High humidity makes most people feel uncomfortable, but humidity in your home can lead to problems beyond physical discomfort. Excess moisture can contribute to poor indoor air quality, as well as damage to your home’s structure and appearance. Learning more about humidity damage can help you avoid foundation problems.
Damage to Carpet and Fabrics
Carpets, upholstery and other fabrics are ideal environments for mold and mildew growth. Mold and mildew cause unpleasant odors, discoloration and can eventually rot some materials. If the problem goes unnoticed or otherwise unresolved, you’ll have to replace the entire carpet. Other moldy fabrics, such as upholstery and clothing, also require replacement or special cleaning to kill and remove mold and mildew.
Structural Problems
Humidity damage can extend below carpeting and affect the flooring underneath. In some cases, the floor may rot in areas and need to be replaced. Non-carpeted hardwood floors may develop mold or mildew and need to be specially cleaned. Unless you lower humidity with a home dehumidification system, you’ll have to apply a mildew-proof paint or varnish to these floors to prevent new mold and mildew growth.
Paint Damage
Interior paint is not created to withstand high humidity. When air remains damp for an extensive period of time indoors, you may notice paint beginning to flake, bubble and eventually peel off from the walls.
Damp Drywall
If dampness from the air penetrates to your home’s drywall, mold and mildew can develop and, even worse, your drywall may soften and pieces will gradually flake away.
Damage to Your Food Supply
Dry grains, flour, bread and similar food items attract moisture from the air and can quickly grow stale or moldy. Metal cans and metal lids on jars may corrode and render the food within containers unsafe. Keeping high humidity under control using a dehumidifier, for example, is therefore important not only to prevent costly structural problems, but for your food budget and safety as well.
For more information about humidity damage and how to avoid it, please contact Marsh Heating & Air Conditioning in the Greater Twin Cities area.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about humidity damage and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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