The Ideal Indoor Humidity Level for Florida Homes
March 04, 2019
Ideally, Florida homes should maintain indoor humidity levels between 45% and 55%.
Why?
Well, going above or below that range can lead to problems like:
Mold and mildew growth
Bacterial and viral growth
Health issues (like respiratory infections and aggravated allergies)
Unfortunately, here in Florida we’re prone to high indoor humidity, since outdoor humidity levels can rise as high as 90%.
So to help you maintain a healthy indoor humidity level, we’ll explain:
How to measure your indoor humidity level
How to dehumidify your home’s air
Let’s start by looking at how to measure your indoor humidity level.
How to measure your indoor humidity level
If you think you have high humidity problems, the easiest way to know your indoor humidity level is to invest in a hygrometer.
A hygrometer is a device that measures humidity from 0% (totally dry) to 100% (precipitation or fog).
If you find you have humidity levels above 55%, don’t be surprised—that’s common because of our naturally humid climate.
Luckily, you don’t have to live with high humidity indoors. We’ll look at some tips to dehumidify your home’s air.
How to dehumidify your home’s air
We’ll share 3 easy ways you can reduce your indoor humidity:
Try DIY dehumidification methods
Maintain your AC unit
Invest in a dehumidifier
#1: Try these DIY dehumidification methods
If you’re struggling with high humidity, try some or all of these DIY tricks:
Turn on ventilation fans in your kitchen and bathroom
Take colder, shorter showers
Add a desiccant (like silica gel) in your rooms to absorb extra moisture
For more information about each of these tips, read our blog, “4 DIY Tips to Dehumidify Your Florida Home.”
#2: Maintain your AC unit
Did you know your AC actually helps to dehumidify your home’s air?
As your AC brings in warm, humid air from your home to cool, it removes moisture (humidity) from the air before it gets pushed back into your living space.
However, if you don’t maintain your AC regularly, then dirt and dust can buildup on important AC components like the evaporator coil (the part that actually cools and dehumidifies your home’s air). Once enough dust builds up on the evaporator coil, your system will stop removing as much moisture from the air, which will leave you with higher humidity.
So, make sure you have a professional perform a tune-up on your AC at least once (ideally, twice) per year.
#3: Invest in a dehumidifier
If you constantly struggle with high humidity, a dehumidifier can help to bring your indoor humidity levels back to normal.
You can purchase 2 types of dehumidifiers:
A portable dehumidifier, which is designed to only remove humidity in a small space (like a single room). You can purchase a portable dehumidifier at your local department store and set it up yourself.
A whole-home dehumidifier, which is more expensive, but it can dehumidify all the rooms in your house. Since whole-home dehumidifiers are installed in your HVAC system, they need to be installed by a professional.
You can learn more about the pros and cons of each type of dehumidifier by reading our blog, “Whole House vs Portable Dehumidifiers: Which One Should I Get for My Florida Home?”.
Need help dehumidifying your home?
Whether you need an AC tune-up or a whole-home dehumidifier installed, we can help.
Visit our air purifier page for more information about what we can do to help improve your indoor air quality.
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