High humidity and a feeling of dampness - the scourge of not only private homes, but also urban apartments. Even apartments located in modern elite new buildings often suffer from high humidity: the lower part of the walls is a favorite place for molds.
A quite natural question arises - what should be done in order to prevent such an undesirable phenomenon, to ensure a decrease in indoor air humidity and not to encounter such a problem in the future.
To answer it, you need to understand the reasons for the increase in humidity and, as far as possible, try to reduce their influence.
Moisture factors
Unfortunately, it is much more difficult to eliminate dampness in an apartment building than in a private one - if in the latter it is enough to provide normal ventilation or install heat-insulating materials to solve the problem, then in the case of an apartment everything is much more complicated.
But, for starters, let's look at the most common causes of high humidity in a living room.
One of the most adverse consequences of constantly high humidity is the appearance of a fungus that destroys the building and leads to the emergence of numerous diseases in people
The most common causes of increased humidity are:
- Low quality insulation of the foundation with the wall.
- The presence of leaks in the pipes located in the basement.
- Inadequate ventilation. It often happens that the ventilation in the apartment is either poorly debugged or absent a priori. Most often, the residents themselves interfere with normal ventilation, wallpapering the ventilation holes. In addition, it is unsafe and prohibited by housing and communal services regulations.
- Unscrupulous neighbors or a leaky roof. And if in the latter case you can at least see the traces of water smudges, then the intrigues of the neighbors from above can be physically unnoticed - unless, of course, a full flood happened. The thing is that water does not always leak through the ceiling and penetrates the apartment located on the floor below. Small portions are absorbed by the overlap. Or it may not be let through by a suspended plastic ceiling. It is these situations that create increased humidity with all the consequences that follow from here.
- The presence of poorly sealed inter-wall seams. If during the repair work violations were made, including - the finishing and plastering of the walls were not completed, then you will not have to wait for normal humidity.
- Basement flooding. The reason for this can be not only a burst pipe, but also the usual flooding by melt water. It is enough that for several months the water stood in the basement, and a fungus appears on the first floors.
- Damage to the pipe mounted in the wall. An accident of such a plan is a great danger to the whole house, because the damp will not only be in the apartment where the leak formed, but in everyone else. The current situation is also problematic in that access to such pipes is difficult - they are inside the boxes, and it will not work to quickly determine the place of the leak.
- Incorrect installation of any equipment, one way or another connected with water. A constantly flowing tap or even a commonplace condensation on the toilet bowl - all these things will cause dampness.
Defects causing high humidity are hidden in the first stages of construction. And, if in the case of private households everything can be fixed, then apartment owners have to deal with it more difficult.
Attempts to physically eliminate mold and other effects of high humidity will not bring the desired result. High humidity in the room - the main cause of this problem, remains unresolved
Developers very often make serious mistakes, forcing apartment owners, thus constantly struggling with high humidity and its consequences. Moreover, a long stay in such a room can adversely affect the health of all households.
The most common diseases that occur in people who have been in an apartment with high humidity for a long time are bronchial asthma, tuberculosis and aspergillosis.
The idea is that the management company should deal with this kind of problems, but not all of them conscientiously treat their obligations.
There is one effective way to identify the source of penetration of excess moisture. Take an even glass and lean it against the wall. Tight. After a couple of days, remove the glass.
If there is moisture on the surface of the wall to which it was leaned after removal, it means it enters the apartment from the street. If the surface remained dry under the glass, it is necessary to look for a source of dampness in the walls of the apartment.
We also recommend that you read our other article, where we spoke in detail about the effect of air humidity on human health.
Effective Ways to Reduce Humidity
And yet, the problem of high humidity in the apartment is solved. Below are considered in detail several ways to deal with it, which will not be difficult to implement. To achieve the desired result, it makes sense to simultaneously use several of them.
In order to make sure that the humidity in the room is exceeded, we suggest using the following devices.
Option number 1 - airing the apartment
The proposed method of air drying is simple and affordable, but it is quite effective. Please note that you need to ventilate the room only in dry and windy weather - otherwise the event loses all meaning.
It is especially important to carry out airing after cooking, taking water procedures, washing or general cleaning, accompanied by the use of a washing vacuum cleaner.
Airing is the easiest, but at the same time very effective way to combat high humidity in the apartment. In addition, by ventilating the room, you provide an influx of fresh air enriched with oxygen
An interesting point about how to reduce the humidity level in the apartment in the summer, spring and winter. Everything is very simple - to solve the problem, if the humidity is increased, but not much, a powerful fan is suitable.
Using this device, you can dry the air in the room - it is not always possible to ventilate it.
Option No. 2 - heaters and dehumidifiers
If the humidity indicators in the room exceed all permissible limits and dampness is constantly felt, you will have to think about buying household dehumidifiers. Unlike industrial appliances, these are compact and operate silently. And they should not work constantly - for a successful fight against humidity it will be enough to turn on the device 2-3 times a week.
The use of heaters in the cold season, outside the heating period, not only provides pleasant heat, but also reduces the humidity in the room
In the cold season and early spring, heating appliances perfectly save from damp. The heat generated by them substantially dries the air - but here you need to be careful, because there is a risk of overdrying it.
In order not to overdo it in the fight against high humidity, do not use heaters during the heating season.
Option number 3 - modern finishing materials
Would you like to provide protection against dampness for a long time? Get ready for a major overhaul.
The use of non-natural materials helps to increase the humidity in the apartment, so it makes sense to avoid using plastic and other types of finishes that delay moisture.
Carrying out the "drain" repair involves the following measures:
- Removing the remnants of the previous finish.
- Elimination, if possible, of a source of increased dampness.
- Using a heat gun - this allows you to very well dry the walls.
- Carefully seal all possible sources of high humidity. First of all, you need to pay attention to the joints of the walls and floor joints. For this purpose, the slots are poured with cement mortar and twice treated with hydro- and bioprotective compounds. The most commonly used silicone sealants.
- Walls need to be treated with a water-repellent primer or bioprotection. The ideal option is to use both means.
- The prepared room must be finished with moisture-proof drywall - one that has a green tint. The thickness of the drywall sheets is about 10-12 mm.
For interior decoration of a house with high humidity, non-woven vinyl-coated wallpapers should be used. This coating effectively resists moisture.
Moreover, when cleaning non-woven wallpaper can be wiped with a damp cloth. If you do not want to use non-woven wallpaper, CD vinyl wallpaper is suitable.
Acrylic coating not only prevents the increase in humidity in the apartment and protects against fungus, but also looks great, allowing you to implement any design decisions
Acrylic paint and putty - a combination ideal for processing walls in a room with high humidity. Acrylic itself is highly water resistant, and mixed with putty, it provides a reliable water-repellent film.
Another suitable decor for wet rooms is ceramic tile. But its high price limits the scope, therefore, in the vast majority of cases, the scope of its use is limited to the kitchen and bathroom.
Although, if the means allow, you can tile the living rooms, only the tiles themselves should be larger than those that were used to prevent the increase in humidity in the rooms mentioned above.
Option No. 4 - tablets from dampness
An effective remedy is special absorbent tablets. For example, Ceresit “Stop Moisture”, Henkel “Stop Moisture”. They are used in conjunction with a desiccant - a container where the saline solution formed from absorbed moisture flows. The proposed tool can absorb about 0.4 liters of water per month.
Using tablets from dampness is perhaps the easiest and most effective way to deal with constantly increased humidity in the room. It turns out to be ineffective only in the most advanced cases, when major repairs are needed
Please note that the area of the room in which the absorbent tablet is used cannot be more than 20 square meters. m. 1 tablet can be used within 2-3 months.
Option number 5 - folk remedies
If the air humidity in your apartment is slightly exceeded and the dampness is not really felt, at least it does not lead to fungus.
Or the problem is acute, and it needs to be resolved urgently, but at the moment you do not have the amount sufficient to begin a full repair, you can try to deal with increased humidity in the room with folk remedies.
Absorbent Products
Foods with proven absorbent qualities are:
- salt;
- sugar;
- rice groats;
- coffee beans.
It is clear that you do not need to put bags of salt, rice or sugar in the middle of the rooms. It is enough to pour the above products into small containers and place them in inconspicuous places - under the bed, on the chest of drawers, etc.
From coffee beans you can get not only a tasty and invigorating drink, but also a great way to combat high humidity in the apartment
At the same time, you need to remember that using sugar as a moisture-absorbing product is fraught with attracting unwanted neighbors to your home - all kinds of insects like cockroaches, ants, etc., which are much more difficult to deal with than with high humidity.
Therefore, it is better to use any other products as absorbents of natural origin. By the way, with the help of coffee beans you can make a beautiful decorative composition in glass more often - for this it will be enough to add other bright components there.
The use of silica gel
Silica gel is a composition, bags with which can be found in many industrial products made of genuine leather (shoes, bags, wallets). The compound absorbs moisture perfectly. The only thing is that to reduce the humidity in the room the amount of silica gel that you get with shoes and other leather products will obviously not be enough.
Who would have thought that with these small bags you can solve the problem of high humidity in the home
You can buy absorbent material at a pet store - there silica gel is sold as a component for a cat's toilet. When working with silica gel, be extremely careful: small children should never have access to silica gel balls, who want to try everything on the tooth.
The ideal option is to use silica gel not in bulk, but to lay out fabric bags filled with this material.
Calcium Chloride, Coal and Quicklime
If high humidity is observed exclusively in non-residential premises of your apartment - pantry, vestibule, balcony, then it is permissible to use the substances listed above as absorbents. But in no case can they be used to reduce the humidity of the residential premises - this can cause a sharp deterioration in the health of households.
The principle of using the above substances as absorbents is extremely simple. Calcium chloride, charcoal and quicklime are poured into containers previously placed in the corners of a damp room.
That's all, nothing else is needed - in six months the composition of the containers will need to be replaced, because the substance will be saturated with moisture to the limit.
Coal can become not only fuel for a fireplace, but also a means of combating high humidity. Use only large layers and do not break them.
The safest option, suitable for reducing humidity in living rooms, is coal. However, care must be taken to ensure that it does not become a source of coal dust: this will adversely affect the health of households.
Choose only large chunks of coal and in no case put coal in the passage places. Lime is suitable for reducing humidity on a loggia / glazed balcony. If you intend to use calcium chloride as an inexpensive absorbent, then do not forget to dry it thoroughly in the oven before use, and then grind it.
Indoor humidity control flowers
Many do not even realize that some plants absorb moisture efficiently, therefore, indoor flowers can be used to solve the problem with increased dampness!
So, if you wish, you can combine business with pleasure - having indoor flowers that absorb excess moisture from the air.Please note that not all plants are able to effectively absorb moisture.
Absorbents of natural origin include:
- geranium;
- spathiphyllum;
- fern;
- myrtle;
- lemon;
- a coffee tree;
- laurel noble;
- syngony.
At home, only geranium can be grown. Because all the other plants listed above need abundant watering.
Geranium will not only decorate your apartment, but also protect your household from humidity in the room
Accordingly, they themselves can easily become a source of dampness and even the appearance of mold in the room. Especially if on one window sill there will be several flower pots.
Anti-damp recommendations
Drying the air in the apartment is very important even if dampness and high humidity alone do not bother you.
The fact is that these conditions contribute to the occurrence of mold - dangerous fungi, whose vital activity can cause serious illness in humans, as well as provoke damage to property and materials used to decorate the room.
Only an integrated approach to the problem of high humidity in the apartment will achieve the desired result. Drying the air is also not worth it - this may cause problems of a different nature
If you missed a moment and are already struggling not only with the increased level of moisture in the apartment, but also with the consequences of this phenomenon.
Or are thinking about taking preventive measures aimed at preventing moisture increase, it makes sense to follow the tips listed below:
- do everything possible to identify the reasons explaining the increased humidity and try to eliminate them. Otherwise, the fight against increased dampness will be permanent;
- be sure to ventilate the rooms after any manipulations, one way or another related to the abundant use of water - this is true in relation to washing, cooking, and also in relation to hygiene procedures.
- if you don’t want to keep the windows open for a long time in winter, and by and large there is no special need for that - getting snow into the house will not bring a drop in humidity, it is easiest to use the “extreme ventilation” tactic - open the windows completely, but only for 2-3 minutes ;
- install the hood and use it daily - at least 30-40 minutes, even if you do not cook food;
- systematically heat the house in the cold season - at least until the central heating is turned on. Remember: saving on heating is fraught with the appearance of a fungus and the need to fight it. Believe me, it is better to dry the air a little than to allow an increase in humidity;
Use plastic double-glazed windows that have built-in ventilation - absolute tightness causes a significant oversaturation of the room with moisture.
The installation of double-glazed windows that do not have built-in ventilation often results in increased humidity in the apartment - especially if the hostess practices drying clothes in the room
The use of an air conditioner with the function of air purification, as well as the function of regulating humidity will also help.
How to get rid of humidity in the room using a moisture absorber:
The humidity level in the room will be discussed in the following video:
Not so dangerous is the increase in humidity in itself, as the consequences with which it is fraught - a constant feeling of dampness, the appearance of a fungus, the incidence of households and other, very unpleasant things. Only an integrated approach to solving the problem allows us to normalize the humidity in the apartment.
Did you have problems with high humidity in the living room and how did you manage to cope with them? Please share your experience with our readers.The communication unit is located under the article.