Do we grow house plants at Rapid Restoration Recovery Inc? You bet we do! We love our houseplants and know how important they are when it comes to controlling humidity in house.
When it comes to knowing how to lower humidity in the house with house plants, there are some plants that are better than others.
How House Plants Affect Our Homes
Not only can plants help to control humidity in house. If you live close to an area with heavy traffic, plants can help you to control pollution as well. We are going to talk more about that on another page.
Do you need to have a lot of houseplants to regulate humidity levels in your home? No, you don’t but you do need to have the right ones.
How To Lower Humidity in the House with House Plants?
What are the best plants for controlling humidity in the home? Are they difficult to grow?
House plants we recommend are not expensive and not difficult to grow. You can find in most garden centres or other places selling plants.
List of house plants that help to control humidity in the house:
- Pothos
- Spider Plant
- Peace Lily
- English Ivy
- Peperomia
If you don’t have a lot of time on your hands, don’t worry. All of the plants are no-fuss and don’t need much looking after. As a rule, houseplants with light green leaves help to regulate humidity better than plants with dark green leaves.
Mold and Mildew
When the humidity in house is not right, excessive mold is more of a risk. Do house plants remove mold? No, they don’t remove mold but they decrease the risk of mold spores mulitplying by absorbing the excess moisture.
You can use humidity meters to check the humidity level in a home. When we visit a home with a mold problem, the first thing we do is to check if humidity is high. In homes with house plants, the moisture or humidity level is better balanced than in homes without house plants.
House plants definitely help to control humidity in house.
Other Ways How to Lower Humidity in the House
Of course, house plants are not the only way to control humidity. If you are concerned about moisture, there are other ways to keep on top of humidity and dampness.
If you already have mold in your home, the first thing you need to do is to remove mold and mildew. Both spread fast which increases your dampness problem.
Leaking Pipes
Another easy fix how to lower humidity in the house is to check for leaking pipes. A pipe does not have to leak a lot for mold to start to grow. We often talk about micro leaks.
Micro leaks are small leaks which add to the moisture content in a building. Over time, the dampness or water enters a wall. Before you know it, you end up with a wall covered in mildew and need help with mold remediation. That is a much bigger job than fixing a leaking pipe.
Check Your Windows and Doors
When was the last time you checked the seals on your doors and windows? With all of these storms we keep having in Florida, it is not unusual for outside doors and windows to become damaged. Even the smallest entry point can let water. Checking that your windows and doors fit well is a quick fix how to lower humidity in the house.
What About the Roof?
Shingles and roof tiles are easily damaged in storms. If you notice dampness on the ceiling, you should check your roof.
This is not easy to do. Instead of trying to do it yourself, ask a professional roofing contractor to inspect your roof for you. Making sure your roof is safe and secure is another way how to lower humidity in the house.
Good quality insulation materials also help to keep dampness in check.
Do I Need to Check My Gutters?
Your gutters are another entry point for water. They are not meant to let water leak into the home. But, if they become blocked with leaves and other debris, it is not unusual for water to find its way into the home.
Making sure your gutters are clean is an easy way how to lower humidity in the house.
Areas Where Moisture is Found
Condensation builds up in HVAC systems. Unfortunately, dampness in air vents lingers. The moisture sticks to dust, pollen, and grime found in air vents. When you are serious about how to lower humidity in the house, air vent cleaning is a great option.
When you remove moisture and dirt from air vents and clean the ducts, you will notice your home feels more balanced. Not only is the humidity level better controlled but your home smells better as well.
Removing excess moisture is a fantastic way of keeping your home fresh and clean.
How Many House Plants Do You Need to Control Humidity?
When it comes to the number of houseplants you need, there are no hard and fast rules. More house plants do not necessarily mean the process is working well.
What matters more than anything is the health of your house plants. When your house plants are healthy, they are doing a good job of removing excessive moisture. You do need to feed them, put them in new pots, and propagate them.
If you end up with too many, you can share them with your friends and family. That way, they can find out how to lower humidity in the house with house plants.
Try to have a variety of plants and different sizes. Pothos grow fast and absorb a lot of moisture. It is also one of the best plants when it comes to mold prevention.
Conclusion
There is no real mystery as to how to lower humidity in the house. Just a few tricks like we like to say here at Rapid Restoration Recovery Inc.
Please feel free to carry on reading our blog for more handy home care tips and advice on how to look after your home.