The Horrors of Humidity: How this Common Issue Can Impact Your Home

If you happen to live in a rainy or humid climate, it’s essential that you keep your home as dry as possible. After all, the threat of humidity does more than just make your summer days uncomfortable. Moisture can infiltrate the parts of your home that you cannot see, like your walls, your crawl spaces, and even between the beams of your roof.

Unfortunately, excessive rain and humidity can do more than dampen your mood. If you’re worried about the effects humidity can play in your home, read on to learn how to stop moisture in its tracks.

What causes high humidity?

Before we jump into the impact humidity can have on your home, it’s vital to know why humidity is invading your house in the first place.

Humidity is the amount of water vapor that’s present in the air. Typically, people feel most comfortable in low humidity to medium humidity. This is because excessively dry climates can dry out your skin while high levels of humidity can make you sweat, even if you’re not exerting yourself.

Humidity is primarily caused by external factors, namely, the weather and climate. The east coast is ripe with humid and rainy days, causing more water vapor to stick around in the air. When your house doesn’t have a system in place to relieve high levels of humidity, your home may start to suffer the consequences. This is worsened by potential leaks or cracks in your home, a poor air conditioning system, or inefficient ventilation systems.

However, everyday activities can also cause humidity to rise in your home. For example, doing the dishes, taking a shower, and mopping the floors can cause humidity levels to increase to potentially uncomfortable levels. Unless you have ways to mitigate this rising humidity, your home may start to suffer. Here are some of the most common features of your home that will take on damage due to high humidity.

Fabrics, furniture, and carpets

Fabrics, carpets, and upholstery often suffer from the deleterious effects of humidity. This is because these fibers trap and lock in humidity for long periods of time. This can result in mold growth where you least expect it, causing a surge in allergies and health problems.

Metal goods

The metals in your home can also suffer from oxidation promoted by high levels of moisture. The bike in your crawl space won’t stand a chance against water that leaks in through a crack in the wall. In particularly humid climates, you may find other metal products in your house starting to wither and corrode as well.

Electronics

The electronics in your home hate excess moisture, and for good reason; these sensitive pieces of equipment are more likely to short circuit when condensation builds up in their components. In the worst-case situation, this can create a dangerous environment for you. More often, you may be frustrated when you discover your hair dryer won’t work.

Your floors and walls

The structural components of your home are also put at risk because of excess moisture. You may start to notice that your floors and walls won’t dry after cleaning. This can result in water stains, mold growth, or even holes in some areas of your home. This occurs in severe cases, but just about any home can be subjected to the horrors of humidity.

Your roof

There are few features in your home that are more at-risk for suffering from humidity than your roof. After all, this is the first line of defense against rain and snow, two primary factors of rising humidity levels. This home necessity is vital in regulating your home’s moisture. A small crack or simple leak could spell disaster for your entire home, including the rest of your roof.

It’s not uncommon for humid areas to rely on a roof replacement every few years. Without the help of quality roofing contractors, you might notice your roof has started to bow, bend, curl, or suffer from mold growth due to humidity. Because bugs love humidity, your roof might also open up the doors for countless insects ready to make a home in your roof, walls, or beams. When insects invade the structural components of your home, you know it’s time for the proper roof replacement.

This is why it’s vital that you put your trust in a roof replacement company you can trust. Without the proper skills and experience, you might be wasting money on a roof that will fail you in the end. Luckily, it’s estimated that asphalt shingles have a lifespan ranging from 20 to 50 years depending on climatic conditions. To ensure you’re investing in a roof replacement contractor you can trust, rely on the experience of Style Roofing today.