Reducing indoor home humidity without a functioning air conditioning (A/C) system can be challenging, especially in humid climates, but there are several strategies you can use to manage moisture levels:
12 Ways to Reduce Home Humidity When Your A/C is Broken
- Ventilation: Increase airflow by opening windows and doors when outdoor humidity is lower than indoors. Use exhaust fans in bathrooms and kitchens to vent moist air directly outside.
- Dehumidifiers: Use portable dehumidifiers to remove moisture from the air. These can be particularly effective in high-humidity areas like basements or bathrooms.
- Fans: Circulate air with ceiling fans or standing fans to help evaporate moisture and keep the air moving.
- Avoid Adding Moisture: Minimize activities that generate humidity, such as boiling water, taking long showers, or drying clothes indoors. If you must do these things, make sure to ventilate the area well.
- Fix Leaks: Repair any plumbing leaks or areas where water may be entering your home to prevent additional moisture from accumulating.
- Increase Plants: Some houseplants can help absorb humidity from the air. However, be careful not to overwater them as this can add to the humidity.
- Use Moisture Absorbers: Products like desiccant bags, silica gel, or moisture absorber buckets can help soak up humidity in small areas like closets or cabinets.
- Insulation and Weather Stripping: Proper insulation and weather stripping can prevent moist outside air from entering your home.
- Cooking and Showering: Use lids on pots while cooking to reduce steam, and take shorter, cooler showers.
- Line Dry Clothes Outside: Dry clothes outside instead of inside to prevent moisture from the drying clothes from increasing indoor humidity.
- Shade and Reflective Barriers: Use shades, blinds, or reflective window films to block out heat and reduce the temperature inside your home, which can help lower humidity levels.
- Maintain Gutters and Downspouts: Ensure that gutters and downspouts are clean and directing water away from your home’s foundation to prevent moisture intrusion.
Working A/C is Ideal, Try to Fix Quickly
While these 12 tips and suggestions can help reduce humidity, they’re not be as effective as a properly working A/C system.
Thus it’s best to repair or replace your broken A/C as soon as possible to maintain optimal indoor humidity levels and comfort. In the meantime, the above 12 tips and tricks should help you get by.
