The Environmental Protection Agency maintains that 30% and 60% indoor humidity levels can offer significant home protection. That means you should try your best to monitor indoor humidity to prevent dampness. Unfortunately, this is an issue many Americans face in their homes. Therefore, it can be helpful to get some insight into the common causes of damp formation in homes.
Long periods of condensation
When large quantities of warm water vapor come into contact with a cold surface, it becomes fertile ground for condensation to occur. The tricky thing is you cannot avoid the chances of it happening. That is because daily activities like taking hot baths or showers are the times when condensation is highest. Again, in the kitchen area where most of your cooking is done, warm air rises until it touches your cold glass window panes and cavity walls.
Upon contact, the warmer vapor cools down to form beads of moisture that get sucked into walls or double-glazed windows. Over time, the result is water damage to these surfaces. Another area of the home that condensation happens quite often is in the basement. To avoid expensive repairs with this type of damage, you may want to consider basement waterproofing to curtail dampness.
Non-insulation of walls and floors
You are likely to pay up to $4 for an average floor or wall insulation. That is for every square foot of space. Indeed, there are differences depending on your location. While some may consider this as expensive, others think nothing of it. However, regardless of the side, you are on, it doesn’t change the fact that non-insulation of interior walls and floors can influence damp formation in the house.
Without a doubt, wall and floor insulations can contribute to your home’s energy efficiency. Unfortunately, available data suggest that US houses built before the 1970s are not likely to have any insulation in these areas. It also explains why most American homes with damp problems fall within 1968 and 1970 initial construction dates. Perhaps, if you are unsure about your home’s wall and floor insulation, it would help get professionals to conduct checks.
Leaky underground pipes
You never know your home is dealing with leaky pipelines until damp begins. Indeed, in a scenario like that, you may be thankful that the damp indicated major plumbing works needed for your home. Speak of having to deal with two ‘home damage evils.’ Usually, leaky underground pipes are typical of old houses. However, that is not to say modern homes do not experience these too. The sooner it’s detected, the higher the chances of salvaging the situation.
Poor ventilation in the home
Believe it or not, this is one of the most notable causes of dampness. Ideally, houses are built to ‘breathe.’ In other words, the positioning of windows and doors is done to aid easy airflow from the outdoors to the interior parts of the home. The exchange of air is what is termed proper home ventilation. Without this, your house can become very fertile ground for damp to begin.
Fortunately, there are several solutions to protect your home from the damp formation. As long as you employ the proper measures, you can get rid of dampness.
