Is 70% Humidity in the House Good or Bad?

Regulating humidity inside the house is because if this is not checked, both your health and property are subjected to great danger.

70% humidity in the house is bad because it causes difficulty in breathing while promoting the growth of mold indoors. Mold on your ceiling, walls and furniture can cause a lot of damage. To stay healthy and keep your property safe, humidity inside the house should never exceed 50%.

Humidity set above 51% is already too high. The chances of having mold on any wooden surface around the house are increased if the humidity is high. Other products that risk being damaged under high humidity include wooden tiles & ceilings, wallpapers & upholstery.

Is 70% Humidity in a room too high?

You should note that setting humidity at 70% or above can be really dangerous especially if you have leakages and the weather outside is cold.

Apart from encouraging the rapid growth of mold inside your house, breathing will be an issue. High humidity can also cause AC units to fill up with water too soon and require frequent draining than is usually necessary.

High humidity can be lethal for those who are asthmatic and they may begin to have frequent attacks even if they are under medication. This can also cause fatigue and sudden allergic reactions in children. Adults may take some time to show those symptoms but this does not mean that they are safe.

People with allergy can benefit from using both air purifiers and dehumidifiers, and even humidifiers depending on where they live and the environmental conditions.

According to Pediatric Oncologist Dr. Stephanie Taylor, a medical lecturer at Harvard Medical School, high humidity leads to a rise in infections and it is important to use hygrometers to measure the humidity percentage. This should range between 31-49% if possible.

You also risk having fevers, blocked nose, and skin irritation if you have your humidity levels set at 70%. This will also make you sweat and this can be very uncomfortable. The more you are, the lower you should keep the humidity levels in the house.

High humidity levels are also dangerous to your walls because, with time, they will become damp. This weakens them very fast. Before you realize it, they may collapse easily in case of a mild earthquake or a heavy knock.

Effects of High Humidity on Pets

If humidity is at 70% inside the house, pets can experience a sudden rise in body temperatures. This is because when animals are panting, excess moisture in their lungs is released to the environment and this helps in cooling their body.  

High humidity levels in the house will make the cooling process difficult for your pets and this can be fatal especially if they are exposed to that environment for a long time.

If you realize a sudden increase in your pet’s body temperature and you have your humidity levels at high levels above 55, seek a professional advice and keep the humidity levels set between 30 and 50%.

You should also consider turning the Ac on to help in lowering the humidity levels inside the house fast. If you do not have any. You can open your doors and windows if you live in a safe area. Leave them open until you feel the ear is regulated.

You can also use dehumidifiers which are very efficient in regulating high humidity levels in a room. Installing them will help in killing molds on your walls and keep them safe from getting damp and weak.

Remember, cats and dogs do not sweat as we do. They depend on their breathing systems to cool their body. High humidity levels can cause severe symptoms like exhaustion and unhealthy withdrawal.

How to Lower High Humidity Levels

There are gadgets known as hygrometers used to measure humidity levels. If you feel you are having high or low humidity levels in the house, you should get one at any local store near you.

If you notice that you over 55% humidity in the house, try and reduce that to a maximum of 50% or even 40%. This will also depend on the environment. You should therefore try and find the right levels that make you comfortable.

How to check humidity levels without a hygrometer

There are also other simple ways you can use to check the humidity levels if you cannot find or afford to buy a hygrometer. Here is what you will need:

1. 4 small standard Ice cubes
2. A clear glass
3. Clean purified water

Here is what to do:

1. Clean the glass and dry it up
2. Place the 4 ice cubes into the glass
3. Add little water enough to cover the cubes
4. Let it mix with the cubes after you stir

After about 4-5 minutes you should note the following:

If you see condensed water on the outer part of the glass, you should know that your humidity levels are higher. You therefore need to lower them.

If there is no moisture formed on the glass, then it is clear that the air is extra dry and you need to regulate that by increasing the humidity.

Regulating high humidity

Humidity levels are always high in the kitchen. Therefore, you need to aerate the room by leaving the windows open for natural aeration.

There is also an option of getting a good air purifier that will clear the air and regulate it as fast as possible especially if you have asthmatic family members at home.  

For those who live in apartments that are so high with no cloth lines, try and keep damp clothes outside the house by hanging them on the balcony. Do not keep damp clothes in the house if you have high humidity levels.

Avoid keeping too much live plants inside the house because they contribute to high humidity especially at night. You should also keep them from your bedroom especially if it is not well aerated and spacious.

In case you have been exposed to high humidity levels, you can take a relatively cool shower to lower your body temperature and remove the sweat that is blocking the pores on your skin. This does not mean that you take freezing showers.

Reference:

1. Boston 25 news: Is humidity the key to staying healthy by Heather Hegedus
2. CDC: Basic facts about mold and dampness Content source: National Center for Environmental Health

Felix Newton