Dehumidifiers serve the purpose of removing humidity for a more comfortable and healthier home. Too much humidity can cause a number of problems such as:

• Physical discomforts such as allergies or asthma, dust must, sweaty skin, musty-smelling odors
• Warping or rotting trim, wood floors, furniture, artwork, antiques, and musical instruments
• Peeling paint, damp spots, or worse, mold and mildew
• Feeling hot even though the temperature is low
• Breeding ground for termites, cockroaches and other pests

Sources of Indoor Humidity

Many things can cause moisture to build up inside a home. The average household of 4 adds between 3 and 6 gallons of water to the air every day! There are several sources of moisture in the home:

• People, plants, and pets: A person gives off three pints of moisture a day just by breathing.
• Cooking and dishwashing: These activities produce about one pint of water per meal.
• Showers: They release about ½ pint of moisture into the air.
• High humidity levels outside.
• Crawlspaces and basements: This is especially true if there is a dirt floor not covered by a moisture barrier. Moisture can seep through the soil into a home. Any water that leaks into crawlspaces or basements can raise moisture levels throughout the house.

How To Reduce Indoor Moisture:

• Fix roof and plumbing leaks.
• Prevent seepage by correcting roof, gutter and drainage problems.
• Lay plastic over dirt in crawl spaces.
• Vent the clothes dryer to the outdoors and don't hang wet laundry indoors.
• Run the central climate-control system or a dehumidifier.
• Cover pots when cooking.
• Run a ventilation fan that exhausts to the outside when cooking. A circulating fan may remove some cooking odors from the air, but it will not remove moisture.
• Run a ventilation fan that exhausts to the outside for 15 minutes after bathing or until there is no condensation on the windows and mirrors.
• Buy a hygrometer to monitor interior humidity levels and maintain indoor humidity levels between 40 percent and 60 percent.
• If using a central humidification system, ensure that it is maintained and checked regularly. Over humidification can result in excessive moisture and mold