How to Avoid High Humidity in Your House This Summer

The unique conditions that make for beautiful coastlines and lush forests do come with one possible downside for Atlantic Canadian homeowners—high humidity levels. 

Atlantic Canada is famous (or maybe infamous!) for its high-humidity summers. While we all enjoy a coastal breeze during a beach day, all of this moisture in the air can make its way into your home. Left unchecked, high moisture can cause negative consequences for your health and require extra home maintenance over time. 

With this blog post we’ll take a look at why humidity increases in the summer, how high humidity impacts the home, and what you can do to achieve the best humidity level for your home with a Daikin heat pump. 

Why Humidity Increases in the Summer

Humidity refers to the amount of water vapor that’s in the air. When you hear about humidity given as a percentage like in weather reports or on a home humidity reader, this refers to relative humidity or RH. RH signals the amount of water vapor in the air relative to the maximum that’s possible for the current air temperature and pressure. 

Since RH is affected by temperature, it will fluctuate with changing seasons. This is one reason why RH inside the home tends to increase in the summer months and decrease in the winter. Other factors can also contribute to a higher RH, like wetter weather patterns, living in coastal areas, and doing more high-humidity activities indoors like cooking and showering. 

Negative Consequences of High Humidity in Your House

Monitoring your home’s RH throughout the seasons is crucial for maintaining a healthy indoor environment. Overly dry home air can irritate skin allergies and respiratory infections. Suddenly dry winter air may also signal to homeowners that it is time to replace an outdated furnace heating system. 

Air that is too humid likewise comes with a number of issues, including:

• Difficulty staying cool: When the humidity levels are high, it’s more difficult for the body to keep cool because sweat doesn’t evaporate as efficiently. This can lead to an unpleasant sticky feeling, or even contribute to more serious problems like heat exhaustion.
• Mould: If moisture isn’t removed from the home appropriately, mould and mildew can grow. Once established, it will likely need to be physically removed even if humidity levels are lowered. Mould not only damages materials like furniture and clothing, but it also poses health risks by releasing spores that can trigger allergies, irritate respiratory issues, and cause other health problems over the long term.
• Dust mites: Another allergen caused by high home humidity levels are dust mites. These microscopic pests thrive when the RH is above 50%, and can make allergies and asthma worse. 
• Structural damage: Moisture that gets trapped in the structures of your home can cause significant and expensive damage: peeling paint, rotten wood, crumbling bricks, and more. 

How to Lower Your RH With Daikin Heat Pumps

Health Canada recommends that the RH in your home is kept below 50% in the summer and between 30-35% in the winter. This will keep your home comfortable while preventing mould, dust mites, and other RH issues. When used in cooling mode, Daikin heat pumps can help reduce RH by cooling the air, leading to a more comfortable indoor temperature. In dry mode, the heat pump will specifically draw moisture from the air to dehumidify your home. 

While heat pumps don’t dehumidify in the winter, homeowners are more likely to want more moisture to combat the already dry winter air. For year-round humidity control in Atlantic Canada, you might consider supplementing your heat pump with a dedicated humidifier for the winter. 

Either way, you can easily monitor RH in your home with the Daikin One smart thermostat’s air quality readings. 

Choosing the Right Daikin Heat Pump for Your Home

Contacting a certified Daikin dealer is the best way to find a heat pump that suits your specific needs and home requirements. They can help you navigate the features available in different Daikin heat pump models that align with your preferences for energy efficiency, temperature control, and humidity management. Don’t put your comfort on hold—contact a dealer today!