How to dehumidify a room : tips for eliminating humidity from domestic environments without using an electric dehumidifier.
Excess humidity in a home can have negative consequences on the structure of the building and on the health of those who live there: respiratory problems, nasal congestion, sore throat and even asthma attacks. This is why it is important to dehumidify a room . Usually, the amount of humidity present in a home is determined by the geographical location and the season, unfortunately in particular structural conditions, even the construction affects the amount of humidity present in the home.
Humidity can cause mold and can provide the ideal habitat for bacteria and viruses. According to some studies published by Kenneth Hellevarg of North Dakota State University, optimal humidity levels in a home environment can vary from 30 to a maximum of 50 percent. Understanding how to dehumidify an environment is simple. Of course, using a dehumidifier could be useful but there are also small strategies to dehumidify an environment without air conditioning or ad hoc tools.
How to dehumidify a room without a dehumidifier, the recommended strategies
- Air exchange
Ventilate the house by opening doors and windows when the outside temperature is adequate enough to guarantee the right thermal comfort.
Please note, to regulate the right amount of humidity in the house and to have a minimum impact on the summer or winter air conditioner, rather than keeping the window ajar for several hours, it is recommended to open it wide for a few minutes. - Ceiling Fan
Using a ceiling fan, you can find ceiling fans-chandeliers on the market even at advantageous prices. The fans, by turning, will attract dry air inside the house, decreasing the humidity level . - Sources of Steam
Reduce the amount of time you spend in the shower or bath.
When drying your hair, open the window slightly. If you wash clothes, dry them outside the house, choosing places like the terrace or balcony. Avoid putting a clothes horse indoors: the clothes will release steam as they dry, which will increase the humidity level in your apartment. - Ventilation
Turn on a fan while you are bathing or showering, in this way, the fans will carry the humidity outside the house. Consider setting up a controlled ventilation system, the most modern systems also allow the recovery of the thermal energy invested to heat or cool the house ( heat recovery ventilation ). - Rainwater Management
Make sure that when it rains, water does not accumulate around the perimeter of the house. This will help dehumidify a room because a large source of humidity is the soil. You can prevent rainwater from accumulating around the house by making changes to your gutter or by channeling rainwater into a collection tank, useful for watering the garden. - Watering and Houseplants
Be careful when watering your houseplants. Wet soil can humidify the air, so water only when absolutely necessary. - Using a dryer and dishwasher
If you use a dryer, to avoid the accumulation of humidity, make sure that the dryer is placed against a wall that faces the outside and not another room. The dryer’s “vent” releases a lot of hot air that quickly increases the humidity level. At the end of the dishwasher wash cycle, before opening the door, wait until the water vapor has completely condensed otherwise it will be released into the kitchen and humidify that environment.
How to dehumidify a room with DIY dehumidifiers
Using easily available salts such as calcium chloride, potassium chloride or silicates, it is possible to create DIY dehumidifiers capable of capturing the humidity present in small domestic environments.
To make a homemade dehumidifier you need an ice cream tub (preferably one kilogram) or a basin. For all the instructions on how to make a passive dehumidifier at home, we refer you to the page DIY Dehumidifier , however, if you do not want to keep ice cream tubs scattered around the house, you can buy ready-to-use passive dehumidifiers.
It is important to understand that the only difference between a passive dehumidifier purchased on the market and a passive dehumidifier DIY is in the aesthetics! So do not be discouraged, if you do not want to buy the entire tank, just find the salts.
Economically, the difference is relatively significant. With a DIY passive dehumidifier, you should only spend 8 euros to buy the calcium salt (calcium chloride), while if you buy the entire passive system, the cost will be around 15 – 20 euros, depending on the product you choose.
Among the best passive dehumidifiers (best for its low cost and because it uses calcium salts that react very easily with water molecules suspended in the atmosphere) we recommend the Wenko tray offered on Amazon at a price of 16.90 euros with free shipping.
To make the most of a passive dehumidifier (whether DIY or pre-packaged), it is best to maximize ventilation in the room, and from here we suggest installing ceiling fans.
Ceiling fans are very cheap, there is no shortage of three-blade models on the market with a bulb attachment included (so they can replace the chandelier).
Dehumidifying a room: insulation and thermal bridges
If you have severe humidity problems in your home, in addition to evaluating the use of passive dehumidifiers or electric dehumidifiers and a controlled ventilation system with heat recovery, carry out a careful assessment of the masonry of your building.
Humidity has an origin! The causes that make an environment humid are many and range from bad habits (drying clothes in the house, failure to activate the extractor hood in the kitchen, using the hair dryer without changing the air) to structural problems.
In ideal conditions, the house should be well insulated (thermally insulated), with a cold roof or ventilated roof (to avoid condensation) and above all it should be free of thermal bridges. Rising damp and condensation are the main allies of humidity in the home. If you have condensation problems, to dehumidify a room , read the advice seen in the article condensation in the house, what to do .
Electric dehumidifiers and air conditioners
To dehumidify a room, ad hoc systems such as air conditioning with humidity control systems and electric dehumidifiers are very common. These should be installed wisely in the home, taking into account the degree of thermal insulation and the size of the apartment to be dehumidified . Maintenance should also be done periodically, especially for dehumidifiers where the so-called “bag” must be emptied with a certain frequency.
Useful Amazon Link : Dehumidifier Home Mold 10L/24h, Suitable up to 16㎡, – Read the reviews
