Everything about your home is fine and dandy: the paint is nice, the floors are solid, and you can't hear any bubbling in the walls. But when spring starts to swing open its doors, you notice something strange—the doorways look like mirrors. Condensation dots windowsills and trickles down sides of glass panes during humid seasons.
Your home feels like it has a mind of its own because it does! Moisture levels in your house fluctuate throughout the day because of surrounding weather conditions; however, if you're noticing these telltale signs (listed below) then there's probably an excess amount of moisture hanging around. Don't worry though; this blog post will answer whether or not you need to invest in a whole-home dehumidifier.
What Does a Dehumidifier Do?
Dehumidifiers are machines that can help eliminate excess humidity, moisture, and dampness from homes. They are usually placed in an area where there is higher-than-average moisture levels to keep your home free of mold growth and other issues associated with too much humidity. Many homeowners with basements find it beneficial to have a basement dehumidifier installed.
Dehumidifiers come in all shapes and sizes depending on your specific needs—and remember that whole-home dehumidifiers can also offer up benefits like energy savings and being able to lower your heating costs during winter!
If you find yourself needing a dehumidifier for any of these reasons we list below, then now is the best time to invest in one instead of waiting until there are major problems present.
1. Window and door condensation
Take a look at your glass windows—do they look like mirrors? The reason for this has to do with the temperature inside compared to outside. If it's cooler inside, then that means there will be cooler air coming in from the window frames—a place where warm moist air can get trapped and accumulate into condensation. Noticing wetness on window panes is an early sign of high-moisture levels in your home. Low humidity levels aren't always felt but can still cause damages if not tended to.
2. Mold spots on ceilings and wall corners
If patches of mold are popping up on your ceilings or wall corners, then that means you have a high-moisture problem in the house. There is an excess amount of moisture in the air which causes surfaces to become more susceptible to growing bacteria and mold.
3. Musty odor
Feeling stuffy in the home? If it's not because of winter snuggles with your partner, then there could be another reason for this. A musty smell coming from carpets or closets probably means that there is excessive moisture saturating the air—and whatever surface is closest to warm moist air usually absorbs it first. If you're smelling mustiness all throughout your house, then there might be some moisture issues present even though you don't see anything on the surfaces.
4. Recurring water runoff dampness in springtime
This happens more often than you think: first, it's winter and your home is dry as a desert; then all of a sudden, you wake up one day and your countertops are covered with an inch of water —not from rain but because of snow melting off roof tops nearby. A quick fix for this would be to fit your gutters with ice-block extensions or install gutter coverings so that there is less of a chance for overflow—but if this continues to happen year after year, then perhaps it's time to invest in a dehumidifier and scale back some humidity levels in the home.
5. Blistering paint or peeling wallpaper
This happens because of high moisture levels coming from the inside of your home. Usually, if you have mold issues in your house, then this is its way of telling you that there's an excess amount of moisture present. If you notice paint bubbling up or edging away from walls, then it might be wise to invest in a dehumidifier to resolve this issue before it becomes more serious.
6. Creaky doors, cabinets, windows or floors
Creaks are inherent sounds within wooden structures—but only when they're dry! Have you noticed creaking sounds coming from door frames? Windows? Cabinets? Floorboards? If so, then there are probably large amounts of wood expanding due to the amount of moisture it's taking in. Take care of this small problem before it becomes a bigger one!
When you choose a dehumidifier, be sure to select the right size for your room or area. For more information about air conditioners, dehumidifiers and other HVAC needs, please Call ARS®/Rescue Rooter® at 866-399-2885 to speak with one of our Comfort Advisors.
