In daily life, we often intuitively sense the humidity in indoor air. Whenever the weather turns overcast or it rains, we tend to feel less refreshed and comfortable.
The optimal relative humidity for human comfort is generally 40%-60%. Prolonged exposure to excessively humid environments can adversely affect both physical and mental health. People may experience nausea, loss of appetite, irritability, fatigue, dizziness, and other symptoms. Living in damp, moldy rooms also increases children's risk of developing allergic conditions like asthma and eczema. High humidity further encourages the growth of mold and other microorganisms.
So why does indoor air become humid? What causes it? And how can we fix it? If you're facing these issues, let's explore the solutions together~
The causes of indoor dampness can be categorized into the following types, involving multiple factors such as climate, building structure, and living habits:
1. Climate Factors
Seasonal Humidity: During the rainy season, humid days, typhoon season, or in coastal areas, air humidity often exceeds 60%, allowing moisture to easily enter indoor spaces through gaps in doors and windows.
Temperature Difference Condensation: In winter and spring, when indoor wall temperatures are low, warm, humid air coming into contact with cold walls can condense into water droplets (as seen during southerly wind days).
2. Construction Issues
Waterproofing Layer Defects: Aging waterproofing in basements, lower floors, or bathrooms, along with insufficiently cured wall materials, can allow groundwater or rainwater infiltration.
Pipe Leaks: Hidden pipe ruptures, leaking radiant heating pipes, or failed waterproofing above can cause moisture to diffuse through wall cracks.
Structural Cracks: Cracks in exterior walls or poorly sealed window frames facilitate rainwater penetration into interior spaces.
3. Ventilation and Design
Insufficient Ventilation: Keeping doors and windows closed for extended periods or lacking exhaust fans in kitchens and bathrooms prevents moisture from escaping, potentially causing humidity levels to soar above 70%.
Poor Layout: Furniture blocking vents or rooms deprived of natural light exacerbate moisture buildup.
4. Lifestyle Habits
Indoor Clothes Drying: Drying clothes indoors can increase humidity by approximately 15%.
Cooking and Cleaning: Activities like boiling hotpot, mopping floors without drying them, and failing to clean floor drains continuously release water vapor.
Excessive Houseplants: Each square meter of greenery may raise humidity by 3-5%.
5. Other Causes
Improper air conditioner use: Setting the temperature too low (below the dew point) can cause condensation droplets on walls; failing to activate the dehumidification function also exacerbates humidity.
Geographic location: Areas near lakes, rivers, or dense vegetation typically experience higher air humidity.
How to Reduce Indoor Humidity?
Combining equipment usage, building maintenance, and daily habits can effectively address dampness issues. Here are several common moisture-proofing methods:
01. Use a dehumidifier for quick moisture removal
For enclosed spaces, choose a model with a daily dehumidification capacity of 12 liters or more (for a 10㎡ space), set the humidity to 50%-60%, and clean the filter regularly; larger homes may opt for models with 50 liters or more capacity.
02. Enhance ventilation and air circulation
Open windows for ventilation during the afternoon when humidity is lower (twice daily for at least 30 minutes each time; reduce window opening time during rainy or high-humidity weather).
Install exhaust fans or fresh air systems in kitchens and bathrooms to promptly remove moisture.
03. Building Maintenance and Moisture-Proof Renovation
Repair wall cracks and roof leaks; apply waterproof coating to basements (recommended height: 1.8 meters or above).
Lay moisture-proof tiles or membranes on floors, and apply waterproof coatings to walls to reduce moisture penetration.
04. Controlling Indoor Moisture Sources
Avoid drying clothes indoors; using a dryer reduces moisture evaporation by approximately 50%.
Promptly remove standing water from floors and reduce the number of potted plants to lower localized humidity.
That's all for today's content. If you'd like to learn more about dehumidifiers, feel free to visit the Mia Fresh Air System official website.
(The above information is for reference only)