According to the CDC, mold and mildew can cause serious health problems, including allergies, skin rashes, a sore throat, wheezing, coughing, and burning eyes. Individuals who have asthma or are immunocompromised may have even more severe reactions, leading to hospital stays. Fortunately, there’s an easy solution for homeowners in Rochester – a whole-house dehumidifier.
How a Dehumidifier Protects Your Health
Mold is everywhere and can enter your house through open windows, doors, HVAC systems, and your vent system, as well as on your clothing, accessories, pets, and shoes. Once it’s in place, it will grow in locations where moisture is present, causing serious issues.
Did you know that more than 40% of the air on the first floor of your home comes up from your crawl space or basement from a natural circulation effect called the stack effect? If the air below that floor isn’t healthy, it will impact your entire home.
So how do you remove mold from your environment and keep it from getting any worse? In addition to making repairs to clean up damp areas, such as damp basements, leaking roofs, leaking pipes, and similar areas, you can have a dehumidifier installed while cleaning up any mold that is present.
A dehumidifier removes moisture from the air in your home, reducing the moisture needed by mold to take hold and spread. A dehumidifier will help keep your humidity levels low, no higher than 50%, to prevent mold from forming. Your air conditioner may be able to handle the load in the summer, but a dehumidifier can work as needed all year round.
In addition to removing moisture from your home’s air, you can also look for dehumidifiers that remove particles 1.0 microns or smaller, referred to as a MERV-11 filtration standard. This size captures most harmful pathogens.
So how do you select the right dehumidifier for your home? We highly recommend a high-efficiency unit that is Energy Star rated, which has MERV-11 filtration, a large capacity to remove moisture from the air, and the option of attaching it to ductwork so that it can be placed in a mechanical room in your basement.
Quality dehumidifiers keep dry air circulating to keep your home feeling fresh and clean. If you’re ready to make a change for your home and your health, reach out to Storm Basement Waterproofing in Rochester about a whole house dehumidifier installation and its health benefits. Discover for yourself how we can help you make your home more comfortable!
