Humidity / Dehumidifiers / Bathroom Fans

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)

Mold Course Chapter 2: Why and Where Mold Grows

Humidity and Feeling Comfortable

Do you know why humans naturally feel so uncomfortable in really humid climates? Your skin uses the air around it to get rid of moisture on your body. So, when the humidity level is near 100%, the air cannot absorb the moisture on your body, namely sweat.

Sweat is your body’s natural air conditioner. When you sweat, your body attempts to maintain its ideal temperature (98.6). When you can’t get rid of that extra moisture and cool yourself off, it’s much harder to feel comfortable.

So now that we’ve talked about comfort levels, you can probably guess what we’ll say next. The ideal humidity level for your home is going to be relative to you and your family. It will depend mostly on the time of year, what kind of clothes you’re wearing, and where your family is naturally comfortable.

Research shows that the ideal relative humidity for your home is between 40%-60%. However, to discourage the growth and spread of mold, levels should be kept below 50%. But, again, adjust this to match your comfort levels. This relative humidity in your home should also scale with the outdoor absolute humidity.

As you probably know, absolute humidity levels change along with the temperature and seasons. In the summer, the air contains more moisture, and in the winter, it contains much less moisture.

Here’s a scale to better understand ideal humidity levels:

For an outdoor temperature over 50˚F, indoor humidity levels shouldn’t exceed 50%
With an outdoor temperature over 20˚F, indoor humidity levels shouldn’t exceed 40%
Outdoor temperature between 10˚F and 20˚F, indoor humidity levels shouldn’t exceed 35%
For an outdoor temperature between 0˚F and 10˚F, indoor humidity levels shouldn’t exceed 30%
Outdoor temperature between -10˚F and 0˚F, indoor humidity levels shouldn’t exceed 25%
With an outdoor temperature between -20˚F and -10˚F, indoor humidity levels shouldn’t exceed 20%
Outdoor temperature at -20˚F or lower, indoor humidity levels shouldn’t exceed 15%

Indoor Humidity Level: Why Is the 40–60% Range Ideal?

Every home is different, but a level between 30 and 40 percent humidity is typically ideal for keeping your home warm and comfortable in the winter, without leaving condensation on the windows. In the summer, that level can be higher, between 50 and 60 per cent.

So, how do you know your levels? That’s where a device that can measure humidity comes in.

You may have a humidistat, which lets you monitor and control your home’s humidity level. Most humidistats are wired to a humidifier mounted right to your furnace, or they’re located on a wall elsewhere in your home.

They look and function a lot like your thermostat, but instead of measuring temperature and making adjustments, humidistats measure relative humidity in the air and turn your humidifier on or off in response. Most residential furnaces don’t have a dehumidifier function and only add humidity as needed. If your home is too humid, you still may need a portable dehumidifier to address it.

Understanding humidity in your home can give you a picture of where you may have opportunities to make your place more energy efficient, Dixon points out. Once you’re armed with the right information, you can take steps to improve your whole home.

Dehumidifiers:

To prevent mold, we are providing 2-two dehumidifiers, one in the basement and one in the attic, which “must" run during the summer 24/7 set at a minimum of 50-percent relative humidity. Keeping humidity at 50% or lower increases the HVAC performance, and makes the townhouse feel more comfortable and improves energy efficiency.

If either dehumidifier stops working, please immediately open a maintenance ticket with NomadLease Portal!

How to operate the Dehumidifier in attic.

Attic: Midea Cube Dehumidifier with Pump and Drain Hose - 35 Pint Smart Dehumidifier for Basement and Spaces up to 3,500 Sq. Ft. with Timer, Humidity Control, Energy Star Rated, Washable Filters, Grey

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Powerful Moisture Removal – This Midea dehumidifier collects up to 35 pints of water per day making it an ideal dehumidifier for bedrooms and quiet enough that you'll forget it's even there. Humidity level adjusts from 35% to 85%..Control Type : Electronic. Plug Type : Parallel/NEMA 5-15..Refrigerant : R410a.
Flexible Draining – This continuous draining dehumidifier with drain hose has 3 ways to remove collected water: Fill Level, Continuous Drainage and Pump. For Fill Level choose from 4 fill levels at which point the unit will turn off.
Innovative Compact Dehumidifier – This small dehumidifier can be used as extended or nested. Bucket holds up to 3x more water than other dehumidifiers. Handles make it easy to empty and move this portable dehumidifier wherever you need to remove dampness.
Wifi Dehumidifier – Control your energy star dehumidifier with a Smartphone or Voice Control Assistant (works with Alexa). Download the Midea Cube Air App to control all functions in real-time from anywhere. Get notified when it's time to empty the bucket.
Easy to Use – Unit has 2 speeds (Lo - Hi) and 3 modes (Set, Max, Continuous). Timer adjusts in :30 increments up to 10 hrs and 1hr increments up to 24 hours. All functions can be done on keypad or app. Auto Restart and Auto Defrost help protect your unit.