Many homeowners ask us, “Should I install a dehumidifier in my garage?” Usually, the answer is yes. Read on to learn if you should consider installing a dehumidifier in your garage and how it can affect your indoor air quality throughout your house.
Humidity and Your Home
Basements, crawlspaces, and attics can all allow air to enter into the main living spaces of your home if not properly sealed. Garages are the same way! Since most garages are not built with adequate sealing and are often left open for long periods of time, warm humid air can enter your home through the garage in the summer months and cooler less humid air can enter during the winter months.
This can change the indoor air quality that you live and breathe in drastically. Properly waterproofing your crawlspace or basement will prevent air from escaping to alter the humidity level above. If you continue to have humidity spikes in your home, your garage may be to blame.
Changing humidity levels can cause more than just a change in the temperature of the air in your home. High humidity is the perfect breeding ground for mold and mildew. It encourages the growth of bacteria and viruses. Air with too low humidity can be dry and irritating to your eyes, skin, and aggravate breathing issues.
Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air. The amount of water vapor the air can hold changes with its temperature. Experts recommend the air in our homes hold between 30-40% and never above 60% humidity. Around the 50% humidity mark is when it becomes very easy for mold and mildew to develop. During winter the recommended humidity level in your home is around 20%. Finding the perfect balance of the humidity level in your home can make a big difference.
Should I Install a Dehumidifier in My Garage?
If you have already addressed any issues with your crawlspace or basement that could be the cause of the humidity spikes in your home and are still experiencing problems, then look to your garage next. Unlike your crawlspace, you cannot fully encapsulate your garage since you must use it to enter and exit. Even finished garages have air leaks. Leaving the garage open allows outside air to enter your home, but even leaving it closed still allows air to enter at a slower rate.
If you have a bonus room above your garage, it can also allow air to seep into the second floor of your home. If you install a dehumidifier in your garage, especially during the warmer months, you can better control the humidity levels inside your home. The dehumidifier will also make the air in your garage less humid so any personal items you have stored in the garage are less likely to grow mold and mildew.
Dehumidifiers only run as needed when the humidity in the air reaches a certain level so the energy cost of running a dehumidifier should be minimal. High humidity levels encourage the growth of bacteria and viruses in addition to mold and mildew. When you consider all these factors the decision to install a dehumidifier in the garage seems very obvious!
Aqua-Guard is Here to Help!
Our team at Aqua-Guard is here to help. Whether it is installing a dehumidifier in your garage, waterproofing your basement or crawlspace, encapsulating your crawlspace, or addressing sump pump issues, we are your waterproofing experts! Contact us today for a free estimate!