How to get rid of excess moisture in the apartment and in a private house? How to remove humidity in the apartment - ways and means.

For a full-fledged life, a person needs air with an optimal level of humidity. It is not uncommon for this level to rise in the bathroom, kitchen, living room or vestibule. The owners grab their heads, not knowing how to get rid of the smell of dampness and high humidity that has appeared. In addition to the fact that an unpleasant odor permeates clothes and wooden elements decor, mold appears on the walls, which spoils the whole impression. To cope with the problem in a short time, it is necessary to adhere to practical recommendations.

Optimum humidity level

It is generally accepted that the dwelling should have humidity, the indicator of which ranges from 50-60%, not higher. To measure the microclimate, you need to use a device called a hygrometer. In the summer, the humidity level may decrease to 35-40%, this feature is achieved for obvious reasons.

It is known that the human body equally badly tolerates both excessively humid and arid climates. People who use split systems should be extremely careful. The air conditioner sucks in moisture, causing a decrease in the optimum value. However, if you often dry clothes in the living room, and not on the balcony, the split system will become a lifesaver.

Reasons for high humidity

  1. High humidity occurs for many reasons, one of them is considered to be the lack of both natural and artificial ventilation. If there is air circulation, then it is worth checking how well it works.
  2. There are frequent cases when the humidity rises above the permissible limits for the reason that the neighbors living above heat the apartment from below. Dampness accumulates in corners and cracks, provoking the appearance of mold.
  3. To date, not every developer can be called conscientious. Some save on material, others hire workers with insufficient qualifications. High humidity appears due to poorly sealed seams from the street part of the wall.
  4. If we talk about the house, in most cases the basement is often flooded due to the large amount ground water. From the lower tier, moisture rises to the first and second floors, while being accompanied by an unpleasant odor.
  5. The modern design of many living spaces involves concealment sewer pipes various decorative panels. For this reason, if a water leak occurs, the owner cannot eliminate it in time.

The consequences of high humidity

Important attention must be focused on health, which deteriorates due to high humidity.

  1. Under such conditions, the human body is not able to cope even with the most banal cold syndromes, what can we say about serious diseases. If you are constantly and for a long time in a humid environment, a banal cold can develop into something more.
  2. In addition to weakening the immune system, a humid microclimate causes allergies, eczema, skin rashes, insomnia, runny nose, muscle and joint pain. Also, high humidity contributes to the development of apathy, general fatigue, depression.
  3. It is not uncommon for a fungus that has appeared to cause the development of chronic diseases. The elderly and children are most susceptible to such reactions. In the first category, the protective functions of the body do not work to the full, in the second - the body is not yet fully formed.
  4. If the air humidity exceeds the optimal limits, a caustic and bad smell mold. The stench eats into the furniture upholstery, floor soft coverings, clothes, towels, bed linen, mattress and pillow.
  5. Due to high humidity, the seams of the room turn black, indicating the development of mold. With each passing day, the fungus infects an increasing surface, under the threat of walls, ceilings, cabinets, window frames, etc.
  6. If high humidity persists long time, accelerated spoilage of food begins ( bakery products, vegetables, fruits, flour, cereals and legumes).

  1. Air Dryer. by the most the best option To combat high humidity, it is considered to be the use of a dehumidifier. The pricing policy depends on the specific manufacturer, the power of the unit and its model. You can buy the device in Vse dlya Doma stores, as well as in electronics hypermarkets. It is worth clarifying that the more productive the unit, the faster it will cope with high humidity. If possible, purchase a device with a regulator and a table that displays the level of dampness. Such a function will allow you to save on electricity and not dry out the air.
  2. Heating radiators. You can get rid of excessive moisture in the room with the help of heating radiators. Batteries are present in every apartment, but it is not always possible to use them (the exception is the summer-spring period). If you notice that dampness persists for a long time, heat the room periodically. During a kind heat treatment the fungus dies, the air becomes much drier. Turn on the heating only in the cold season, avoid sudden jumps temperature regime, because of which the windows sweat.
  3. Fresh air. Wet environments are known to be afraid fresh air, but only if the ventilation does not occur in cloudy and rainy weather. Make it a habit to open windows 3 times a day, leave for a quarter of an hour, if possible longer. If possible, keep the window open at all times, closing it only in case of rain outside. To make ventilation much more efficient, install plastic windows that open up (micro-ventilation). Such a move will eliminate the likelihood of drafts and remove moisture.
  4. Sugar and salt. The listed products perfectly absorb moisture, but, as a rule, they are used extremely rarely. Agree, it is not very convenient to keep a five-kilogram bag with a loose composition in the middle of the room, also in the open state. The option is useful in the fight against moisture in small rooms, such as a pantry, vestibule, bathroom. It is enough to pour salt or sugar into the basin, and then take it to the room, do not forget to stir occasionally.

Preventive actions

  1. Inspect sewer pipes and heating radiators, find out if there is a leak. In this case, call the wizard or troubleshoot on your own.
  2. If the yard is sunny and warm, ventilate the room constantly. Do not sit in an apartment with closed windows for a long time.
  3. The air conditioner absorbs some of the moisture from the room. In addition, the split system eliminates the smell of dampness and prevents mold from infecting larger areas.
  4. Equip your kitchen with a hood. Turn it on every time you cook, especially if you prefer to boil or stew foods.
  5. Check the draft of the ventilation system, clean it from dust and foreign debris. Perhaps it is the ventilation that is causing the unpleasant odor.
  6. Choose for yourself houseplants that do not need abundant watering. The cactus is considered the most optimal, put 3 species in each room with a suffocating smell.
  7. It is known that natural materials absorb excess moisture. During cosmetic repairs give preference to products of this kind, give up synthetics.
  8. Look for absorbent preparations that absorb excess moisture. An excellent option is the STOP moisture tool, it can be purchased at any hardware store.
  9. IN winter time of the year, install an additional heating radiator in the apartment or get by with the simplest wind blowing "Breeze".
  10. If possible, dry clothes on the loggia or balcony. Otherwise, keep the windows open throughout the drying process (important for warm and sunny weather).

It is quite difficult to get rid of high humidity in the apartment, if you do not have knowledge regarding the available methods. Ventilate the room more often, install air conditioning, heat the apartment. Get a dehumidifier, turn it on at least 4 times a week.

Video: what is the danger of high humidity in apartments

The level of humidity in the house plays a major role in shaping the microclimate, providing a healthy and comfortable atmosphere, or, conversely, contributing to the development of pathogens, mold growth, dust mites, causing allergies, unpleasant odors and discomfort. An increased level of moisture in building structures, elements and materials, a reduced or absent opportunity for natural or forced drying leads to permanent or temporary accumulation of moisture in the thickness or on the surfaces of materials, which can increase their thermal conductivity, accelerate corrosion or biological destruction.
Insufficient levels of humidity in the house also lead to discomfort in the interior atmosphere of the house.

The optimal level of relative humidity in the house is considered to be between 30 and 50%. Relative humidity is determined by the ratio of the amount of water vapor in the air to the maximum possible content at a given temperature. The higher the air temperature, the more water vapor it can contain. The temperature at which the air cannot contain additional water vapor is called the "dew point". A low level of relative humidity provides maximum comfort for a person, does not contribute to the development of potentially harmful microorganisms (dust mites) and ensures the safety of building structures and materials.

Signs of high humidity in the house.

Unpleasant odors. The intensity of odors in a room increases with increasing humidity. Strengthening household odors may indicate an increase in humidity in the atmosphere of the room. A musty smell can signal mold, fungus, or rot growth.

Feeling damp. Indicates an increase in humidity and a violation of the ventilation of the room.

Condensation, frost and ice formation on cold surfaces. Condensation, frost, ice on cold surfaces indicate an excess of moisture in the room and the presence of insufficient insulation of the outer contour of the building and possible leakage of warm air through the cracks.

Changing the color, texture and moisture of the surfaces of materials. Warping, swelling, deformation, cracking, blisters, crumbling, flaking, discoloration, darkening, dark or colored spots or veins on the surfaces of materials may indicate high humidity in the room. The growth of mold or fungus is accompanied by the appearance of spots of white, orange, green, brown, blue or black. Intensive reproduction of fungi begins at a relative humidity of 70% in the room.

The formation of bubbles, paint cracks indicates the capillary backwater of moisture in porous structures. The precipitation of salts, powdery substances on concrete surfaces is an indicator of the presence of moisture that has evaporated from the concrete surface. The formation of lamellar chips on the surface of concrete indicates the freezing of an excess amount of moisture in the thickness of the material.

Biological destruction of wood. The rot and decay of wooden structures indicates the constant damaging effects of moisture, which creates optimal conditions for the growth and reproduction of wood-destroying microorganisms. With biological destruction, wood changes its color, becomes loose and soft, which can lead to a violation of the integrity of wooden structures under load.

Wet pipes."Sweating" cold pipes are a sign of high humidity in the house. Current cold water significantly cools the surfaces of pipes on which excess moisture condenses.

Hygrometer readings. Exceeding the relative humidity in the house more than 50% may indicate a humidity problem. At the same time, even a low level of humidity in the atmosphere of the house does not guarantee the absence of problems with excessive humidity in structures or individual rooms (basements, attics, etc.).

Sources of high humidity in the house.

  1. interstitial moisture. porous Construction Materials, such as wood, concrete and others contain a certain amount of moisture in the structure of the material. Moisture from materials is capable, under suitable conditions (lack of vapor barriers, an increase in the temperature of the material, the presence of a difference in water vapor pressure), to begin to evaporate into the internal atmosphere of the house, increasing the level of humidity. The volume of seasonal evaporation from building materials can reach from 3 to 8 liters of water per day. In the internal environment of a newly built or renovated house, wet building materials evaporate on average up to 5 liters of water per day.
  1. main moisture. Moisture can enter the house in the form of rain, snow or groundwater, water supply and sewage leaks, water storage tanks, seeping through leaks in moisture-proofing media (roof, walls, waterproofing, pipes, locking fittings, containers).
  1. capillary moisture. Capillary moisture enters the house through microscopically communicating pores of materials such as concrete, brick, wood from an external moist environment in the absence of waterproofing layers or layers that break capillaries. Even the presence foundation slab is not an obstacle to moisture entering the house from the ground, if there is no waterproofing layer and a granular mineral layer (coarse sand, crushed stone, gravel) under the slab that breaks the soil capillary network. The amount of moisture entering the house in case of violations of the waterproofing of the foundation can be quite significant - up to 50 liters of water per day.
  1. Vapor transfer of moisture through porous materials. Due to the pressure difference, water vapor can penetrate porous materials such as cellular concrete or a tree. Both excessive steam transfer during outside-in steam transfer, for example, in hot and humid climates, and insufficient or blocked inside-out steam transfer can contribute to an increase in humidity. Significant wetting of building structures occurs when moisture evaporates from the uninsulated soil under the house, especially in the absence of sufficient ventilation of the underground space.
  1. Moisture transfer with air flow. Air flows through gaps in building structures, on non-compacted sections of media, around communications passing through walls and ceilings or open openings, windows or doors can carry saturated water vapor from the street. With air flows, up to 98% of all moisture enters the house. All other paths account for no more than 2% of the volume of moisture in the house. An uncontrolled intake of cold winter air containing a reduced amount of moisture can lead to the opposite effect: overdrying the air in the room. Insufficient or missing exhaust ventilation helps to increase the level of humidity in the house. Moisture transfer with ventilation air currents allows you to quickly and effectively reduce the level of humidity in the house.
  1. The human factor in the formation of moisture inside the house. A person by himself evaporates a sufficient amount of moisture into the internal environment of the dwelling due to breathing and sweating. A family of 3-4 people evaporates up to 200 ml of moisture per hour (4.8 liters in 24 hours). A lot of moisture is formed during economic, household and hygienic measures. When wet cleaning evaporates up to 150 ml of moisture from square meter area. Cooking for a family of 3-4 people during the day (breakfast, lunch and dinner) and washing dishes leads to the evaporation of up to 3 liters of moisture. Cooking on gas increases the amount of moisture by another 1 liter. Drying laundry indoors results in the evaporation of 4 to 6 liters of moisture. In addition to increasing the humidity in the house, drying clothes indoors leads to the evaporation of residues. detergents and an increase in villi in the air, which can lead to the provocation of allergic diseases. When taking a shower, 100 ml of moisture evaporates every 5 minutes. An increase in humidity in the house leads to cooking in dishes without lids, a significant number of living plants in pots, open aquariums, and the operation of air humidifiers.

From inside or outside? capillary test. To determine the external or internal source of excess moisture and dampness on the walls or floor, a capillary test is performed:

  1. Locate an area of ​​damp wall or floor.
  2. Dry it thoroughly with paper towels and a hair dryer.
  3. Cover the area to be examined with a sheet of vapor-tight plastic or film.
  4. Carefully adhere the material to the surface with waterproof adhesive tape that does not allow moisture to pass through.
  5. After 2-3 days, examine the sheet of plastic and the surface of the wall or floor underneath. If moisture has appeared under the sheet, this means the capillary origin of the incoming moisture through building structures. If moisture condenses on the outer surface of the plastic, the source of high humidity is inside the room. If moisture is detected both under the leaf and on the leaf, this may mean that there are two ways of moisture entering at the same time.

Options for solving problems with excessive humidity in the house.

Foundation and cellar.

You can reduce the likelihood of moisture entering the capillary way through the foundation in the following ways: by tap surface water, lowering the level of groundwater and waterproofing the foundations and underground structures of the building.

The set of activities includes:

  1. Arrangement of a system for collecting precipitation from the roof and draining them into storm sewer. A closed system of drainpipes is preferred with the supply of precipitation directly to the storm sewer, without an intermediate outflow of the collected water onto the blind area or the ground. At open system drainage trays are installed on top of the blind area. If there is a system for collecting and removing precipitation from the roof, it must be regularly cleaned of leaves and other debris that can impede its operation.
  2. Device ground slope away from the building. The minimum recommended slope width is 150 cm with a rise at the house of 7 cm, and the optimal one is 3 meters with a rise of 15 cm.
  3. Wide waterproofing blind area around the building will help reduce the watering of the soil adjacent to the foundation and basement. Not required to arrange concrete pavement: you can use a more economical soft underground blind area made of waterproofing polymer-bitumen materials, hermetically connected by sticking or fusing with the surface waterproofing of the foundation.
  4. Foundation waterproofing is carried out in the form of a sticker or fusing of polymer-bitumen waterproofing materials on a concrete surface primed with a primer. Waterproofing is applied to all faces of the concrete surfaces of the foundation, and not just to the outer ones. For waterproofing, you should not use roofing material - its service life before cracking does not exceed 5-7 years. The installation of a vertical drainage membrane of the "Delta" type will help to reduce the backwater of groundwater.
  5. Device ring drainage around the foundation with water drainage lower in relief, or into drainage reservoirs or wells. It is recommended to triple at least two drainage rings - next to the foundation and next to the edge of the waterproofing blind area around the foundation.
  6. During the construction of a new building and the laying of the foundation and underground structures of the basements, compacted pillows of coarse sand, sand and gravel mixture or crushed stone(minimum thickness 10 cm) to reduce and break capillary backwater. Under the foundation, the slab is laid waterproofing material or expanded polystyrene plates, which have almost zero moisture permeability. All concrete structures that will be in the ground are protected by several layers of waterproofing.
  7. Installation protective visor plate to protect against rain splashes and insect penetration along the entire perimeter of the foundation, covering the entire upper face of the foundation, will significantly improve the waterproofing of the walls from the foundation in addition to standard polymer-bitumen materials.
  8. Do not store firewood on the blind area along the walls of the building - this impairs the ventilation of the foundation and walls, which can lead to an increase in the moisture content of the structures.

Underground.

During the construction of newly erected buildings, it is better to avoid the construction of subfloors, as thermally technical and structurally irrational elements, replacing them with the construction of floors on the ground, or with a foundation slab. If you want to have an underground, or if there is an underground in an existing building, the following measures are taken to control moisture entering through the underground:

  1. Ground isolation. The soil under the building within the foundation is covered with a bitumen-polymer waterproofing material, thick PVC or butyl rubber film. The edges of the overlapping film are glued to the inner surface of the foundation. The sheets are glued together with an overlap of at least 15 cm. In the presence of a pile or pile-grillage foundation, the soil is covered without gluing the waterproofing to the piles. The waterproofing material in the underground is covered with a 10 cm layer of sand or a 5 cm thick screed to provide its mechanical protection.
  2. Adequate ventilation of the underground space. In the absence of soil insulation under the building in the foundation, ducts with a total cross section of at least 1/400 (the requirements of the International Building Code - 1/150) of the underground area must be arranged. Air vents should be located opposite each other to provide through ventilation and no further than 90 cm from the inner corners of the foundation. The minimum cross-sectional area of ​​one vent is 0.05 m2 (for example, 20 by 25 cm). If there is a properly performed soil insulation, the products in the foundation can be abandoned.

Walls

The lower parts of the outer walls, the walls to which the roofs of extensions or lower levels are adjacent are most susceptible to reflected splashes of precipitation and accumulation of snow. To prevent waterlogging of these parts of the walls, the following measures are taken:
  1. The minimum recommended height of the foundation or plinth under the outer part of the wall should be 60 cm. If the height of the foundation is less, then it is necessary to protect the wall with a splash-repelling visor, or to arrange walls hanging over the foundation with waterproofing of the lower edge. Also, the lower 50 cm of the outer walls made of mineral materials, or with a finish from them, can be protected from moisture by calming hydrophobic impregnation.
  2. The walls to which the roofs adjoin can be protected with a waterproofing layer covered with a wall metal profile.
  3. The lower parts of the outer walls should not be covered with tall plants, store firewood nearby, as this impairs air circulation and the natural drying of the walls. In addition, jigging, reflecting from objects near the outer walls, can fall on the parts of the walls that are less protected from moisture.

Particular attention should be paid hydro-vapor barrier around windows and doors. Windows should be equipped with ebbs with drippers that prevent drops from running down the bottom surface of the tide to the walls. Most windows and doors are currently installed with polyurethane foam. Polyurethane foam with an open cell structure is not an obstacle to vapor transfer and moisture penetration.

Therefore, immediately after curing polyurethane foam must be covered with a vapor barrier tape on the inside and a waterproofing vapor-permeable tape on the outside. To seal the gaps, you can use pre-compressed self-expanding sealing tapes - PSUL. Slopes around windows and doors should be additionally insulated to prevent their cooling and condensation.

Exterior decoration and hinged facades on the walls.

The basic rule for the installation of multilayer walls to prevent their waterlogging is formulated in paragraph 8.8 of SP 23-101-2004 "Design of thermal protection of buildings": To ensure better performance in multilayer building structures, on the warm side, layers of greater thermal conductivity and greater resistance to vapor permeation should be placed than the outer layers. This means that the exterior materials must not interfere with natural vapor transport through the wall materials. Such a situation may arise when external coating of vapor-permeable wall materials, such as autoclaved aerated concrete, with vapor-tight insulation, brickwork, plasters and paints, installation of hinged vapor-tight facades without ventilation of the gap between the walls and the facade.

Flat ledges on the walls, not equipped with protective visors or slopes for water drainage, ledges with a negative slope on the walls are a place for collecting precipitation, followed by moistening of the walls and penetration of moisture into the house by capillaries. Uncleaned drains lead to overflowing water on the walls.

Internal vapor barrier of walls. Main purpose internal vapor barrier- reduction or prevention of vapor transfer through vapor-permeable wall materials. The device of the correct vapor barrier is especially important for maintaining the properties of porous, cellular and fibrous heat-insulating or structural-heat-insulating wall materials. When heat-insulating materials are moistened, their thermal conductivity increases exponentially. The main mistake made when installing a vapor barrier is the lack of sealing of the joints of sheets of vapor barrier materials and their junctions with walls and structures. Be sure to seal any holes or punctures in the vapor barrier that may occur during construction. The vapor barrier material itself is able to resist only diffusion transfer of moisture. However, as is known, 98% of moisture is transferred not by diffusion, but with air currents. In the presence of micro-gaps and gaps in joints and junctions, the effectiveness of vapor barrier is significantly reduced, and the risk of wetting wall materials is significantly increased. A continuous additional layer of vapor barrier plaster or paint on internal surfaces rooms will reduce the risks of wall moisture from internal sources of moisture.

Cold attics. The main sources of moisture in attic spaces are penetration with air leaks from the underlying premises through leaks. attic floor. To ensure the normal humidity regime of the attic, it must be well ventilated through the ventilation openings in the gables, dormer windows. It is recommended that at least half of the vents be 1 meter higher than the rest of the ridge. In hip roofs, ridge ventilation should be provided. To prevent the formation of condensates, all passing through cold attic ventilation and chimneys must be insulated. It is forbidden to bring the exhaust ventilation of the premises into the attic space.

Warm lofts. Major device error warm roofs is insufficient ventilation gap, lack of ridge ventilation and blind filing of overhangs, blocking under-roof ventilation. Existing skating ventilation holes, roof fans and soffit perforations can be clogged with plant pollen, cobwebs and leaves, which leads to poor ventilation of the under-roof space of warm roofs.

Room ventilation. Ventilation plays a major role in removing excess moisture from a home. Natural ventilation is usually not enough for effective ventilation of places with high humidity: in bathrooms, saunas, kitchens, technical rooms. In such rooms, it is recommended to install local exhaust ventilation, which allows you to quickly remove excess moisture. Exhaust fans can be configured to automatically turn on when a certain level of humidity in the room is reached. Recommended minimum ventilation levels for bathrooms are 80 to 100 cubic feet per minute (CFM) and 150 CFM or more for kitchens. Minimum recommended duct diameter for local ventilation is 100 mm. The simplest way to install forced local exhaust ventilation is to bring the duct through the wall.
The best result for humidity control in the house is achieved when installing the system supply and exhaust ventilation the whole house. When calculating the supply ventilation of a house, the required volume of air flow is calculated by the formula: CFM = 0.03 x house area + 7.5 x (number of bedrooms + 1).
In the absence of a supply ventilation system in the house, it is recommended to install windows with micro-ventilation valves and wall air inflow valves KPV. It is especially important to have forced ventilation in rooms with open flame heaters, in kitchens with gas appliances and in boiler rooms.

Control of internal sources of moisture.

A significant contribution to the increase in humidity can be made by open or hidden (in walls, ceilings, undergrounds, soil) leaks. water pipes and sewers. You can determine the presence of a hidden leak in the water supply using a water consumption meter, which will show the consumption of water in the absence of its consumption.

Drying clothes in the open air or in a tumble dryer should be provided. Open aquariums can be closed with a lid. The house should store a supply of firewood for no more than 1-2 days. When a large number of people live in a small area, a mechanical dehumidifier can be used.

Conclusion.
Thinking about controlling humidity in a house should be at the design stage, providing all the necessary structural barriers for moisture to penetrate into the house and its structure, both from the outside and from the inside. The layout of the house, the location of windows and doors, elements of natural and forced ventilation should contribute to effective air exchange and removal of moist air.

A thoughtful analysis of the causes of high humidity in an already built house will help you make the right decision about possible ways solutions to problems with excessive moisture.

Such a problem as high humidity in the house is quite common. If it is not dealt with, it leads to health problems, damage to property and buildings. Why is high humidity dangerous? Why is the house getting damp? How to deal with the problem and eliminate its consequences (mold)? The answers to these and other questions will be discussed below.

Dampness in the house is manifested by condensation on window panes and mirrors, the dampness of things, a musty smell, wet spots on the wallpaper and under the ceiling. If nothing is done, mold will grow in the room.

Dampness and mold fungi in the house threaten:

  • decreased immunity;
  • destruction of load-bearing structures;
  • chronic colds;
  • failure of electrical appliances;
  • allergies;
  • the appearance of stains on furniture and wallpaper;
  • asthma, etc.
high humidity

Causes of high humidity in the house

You can cope with dampness in the house only by determining the cause of its occurrence. Natural causes lead to an increase in humidity (laundry, wet cleaning, cooking, steam generation in the bathroom, etc.). When breathing, one person releases up to 4 liters of fluid per day. These factors do not always lead to the appearance of dampness, most often the causes high humidity other.

Useful advice. To find the source of dampness, you need to fix the glass against the wall at night. It must be firmly pressed against the plane of the wall. If no condensation has formed on the glass by morning, the cause of dampness is indoors.

Humidity in the house rises due to:

  • hanging wet laundry indoors;
  • lack of a ventilation system or violations in its operation;
  • plastering and finishing works;
  • insufficient;
  • raising the level of groundwater;
  • lack of external;
  • leakage of construction pits;
  • defective;
  • uneven distribution of heat in the house;
  • freezing walls;
  • indoor plants;
  • leaking roof, roof overhang defects;
  • walls filled with furniture;
  • damage either;
  • irregular or excessive ventilation;
  • improper operation of the heating system;
  • improper installation of double-glazed windows, their defects, high tightness;
  • problems with and ;
  • the proximity of the sump;
  • swimming pool located on the ground floor;
  • damaged or clogged drain;
  • aquariums.

How to lower the humidity level in the house

To eliminate dampness, special preparations and folk remedies. Thanks to them, it is possible to significantly reduce, but these are temporary measures. To completely get rid of dampness and prevent it reappearance causes must be eliminated.


How to determine humidity

You can dry the air with:

  • Chemicals (Cerizite Stop Moisture, Stop Dampness, Drypet skit, Torrbollen, etc.). They act on the principle of a sorbent. Sold in hardware and online stores. They are mainly produced on the basis of calcium chloride.
  • Air dryers.
    • Air conditioners with dehumidification function.
    • Heating appliances (heat-insulated floor system, heaters, etc.).
    • Home remedies (salt, rice, etc.). They are placed in the corners of the room.

Dehumidifiers are of four types:

  • compressor rooms (can drain large rooms, but take up a lot of space, noisy);
  • with thermoelectric converters (they work quieter, but the power is much lower);
  • adsorption (the stronger the sorbent absorbs moisture, the lower its efficiency becomes);
  • rotary (combine the functions of adsorption and compressor equipment).

Note! Do not get too carried away with the fight against dampness. A low level of air humidity is also harmful. Its optimal indicator is 45%. Humidity below 30% and above 60% is a violation. You can measure the exact data using a hygrometer.

Measuring humidity with a device

Humidity due to poor ventilation

Very often, the cause of dampness is the poor performance of the ventilation system or its complete absence. Once this problem is corrected, the humidity level can be significantly reduced.

Ventilation cannot work properly due to:

  • obstruction;
  • poor sealing;
  • improperly equipped exit above the roof;
  • insufficient cross-sectional area of ​​the ventilation duct.

To restore normal ventilation, you need to invite a specialist. He will inspect the system and determine the cause of the problem.

A clogged system must be purged:

  • remove the grate;
  • wash it with detergent;
  • remove dirt from the walls with a scraper;
  • vacuum the channel;
  • rinse it with a damp cloth (as far as the hand reaches);
  • put the ventilation grill in place.

Clogged ventilation shaft

At high humidity, you can use a forced ventilation system: reversible, exhaust or supply. It is installed in the ventilation duct. When there is no ventilation in the house at all, you need to make a through hole in the wall and install a heat exchanger in it. From the inside and outside it must be closed with bars.

Another reason for dampness is incorrect installation of a double-glazed window. If mold appears on the window slopes, you need to level them and foam the cracks again. To prevent condensation from settling on the glass, do not clutter up the window sills. This prevents the normal circulation of warm air. Too large window sills lead to the same consequences. To fix this, you need to drill holes in them.

Important! Fans, hoods and air conditioners should be cleaned regularly. Otherwise, the appliance itself will become a source of bacteria and mold.

Too tight windows also cause an increase in humidity. How to lower the humidity level in this case? You can solve the problem of dampness with the help of a window pressure ventilator, hydraulically controlled ventilation valve or ventilator. You can simply remove the rubber seal on top window frame. You do not need to do this with all double-glazed windows at once: first process one window, then (if it does not help) the next, so continue until the result is obtained.

The source of moisture is under the floor

If there is no ventilation in the subfield, it is necessary to equip it. Waterproofing walls and floors, sewing cracks and cracks help to significantly reduce the level of humidity in the house. For this, waterproofing plaster is used.

Dampness in the cellar may appear due to leaks in construction pits. To fix the problem, you need to seal it with waterproof clay (clay castle).


Foundation drainage device

Dampness in the house leads to a change in the level of groundwater. To solve this problem, you need to properly organize the drainage system.

Another reason is poor waterproofing of the foundation.

In this case, vertical waterproofing is necessary:

  • coating waterproofing;
  • penetrating compounds;
  • lining the foundation with waterproofing vertically.

Note! Life time waterproofing materials not endless. In the House old building it may be out of order.

The cause of dampness is the roof and walls

Conventional heating methods help to warm the air in the house. They are not able to warm up the walls. Condensation forms on cold surfaces. Because of this, the humidity in the room increases.

You can fix the situation with:

  • heating convector;
  • infrared heater;
  • increasing the footage of the heating system;
  • arrangement of a warm floor;
  • thermal and waterproofing of walls.

Note! Do not apply to affected surfaces. Decoration Materials with high acidity. Mold spores thrive in such an environment. It is better to give preference to compositions with a neutral or alkaline reaction.

When dampness "comes" from above, wet stains appear on the wallpaper, mold spots on the ceiling and under it. Holes in the roof, damaged gutters lead to this. won't help here. Water will soak into the walls and still enter the house.

Work must be done from the side attic space. To eliminate the causes, it must be examined. Then, if necessary, carry out waterproofing, restoration work. It is necessary to carefully process cracks, cracks and joints. Clogged gutters can be emptied with a garden hose.

What to do if the cause of dampness indoors


Installing a heated towel rail in the bathroom

When high humidity in the house is not associated with poor ventilation, violation construction technologies much easier to deal with. It is only necessary to follow certain recommendations.

To prevent the humidity level in the house from rising, you need to:

  • in daytime(especially in summer) keep the curtains open;
  • do not put unfinished linen in the closet;
  • check the integrity of water and sewer pipes, eliminate defects;
  • reduce the level of humidity in the kitchen with a hood;
  • perform 5-minute through ventilation 3 times a day;
  • during cooking, reduce the heat so that the dishes can be tightly closed with a lid;
  • if it is impossible to dry clothes outside the house, let things drain over the bathroom, then hang them closer to the hood;
  • keep interior doors open in the house;
  • equip ventilation openings on the doors of wet rooms from below (from 200 sq. cm.);
  • do not place furniture close to the walls;
  • during wet cleaning in the house it is good to wring out a rag;
  • do not keep buckets and baths filled for a long time;
  • reduce the number of flowers in the house, reduce the frequency and volume of watering.

Useful advice! To reduce the level of humidity in the bathroom will help install a heated towel rail. It can be electric, water, combined.

How to deal with dampness companion - mold


How to deal with mold

The lesion is formed due to high humidity. To prevent its occurrence, you need to understand why dampness appeared in the house. Only by eliminating the cause can you completely get rid of the mold.

With lesions in the house they fight with the help of various compositions:

  • mold remover:
  • antiseptic primer;
  • 3% hydrogen peroxide solution;
  • soda solution (1 tsp per 200 ml of water);
  • alcohol;
  • urea solution (temperature 50 degrees);
  • 10% bleach solution, etc.

Important! Hydrogen peroxide and bleach can lighten the surface. They must be used with care. It is possible to use products on painted surfaces, but only after checking the durability of coloring pigments (in a small area).

The surface must be prepared before processing. The wall must be cleaned of wallpaper and plaster. Then dry it thoroughly with a heater. After that, you can start processing the surface. Anti-mold agents should be applied to the affected surface. Then dry the wall well.

Dampness and mold in the house are dangerous to health. They lead to the destruction of building structures, damage to property. Humidity in the home can increase under the influence of various factors. If the problem arises as a result of vital activity, dehumidifiers will help. In other cases, it is required to find out the causes of high humidity in the house and eliminate them. Otherwise, the problem will return again and again.

Since a dwelling with an overestimated moisture rate is not a favorable place for a person to live, it becomes more relevant how to remove humidity in an apartment.

The modern lifestyle of almost all people contributes to an increase in the level of humidity inside the room in which they live.

To understand this, it is enough to give a simple example: earlier people took a bath about once every 5-7 days.

Today, daily showering is the norm for the common man.

Some of the people play sports or go to the gym, as a result of which they constantly sweat.

In addition to the developed habit, take a shower every day or, you still have to wash clothes, and some even take care of pets.

The main sources of humidity in the room include:

  • human respiratory process
  • daily bathing procedures
  • laundry care, including drying, washing and ironing
  • influence of the external atmosphere
  • cooking in the kitchen

In any case, all these everyday moments cannot be avoided, so you will have to deal with excessive humidity in.

Possible effects of dampness

Most favorable place for the reproduction of microflora - a room with high rate air humidity. It could be a bathroom or a basement. Humidity in the room often contributes to the appearance chronic disease the person who lives here.

Most often, children suffer, because the child's body is not yet formed, and the immune system is not fully strengthened. Old people also suffer from living in such premises, since the protective and other functions of the body weaken with age.

Residents of houses that are made of brick most often complain about the problem of high humidity in the room. In turn, the inhabitants of the panel, complain about the lack of the required level of moisture inside. Dry air also negatively affects human health, as a result of which it can get sick.

If the room has a high level of humidity, you should immediately address the problem, since replacing several household items is much cheaper than spending money on treatment.

In addition to the possible harm to human health, an increased level of humidity creates an uncomfortable state of being inside.

Often, due to an overestimated indicator of dampness, an unpleasant smell and a feeling of coolness form inside the dwelling or any other room. In a humid room, food quickly deteriorates, including even vegetables and fruits.

In such rooms, mold and harmful microflora often form. Dampness is one of the most unpleasant phenomena that can spoil the whole comfort of living or being inside a building. If this problem is detected, it is worth immediately taking measures corresponding to the elimination of dampness.

Causes of dampness in the apartment

Before you begin the process of fixing the problem, it is worth identifying the main cause of the accumulation of damp air inside.

The main reasons for the accumulation of dampness inside the building include:

  • Lack of room ventilation. Even if ventilation is present, its performance and quality of operation should be checked.
  • Moisture may appear due to the heating of the apartment by neighbors from above. Often this problem difficult to identify, since a neighbor who lives above an apartment with high humidity may not be aware of the breakdown of his plumbing. It is always necessary to check whether this is the main cause of orphanhood in the home.
  • If there are open seams between the walls in the building, moisture can also appear inside the building.
  • If the basement high-rise building flooded, then the moisture will rise up, as a result of which it will create dampness. Before you remove the moisture in the apartment on the first floor, you should make sure that the flooded basement is the main source of moisture.
  • Incorrect positioning of kitchen appliances can affect the appearance of dampness.

To fix the problem, it is always necessary to find the source of dampness. The easiest way to identify advanced level moisture - lean a mirror or a piece of glass against the surface.

If after a few minutes water drops appear on the surface of the glass or mirror, then there is an increased level of dampness in a separate room or the whole room. If the glass turns out to be clean, you should not rejoice ahead of time, since moisture can be stored exclusively in the walls of the building.

How to get rid of moisture

As mentioned above, if a problem is detected, it should be immediately eliminated, since the influence of a humid environment can adversely affect the human body.

The most common methods for removing humidity in a room include:

  • Installation of an air dryer, which can be purchased at any supermarket electronic and household appliances. The price of a dehumidifier directly depends on its model and capacity. In any case, to fix the problem, you must purchase a similar unit. When buying, it is worth considering the fact that the higher the power rating of the device, the faster the dampness in a particular building will be eliminated. On the market similar products devices are offered with built-in dampness control sensors in . If the moisture indicator on the dehumidifier sensor drops, the device automatically changes the heating temperature. Thus, the device will not dry out the air, but will keep a stable rate of temperature and humidity inside the room or building. Note that such models use more electricity than standard, simple dehumidifiers that do not have a control sensor.
  • Mounting the radiator, if it is not. If there are radiators in the building, then it is worth using them. A damp room needs to be warmed up from time to time. When radiators emit heat, all of the unfavorable microflora, including fungi, may disappear, and the apartment will dry out well. Based on the advice of experts, the room should not be warmed up much, but often.

How to prevent excessive moisture

Houseplants absorb moisture. That is why it is worth acquiring plants, if there are none already. Flowers on the windowsill, in addition to their aesthetic function, perfectly absorb the dampness that is in the building.

Indoor flowers or other plants minimize any chance of increased moisture levels. For example, tropical plants absorb a huge amount of water, so putting such a plant in the bathroom or bedroom would be the right decision.

Cacti are the most "powerful" plants in terms of absorption capacity.

Unfortunately, due to the fact that these plants are not very decorative, many do not want to put them at home either.

When choosing a plant for a room, kitchen or bathroom, you should first study the characteristics of various plants.

If the above problem is identified, the main source of the emitted moisture should be urgently identified. And only after a problem is discovered, the owner of the house should choose the ideal way for him personally to regulate the microclimate and, accordingly, reduce the level of moisture inside the building.

How to get rid of dampness in an apartment or house - in the video:

From this article you will learn about the main causes of dampness in an apartment or house. We will also talk about how to eliminate these causes and restore the normal microclimate of the home. You will learn about the traditional and most modern methods solution to the problem of air drying.

With the change of seasons, almost all owners are faced with increased humidity due to snowmelt. The spread of negative phenomena is great: from mild discomfort to “weeping” walls and mold. Consider some of the most popular cases and causes of dampness in residential premises, as well as ways to combat this unpleasant phenomenon.

Any changes in the microclimate have their own reason, influencing which, you can change it. Dampness has its own "sources", which the owner may not know about, or may not attach importance to them.

Reason #1: Poor ventilation

The owners often “forget” about the device of forced ventilation during repairs out of economy, relying entirely on windows and doors. In our apartments, the project provides for ventilation of two rooms - a bathroom and a kitchen. Living quarters have vents, windows and balconies for ventilation. Of course, ventilation lowers the temperature of the room by blowing out warm (and moist) air, so it is rarely resorted to during the cold period.

The effect of dehumidification in summer is achieved by mixing dry air from the street with vapor-saturated internal "exhaust" air. During transitional periods, especially in early spring, atmospheric air saturated with steam, but at the same time remains cold. Accordingly, ventilation does not bring the desired effect.

How to fight

Check the ventilation arranged according to the project - the draft should be noticeable. If the draft is good in the kitchen and bathroom, and dampness is not removed, there are three options for solving this problem.

1. Forced exhaust ventilation. The device of such a system, although it will entail certain costs and inconveniences, will solve the problem of dampness once and for all. The branched hood has its drawbacks - energy consumption, duct system, background noise. The minimum that can be done is to install a fan in the kitchen duct.

2. Installation of the heat exchanger. A ducted room heat exchanger of the "PRANA", "Reventa" or similar type is a more modern and ergonomic element that solves two problems at once - the extraction of moist air and the inflow of fresh air. Many models are heated to work in winter period. The cost of a channel heat exchanger is from 340 to 380 USD. e.

Video: PRANA duct heat exchanger

3. Use a dehumidifier. This device passes air through itself, collecting excess moisture and filtering it. Such a device is very effective - it removes dampness from the room within an hour. At the same time, the composition of the air remains unchanged. Moisture is collected in a separate container and drained. Filters, ozonizers and fragrances can optionally be integrated into the device. The cost of such a device for a room of 30-50 square meters. m is from 140 to 220 c.u. e.

Reason number 2. Moisture source

In private houses, these are septic tanks or shambos located close to the house. They impregnate the soil with water, the water passes under the house, the soil surrounding the foundation or basement becomes damp. The same with atmospheric waters flowing onto a split blind area. Dampness in the basement and in the floor of the 1st floor is provided.

In apartments, this can be:

  • leaking roof;
  • a defect in the drain or overhang of the roof, directing atmospheric water to the wall of the apartment;
  • windy side of the house - rain constantly hits the wall of the apartment;
  • constantly flowing taps, plumbing;
  • a large number of water on the lower floor - aquariums, swimming pool, sauna;
  • evaporation of condensate on the windows (which collects due to poor ventilation).

It is difficult to name other trouble-free open sources of moisture in the apartment, but in each individual case everything is possible.

How to fight

Eliminate source. Fix a roof or drain, move a septic tank, protect a wall from atmospheric water. If the reason is open source, waterproofing should be done with a liquid composition. Remember that waterproofing is applied from the source of moisture.

Reason number 3. Unheated room

Extreme savings on heating on the principle of “only warm air in the room” is the most common cause of dampness in the “weeping walls” of an apartment or house. The wall must be heated to at least half the thickness. Then the dew point (the place where condensation forms) will come out on the side of the street. A frozen wall shifts the dew point closer to a warm area, and sometimes even to the inner plane.

This problem often "works" coupled with a lack of ventilation. Abandoned or low-heated premises become damp very quickly - finishing materials are destroyed in 2 seasons, the structure loses up to 5-6% of its strength annually (in addition to natural wear and tear). It is highly undesirable to combine heated and unheated (according to the project) premises under one roof.

How to fight

Increase heating. Try to calculate how much damage your home can get from merciless dampness and the amount you save on heating. Then compare these amounts and draw a conclusion. Of course, insulation must be of high quality and timely.

If it is not possible to raise the temperature, install fans on the heaters and provide short-term ventilation - the humidity will even out. Do not leave the house unheated if you are going to return - find a person who will heat it.

Reason number 4. Improper insulation

Thermal insulation of walls with cheap and lightweight foam plastic or expensive modern extruded polystyrene foam has already gained momentum and is becoming a welcome event for residents of apartment buildings. Almost no one ever makes a heat engineering calculation of the walls of an apartment to determine the thickness of the insulation. Therefore, when choosing a layer of insufficient thickness, the wall continues to freeze and dampen.

Life in such a "thermos" can spoil the dampness in the apartment and the inevitable fungus. The reason is the same dew point, which is comfortably located between the panel (wall) and the insulation plate. In addition, the vapor permeability of sounded materials is close to zero and this is not the only problem with foam. Cheap material produced in a handicraft way is extremely combustible and toxic when heated. Keep this in mind when preparing to insulate the apartment.

Video: Styrofoam problems

How to fight

Study useful articles, where engineers and builders with extensive experience speak out. Understanding the physics of processes will save you not only from dampness, but also from many other troubles. There are two unmistakable options for warming an apartment:

  1. Obviously an excess layer of polystyrene insulation. A thickness of 100-150 mm guarantees that the dew point is outside the wall (in the thickness of the insulation) for any region.
  2. Vapor permeable insulation. Mineral wool, ecowool, any kind of ventilated facade. This is guaranteed to get rid of moisture in the walls.

Dampness in the apartment can provoke the appearance of mold, which, getting into the body, causes viral diseases person. In addition, in itself, humid air is not suitable for everyone. Weakness, soreness, spontaneous loss of efficiency - something that can happen due to excess moisture in the air. Therefore, the elimination of moisture is a concern not only for native walls, but also for yourself and dear people.

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