6 Dangers of Excessive Humidity in Plantation, FL

In your Plantation, FL home, relative humidity measures how much water vapor is in the air compared to how much the air can hold at a given temperature. Ideally, you should keep the relative humidity of your home between 30% and 50% at all times, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Learn about six dangers of excessive humidity that you should be aware of.

1. Negative Health Consequences

High levels of humidity can make you feel uncomfortable and unwell. Humid air tends to feel warmer than it actually is. Your body may not be able to cool itself off easily due to a decrease in evaporation of sweat off the skin. It may also feel difficult to breathe.

Residents in the Plantation area commonly experience outdoor humidity levels around 73% and temperatures around 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Interior humidity and heat aren’t ideal when your home should give you a break from the conditions outside.

When your body overheats, you can experience symptoms of heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Watch out for symptoms such as headache, dizziness, nausea, dry mouth and palpitations. Seek medical attention immediately, especially if you experience confusion.

2. Exposure to Spores

When indoor humidity rises above 50%, this can promote biological growth. This is especially true if you have other sources of moisture in your home, such as plumbing leaks. Exposure to biological growth can cause an increase in allergies and asthma, and it can also result in brain fog and cause chronic symptoms like headaches and gastrointestinal issues.

You can remove biological spores from your home by using certain types of filtrations. High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters can remove up to 99.97% of contaminants from your indoor air, including bacteria and viruses. However, this filtration is restrictive and is usually part of a whole-home filtration system, or air purifier.

3. Increasing Concentration of Particulate Matter

Humid air can hold on to more particulate matter than dry air. This can impact people with asthma or other chronic respiratory conditions. A high presence of bacteria or viruses in your air can increase the number of illnesses you experience throughout the year, and they can make it difficult to recover quickly.

4. Impacting Your Sleep and Mood

If humid air is making you feel uncomfortable by making your allergies flare up or resulting in difficult breathing, it’s likely you are experiencing an impact on your sleep quality. This can make it difficult for you to focus at work or at home. You may also experience more frequent illnesses if you’re not getting enough sleep at night.

5. Damage to Building Materials

Any wood that is in your home can absorb moisture from the air. If indoor humidity is very high, your hardwood flooring could warp, which could lead to bowing and cracking. Other building materials that can experience damage from humidity include cabinets and countertops.

You may experience damage to furniture and other personal belongings because of high humidity. Wallpaper and paint can peel. This is especially true if biological contaminants are present and begin to grow on these things.

6. HVAC Component Damage

Moisture can accumulate on the interior components of your HVAC, resulting in damage. Metal components can rust prematurely. Electrical connections may also fail or pose a safety risk. If moisture is present inside your ducting, biological spores can grow here and then quickly spread into the rest of your house through your vents and registers.

Signs that high humidity is impacting the integrity of your HVAC system include frequent repairs, especially of the same parts along with a decrease in system performance or efficiency issues. Routine inspections and maintenance on your HVAC system can spot these problems early on.

There are several ways to maintain a healthy level of humidity in your Plantation, FL home. They include using a whole-home dehumidifier as part of your HVAC system. Reach out to our team here at HI-VAC Air Conditioning Service for more information on achieving optimal relative humidity and indoor air quality or to schedule an appointment with our knowledgeable team.

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