
Nate
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26
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1 answer

Humidity Levels

What is a healthy and safe humidity level that I should try to keep my house at?
Sam Erde
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6 answers

Does A/C encourage mold growth?

I think I'm being sold bunk by a mold company, but not sure. We live in the tropics, we recently had our bathroom ceiling flood due to a burst pipe, and went away immediately after. (the landlord had the bathroom ceiling removed a bit under a week…
ChrisJ
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Any problem to build a house that covers a same-sized hole in the ground?

I have recently bought a piece of land to build a country cottage and perhaps eventually move there permanently. The terrain is sloped with only a few flat spots. The former owners dug a large rectangular hole in one of these flat spots, with about…
heltonbiker
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How to make a house that tolerates condensation

Where I live, it's humid outside all fall, winter, and spring, and hovers around 45 deg F. Combined with indoor cooking, showering, etc., we always get a lot condensation on our windows. Rot & mildew love it here. What can we do in the design &…
Jay Bazuzi
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What does a Summer/Winter switch on furnace air ducts do?

On some of our furnace ducts, there is a switch/valve for Summer/Winter or S/W. What does changing this switch/lever accomplish? Can bad things happen if I forget to switch it? Bonus question: Pictured below, an Aprilaire humidifier control unit…
The Other Steven
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How should I drain water from a basement dehumidifier?

Our basement has had difficulty with water in the past, from intrusions through the side (fixed by gutters) and chimneys (fixed by chimney caps). Most recently, however, water has been collecting on and dripping from cold water pipes and the…
sogrady
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Why doesn't AC equipment come with dehumidifier only option?

Every AC unit dehumidifies when cooling is on. I'm just wondering why dehumidification only is not an option, as is in standalone dehumidifiers? E.g. my basement stays pretty cool even in the summer but humidity can easily be 60-70%. I would like to…
amphibient
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Why is my house humidity at 80%?

I live in Northern CA. For over 2 weeks, outside humidity is 90% (night) to 60% (4pm). I use fans when cooking and bathing. I keep the house temperature at 60-66 deg (night-day) and probably may drop to 57 when not at home during the day. I try to…
csmba
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Why does my fluorescent light fixture take minutes to turn on in high heat and humidity?

Our kitchen fixture won't come on for 3 to 5 minutes when the temperature goes over 90°F (32.2°C) and 90% humidity. It flickers and only reaches 80% brightness after that. It will occasionally flicker in lower, but still warm temperatures. It is…
Mike Two
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Is there an alternative to a self-piercing saddle valve for a humidifier?

I bought and installed a whole home humidifier. The humidifier is located in my attic connected to the air exchanger. The Self-Piercing Saddle Valve is located there as well to draw water to the flow through screen. Since the valve is at the…
Queso
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What kind of unvented tumble dryer will reduce indoor humidity?

We had a humidity issue in our rental flat last winter - every morning all the windows were wet, and we had mold in the corners and behind the couch. (Despite venting 3+ times a day for 10+ minutes - which was really uncomfortable because of the…
G. B.
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Fastest way to dry a vented dirt crawl space (no vapor barrier) in California (Bay Area)

I read so many contradicting things online: Some recommend dehumidiers (if so, which?), some advice against. Some recommend fans (which, how many, how/where to install?), some advice against. Some advice so seal the vents, some advice against. And…
divB
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Does a humidifier cool the air?

I'm considering getting an evaporative humidifier for my super-dry Northeast house, but I'm wondering if the evaporation cools off the room and is going to add to my heating bill. It seems like evaporative humidifier work exactly the same was as…
Hank
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