How Can Excess Humidity Damage Your Arkansas Home

High humidity is a problem for many Northwest Arkansas homeowners. Humidity isn’t just sticky, uncomfortable and unhealthy, it can also cause damage to your home and property. If you notice any signs of humidity damage in your home, keep reading to learn what can be done to prevent future damage.

Excess Humidity Damage

Humidity is the measure of water vapor in the air. An indoor humidity level above 50 percent is considered too excessive, and can lead to problems in one form or another. Here are some common issues caused by excess humidity:

• Attic: Attics can trap moisture and heat if they aren’t well ventilated, sealed and insulated. Mold and mildew can also grow on timber and insulation, degrading home efficiency.
• Walls: Leaky walls can accumulate moisture, affecting structural integrity. It’s important to note that any areas with water, organic materials and darkness, can be a breeding ground for mold.
• Floors: Wood floors and carpeting are also susceptible to mold and mildew. Affected wood floors should be scrubbed clean, while carpeting should be professionally treated or replaced.
• Basement and crawlspace: Many basements and crawlspaces tend to be dark and damp. This may affect home efficiency and contaminate stored items, floors and insulation with mold.
• Pipes: High humidity levels can create condensation on pipes. To avoid this problem, wrap pipes with insulation to prevent condensation from dripping inside your walls and home.

Solutions for Excessive Home Humidity

• Sealing: Seal all cracks in your home’s envelope with caulk, weatherstripping and spray-in foam suitable for each application.
• Insulation: Make sure your attic is insulated to R-60 to prevent excess humidity damage.

If you have any questions about excess humidity damage, please contact Paschal Heat, Air & Geothermal in Northwest Arkansas today.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Springdale, Arkansas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about excess humidity damage and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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