Don’t Make These Mistakes with Your Humidifier!

When it comes to mold remediation, there’s no perfect substitute for the attention of an experienced professional. But humidity control is a different story. One of the easiest ways to control indoor humidity is by using a humidifier. Most people use these to prevent harm to their nose and skin due to excessively dry air. But having some moisture in the air will also help prevent the build-up of mold. Here are some humidifier mistakes you should be sure to avoid.

Letting the Water Go Stagnant

As we’ve experienced recently firsthand, warm weather may suddenly crop up during fall and winter. It certainly never gets as humid as it does in the summer, but dry air poses less of an issue when temperatures unexpectedly rise.

In this situation, you might be inclined to stop using your humidifier. That’s all well and good, but you should definitely empty out the water tank if it’s going to be out of use for a day or two. If you let the water sit in the tank, it can lead to the build-up of harmful bacteria that will emanate throughout the room when you finally do turn it on.

Not Using Purified Water

With humidifiers, you should try your best to use purified water. Your tap water may be clean enough to drink, but it probably won’t do the trick in your humidifier. This is because it’s full of minerals. Over time, these minerals will build up in your humidifier, once again allowing harmful bacteria to thrive in your home.

Consider stocking up on distilled water, because the distillation process removes all minerals from a liquid.

Causing Excess Humidity Levels

Humidity control in cold weather is important, but you should make sure that the indoor humidity levels do not rise too high. This can end up causing more harm than good.

The primary risk with low indoor humidity levels in winter is that excess moisture and mold will form around your home’s windows. But if you overcompensate and your indoor humidity level rises above 45%, you could end up causing more harm than good. 

In cold weather, the ideal indoor humidity is around 35%. If it gets much higher, simply turn your humidifier off. To better track your precise indoor humidity level, we recommend picking up an indoor humidity monitor such as this one.

Indoor humidity control is a serious issue. Don’t make too many humidifier mistakes. This winter, keep your humidity at a safe level.

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Whether you need a new sump pump installed or want to waterproof your entire basement, contact All Aspect Waterproofing, a Better Business Bureau A+ rated company with over 30 years of experience in the Washington, DC./Maryland/Virginia area. We have a great deal of experience in waterproofing, mold testing, and mold remediation, and we want to make you feel at home again. Contact us online or by calling 1-866-999-3110 or 301-766-4420. To see what we’re up to, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Houzz.