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Causes of dampness in the apartment and ways to get rid of it. Methods of dealing with high humidity in the apartment (house)

Excessive humidity can cause many diseases, such as allergies, asthma and rhinitis. Also, excess moisture is destructive to your apartment, it can cause mold and mildew to grow on walls, especially in corners where air movement is reduced.

How to reduce humidity in the apartment and create a comfortable and favorable climate?

1. You can reduce the humidity in the apartment with the help of systematic ventilation and heating. If you live in a private house, heat it as often as possible without closing the chimneys and doors until the fuel burns through well. The apartment can be heated with radiators and heaters; so you have to pay a good amount for electricity, but in this way you can avoid the appearance of fungus on the walls and various diseases.

2. High humidity is not very normal in an apartment. It can appear in the presence of an aquarium, if water is constantly boiling in the kitchen and there are a large number of flowers that also evaporate moisture. But most likely, high humidity is the result of a malfunction or violation of the hood. This is especially possible if the house is old enough. Therefore, it is worth contacting the house management so that the specialists eliminate this problem. If the house is relatively new, it is possible that one of the neighbors made a redevelopment and violated the design of the fume hood by crashing a refrigerator or other object into it.

3. Today in specialized stores you can buy climate equipment that absorbs excess humidity in the apartment. These are the so-called air dryers, the principle of which is based on the fact that when air comes into contact with cold surface moisture begins to condense and flows into the pan, where it is further heated and fed into the room. Can install window air conditioner with a split system, but this has one drawback - increased noise.

There are four main reasons why you need to get rid of the humidity in the apartment as soon as possible:

Causes of dampness

Poor ventilation, nearby sources of moisture, savings on heating and improper insulation are the main causes of dampness in a private or multi-apartment building.

Poor ventilation is the most common cause of high humidity. IN apartment buildings, especially in the old fund, the laid ventilation shafts and grates are clogged, overgrown with debris. As a result, air movement stops. make the situation worse plastic windows, especially cheap samples, low-quality materials for covering ceilings and walls. In private houses, especially self-built ones, the owners sometimes try to save money through ventilation, believing that there are enough windows and doors. This is wrong!

If the ventilation system cannot cope, it is not necessary to make a draft, especially in winter - this is fraught with hypothermia. More expensive but most practical solution will be forced exhaust ventilation, as well as amplifiers of an existing system, such as exhaust fans.

Another solution to the problem is the installation of a heat exchanger or the use of a special air dryer. The latter device is indispensable if the cause of dampness is excess moisture (for example, in a bathroom, pool, with an abundance of home flowers).

source of moisture

Sources of moisture in the apartment:

• atmospheric precipitation: rain, melting snow, condensate can enter the apartment through a leaky roof, through the pores of the walls and unsealed seams (especially if the wind, the wrong roof overhang or a defective drain constantly direct rainfall to the wall);
• stagnant water in the apartment: leaking plumbing equipment, swimming pools, baths, aquariums, including those located on the floor below, the same effect is given by a taken bath or a long shower;
• greenhouse effect from poor ventilation of windows (condensate accumulates on the glass), an abundance of indoor plants, especially if they need abundant watering;
• humidity also increases the respiration of people, animals, plants - usually this factor is not noticeable, however, in cramped and / or poorly ventilated rooms it will be noticeable.

Shambo or septic tanks can be located near a private house, which impregnate the grant with moisture. And as a result, the basement becomes very damp, mold develops in it. Another source of moisture in the basement and on the 1st floor is a split blind area (a waterproof coating located around the perimeter of the house). Moisture from the soil and precipitation will seep into the house or basement.

An unheated room is a haven for dampness. Ideally, the walls of an apartment or house should warm up to at least half the thickness, then the place where condensate forms will go outside (on the street). In frozen walls, the place where condensation forms is shifted to warm area, and often generally located on the surface of the walls on the residential side. The problem is exacerbated by poor ventilation.

Housing, where people do not live or which is not heated enough, begins to damp very quickly: wall decoration is destroyed on average in two seasons. In addition, in addition to natural wear and tear, the structure loses an additional 5% of strength every year precisely due to dampness.

Advice! Vacation home, cottage - not a single seasonal housing can be left without heating. Hire a person or arrange with a neighbor who will periodically monitor this. If you are visiting for a couple of weeks, do not close the valves of the batteries.

Incorrect insulation also causes dampness. The main faults are an insufficient layer to provide warmth, and poor, zero vapor permeability materials.

To properly insulate an apartment, you can use one of two options:

1. The thickness of the polystyrene insulation layer is within 10-15 cm (and this is true for any region of the Russian Federation).
2. As a heater, use a vapor-permeable material, for example, ecowool, mineral wool. This will ensure that moisture is removed from the walls.

How to remove high humidity

To deal with humidity, it is likely that a tangible cost of either money or time and patience will be required.

The most reliable ways to combat dampness are expensive. However, after the restructuring, you do not have to think about drafts or sachets. Methods are expensive, but pay off with interest:

1. Replacement of the ventilation system, installation of fans, extracts.
2. Major overhaul, which completely removes old plaster in damp areas. After that, the room is dried, and the walls are covered with a fresh layer of plaster.
3. Replacement and repair heating systems and water pipes. The task becomes more difficult if these systems are hidden.
4. Solving problems with the waterproofing properties of the foundation, walls and roof, which is the most time-consuming and expensive procedure. It is unlikely that you will be able to cope on your own, without the involvement of specialists.

Available and simple ways reduce indoor humidity:

1. When the weather is dry and warm outside, you should ventilate the room more often by opening the windows.
2. The bathroom needs especially frequent ventilation, the hood in this room needs regular cleaning.
3. Do not dry clothes in the room, as this increases the humidity of the air significantly. This is permissible only in winter, when the air is overdried by the heating system, it needs to be moistened. In summer, it is better to dry clothes on the balcony or outside.
4. In the process of cooking, pots of boiling water must be covered with lids. It is also recommended to close the doors to the kitchen, this will serve as an obstacle to the spread of steam through the rooms in the apartment. Open windows for slot ventilation in winter or full ventilation in summer, do not forget to turn on the hood. Try not to let the pots steam too much (turn down the heat).
5. Slightly reduce the humidity in the room will help reduce the number of indoor plants.
6. A special dehumidifier (compressor or adsorption) will eliminate high humidity in a separate room.

Advice! Regularly ventilate the room, regardless of the season, will allow the installation of plastic windows, which are equipped with the "micro-ventilation" function.

Increased humidity is removed if you constantly maintain the same heating in the room.

How to remove damp smell

Often, high humidity is accompanied by a characteristic smell of dampness. Its cause is a fungus, therefore, in order to eliminate the problem, the infection should be destroyed. Thoroughly wash off mold stains, if it is deeply ingrained, replace the coating (up to the plaster layer), if possible. Then treat with a disinfectant, and then with a protective one. Products should be labeled "anti-fungal" or "fungicide".

In order for the mold not to divorce again, in addition to treatment with protective preparations, it will be required in warm, dry weather:

• arrange a draft in the apartment, which will ensure good ventilation;
• hang carpets, bed sheets, curtains, clothes outside for drying and disinfection in the sun.

Advice! In winter, heaters, household air dryers, air conditioners, which are equipped with a heating function, will allow you to dry the room.

Folk remedies for dampness in the apartment

Folk recipes also help to dry the air in the apartment:

1. With the onset of summer, in warm weather, walls that are not covered with wallpaper and covered with mold are recommended to be treated with the following composition: dissolve half a kilogram in five liters of water laundry soap then boil the mixture. Cooled down soapy water evenly cover the wall with a brush and let dry. Repeat the treatment several times. Traces of soap suds should form on the wall. After that, apply another composition consisting of 100 grams of alum diluted in six liters of water.
2. Calcium chloride perfectly absorbs moisture. Place containers with this substance in damp places. The advantage of calcium chloride is its reusability. It is enough to dry it (for example, in the oven). Before use, calcium chloride must be crushed.
3. To eliminate mold and prevent the spread of dampness, treatment with a mixture of salicylic acid and alcohol will help. Dry the walls thoroughly. Then combine one part salicylic acid and two hundred (200) parts alcohol. Dilute the mixture with a little clean water. Lubricate the black spots of mold with the resulting product.

Advice! Replace calcium chloride charcoal or quicklime.

1. Use a hydrometer. In the warm season, the optimum humidity will be from 30 to 60%, the maximum - 65. At the end of autumn, in winter, in early spring humidity should vary between 30-45% and not exceed 60.
2. Provide access to the sun's rays.
3. Ventilate the apartment, you need to do this systematically and efficiently.
4. Repair cracks in walls and floors.
5. Ensure good waterproofing.
6. Use fans in the kitchen and bathroom, including exhaust fans. Periodically check the draft in the ventilation system. Check Status plumbing equipment, and Special attention allocate pipe connections.
7. Systematically inspect the seal on plastic windows, replace it with a new one in a timely manner.
8. When making major repairs, use mineral-based building materials. This will make it possible to effectively adjust the humidity in an apartment or private house.

Eliminate dampness in the apartment can be simple and accessible ways. Wall processing special formulations kill mold and prevent it reappearance. Systematic prevention will protect against increased humidity and the formation of fungus.

In a residential area, the optimum humidity is 60%. A decrease in air humidity is allowed in the summer months up to 45%. According to experts, it is easy to measure the level of humidity in the house using a special device - a hygrometer.

Excessive humidity in the room must be dealt with, since it provokes not only the appearance of condensation on window panes, but also creates a beneficial environment for the reproduction of fungal spores, mold, pathogenic microbes.

The development of indoor mold fungi has a detrimental effect on the human body, their spores can cause allergic reactions, headaches, shortness of breath, cough, skin inflammation, itching. Some types of fungi have carcinogenic properties and increase the risk of developing cancer.

If you are interested in the Canadian house price, then take care of normalizing the humidity in your home. From excess moisture, furniture, wall and ceiling coatings become unusable, and the shelf life of food products is significantly reduced.

How to reduce the humidity in the house

1. Steam builds up after cooking, showering, bathing, or hand washing, so it's important to ventilate these areas immediately to avoid excess moisture. Installing an extractor hood is a must if moisture comes from the shower or gas stove with regular evaporation.

2. Drying clothes in the house is highly undesirable. Better do it on outdoors or in a free room with closed door and an open window.

3. To bring the humidity in the house back to normal, on sunny days, do not curtain the windows in damp rooms, let the sun's rays dry them out.

4. In dry hot summers and in frosty winter weather, the air outside is dry. To reduce the humidity in the room, simple ventilation will help.

5. There is a special device - a moisture absorber, which contains an absorbent substance that absorbs excess moisture from the air, like a sponge.

6. Plastic windows - common cause high humidity in the room. hermetically sealed closed windows- air exchange barrier inner space buildings and street. To avoid this, when choosing PVC profile windows, it is better to purchase frames with a built-in ventilation system.

7. Excess moisture in the room is removed by household heaters, hair dryers and candles, houseplants. Ventilation in good condition is also a good helper in solving the problem of high humidity.

8. Air conditioning is an effective way to reduce indoor air humidity. In addition to cooling or heating them additional features are air purification and dehumidification.

9. Faulty plumbing increases the overall humidity of the air, so replace obsolete parts or repair areas where leaks are observed.

10. Decrease in humidity is facilitated by wall decoration with natural building materials - wood and drywall. Drywall has the ability to absorb excess moisture and accumulate it in itself, and if necessary, evaporate. Thus this construction material is an excellent regulator of the microclimate in the house.

For a comfortable stay in the house, it is very important to create the right microclimate. To do this, you must adhere to the above rules and recommendations and choose high-quality equipment to create the necessary atmosphere for living.

Prepared by Maryana Chornovil

Cellar owners often complain about the humidity in it. Usually this problem is associated with violations made during construction. How to reduce humidity in the cellar is a question that worries many Russians who store their vegetables in cellars and basements.

In basements and cellars, excessive moisture often appears. If time does not begin to take measures to eliminate it, then a fungus will appear, and then mold.

For obvious reasons, moisture and dampness are unacceptable in cellars and cellars. In a room with moist air, mold and fungus appear. It is impossible to store vegetables in such a basement, and if wet room located in the basement, this may adversely affect the integrity of the entire structure.

One of the causes of humidity and dampness is moisture that enters the room through the walls and then accumulates on the floor. In the process of its evaporation, the humidity of the air increases many times over.

If the cellar or basement is located in a private house, the cause of dampness may be insufficient insulation of the building. At low temperatures water through the joints in the walls of the house penetrates into the basement.

Groundwater may also be the cause. This is possible with poor waterproofing of the floor.

Moisture removal methods

You can reduce the humidity in the basement different ways. But first, check the condition of the basement waterproofing. If it does not cope with the task, then it must be redone. This is often not the cheapest option.

The most inexpensive way in which the moisture in the cellar can be removed is as follows:

• purchase polyethylene film, you can use the old one, the main thing is that it be whole. You will also need a shovel, trowel and clay. If the floor of your cellar is clay, then use it;
• remove a 5 cm layer of clay floor, level and tamp the resulting surface. On top of it, carefully lay two layers of polyethylene. Pour a clay layer on it and carefully tamp it down as well. This must be done carefully so that the film layer does not move. The clay will begin to dry out and the air in the cellar will become drier. Instead of a clay floor, you can make it out of concrete.

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Additional Causes of Humidity

1. Often moisture in the cellars appears during the snowmelt season and after precipitation. At the bottom of the cellar, pour a layer of sand, and on top of 10 cm of fine gravel. The dampness should be gone. If this does not happen within a year, then make the gravel layer thicker by another 10 cm. ground water will sink to a lower level, and from there it will no longer be able to rise to the level of the basement or cellar floor.
2. The humidity in the basement is significantly affected by the condensate that appears on the walls. You can fight it with the help of a special waterproofing plaster. Plaster the walls of the basement with it - and they will begin to breathe. Condensation will disappear along with dampness. Ready-made waterproofing mixture is sold in stores. You can cook it yourself. Add a waterproofing additive to dry plaster.
3. Remove fungus and mold from the walls with a special solution and apply plaster to the wall.
4. Moisture in the cellars appears where thin and cold floors are made in them. Make a double floor, in the middle of which lay a layer of roofing material. The humidity in the air will decrease.
5. You can fight moisture in the basement with the help of potassium chloride, which quickly absorbs excess moisture. Pour the powder of this substance into jars and place it in the corners of the cellar. This method works well if you have a small cellar.

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What to do if nothing helps

If all these simple methods cannot reduce the humidity in the cellar, then additional waterproofing must be created.

1. Start by waterproofing the floor. Cover it with several layers of bitumen. Heat it up with a building hair dryer and lay two layers of roofing material on top. Instead, you can lay waterproofing, it is not exposed to rot and is resistant to mold.
2. At the second stage of waterproofing, build additional walls in half a brick. Between them you mount waterproofing layer. On top of the cellar do concrete screed at 10 cm.

Has moisture started to appear on the floor and walls in the basement? What should be done to make it dry and suitable for storing vegetables?

1. The first thing you need to do is to regularly ventilate the basement by opening it every day. Check ventilation.
2. If moisture appears on the walls and floor in the basement in the spring, they must be repaired. On the floor, make a screed of waterproof cement. Carefully inspect the walls, if they have cracks, repair them, and then plaster the walls.
3. If possible, dig out the basement walls from the outside. Repair any cracks you find. cement mortar. Cover the walls with a layer of bitumen or roofing felt, this will enhance the waterproofing of the basement. You can make a clay castle around its perimeter. In the trench around the basement, lay the clay in layers of 20 cm, carefully tamping. Such a lock will completely block the flow of groundwater and rainwater to the basement walls.
4. You can additionally along the outer perimeter of the basement, in a trench dug to the depth of the foundation, lay drainage pipes through which water will be discharged into drain hole or septic.

Is groundwater flooding the basement floor? Dig a hole below the basement floor level. Make a gravel pillow in it, place a container on it with holes drilled in the side walls.

The container must be wrapped with a cloth that passes water well, it will prevent the holes in the container from silting up. Place a float pump in it. Water fills the tank, the float rises and turns on the pump. The water is pumped out, the float drops and the pump turns off. Such a device will allow you to effectively deal with water and humidity in the basement.

One of the important evaluation indicators environment, in addition to air temperature, is its humidity. It is known that it can have the most direct impact on the state and even health of a person. What is the normal value? And what if the humidity is high?

Normal performance

So what is the humidity level? In the course of research, it was found that values ​​​​in the range from 40 to 60-65% are considered optimal. It is with such indicators that a person feels normal, and his body functions fully and smoothly.

How to determine humidity?

How to determine the humidity of the air? The most effective and reliable way is to use a special device called a hygrometer. But if you don’t have it at hand, then you can use other more accessible and simpler, but less accurate methods. Here are some of them:

• You will need a glass of water. Put it in the refrigerator for several hours so that the water temperature drops to 3-5 degrees Celsius. Next, take it out and place it in the room where you want to measure the air humidity. Then just watch the glass for five minutes. If during this period the glass walls fog up, but dry fairly quickly, then the humidity is most likely low. If after five minutes the glass remains slightly misted, then the indicator is within the normal range. If trickles of water flow down the walls, then the humidity is probably increased.
• You can use a spruce cone to assess the humidity. It must be placed on any surface, but certainly remote from all heating and heating appliances. After an hour, carefully examine it. If the scales open, then the air is most likely dry. If, on the contrary, they approached each other, then this indicates an increase in the indicator.
• Estimate the drying speed of the laundry after washing it. So, if it dries for a very long time, then it is obvious that the humidity in the room is greatly increased.

Why is the humidity rising?

The main reasons for the increase in humidity:

• Insufficient ventilation. If the windows are constantly closed, then the moisture simply has nowhere to evaporate, so it will remain in the room.
• Wrong work ventilation system. Take a close look at everything ventilation outlets. If the grates are heavily soiled or covered with something, this will lead to a violation of air circulation, as well as an increase in humidity.
• Bad neighbors upstairs. If they often or constantly flood your apartment, then the humidity in it will certainly be increased.
• Cracks in walls or ceilings, or leaking seams. Through them, moisture can penetrate into the dwelling from the outside, that is, from the street during rain or after it when condensation forms.
• If you live on the first floor, and the basement in your house is flooded, then this may be the reason for the increase in the indicator.
• Poor quality or wrong installed windows. If wooden windows allow air to pass through even in the closed position, plastic ones prevent normal circulation. And that is why they must be equipped with a micro-ventilation system that allows access to oxygen. If your windows do not have this function, then this can lead to an increase in humidity.
• Plumbing failure. Undetected leaks can also cause an increase in the parameter in question.
• Abundant watering of indoor flowers. If there is too much water in the pot, and the plant simply does not have time to absorb it, then it will certainly evaporate.
• Frequent drying of large quantities of laundry.

Is high humidity dangerous?

Is high humidity dangerous? There is no threat to life, but still harm to health is quite possible. So, with high humidity, mold begins to appear. The thing is that fungi are very fond of moisture, heat and lack of fresh air. Many people think that mold plaque is just an external defect.

But in reality it's not like that. Microscopic spores are easily spread through the air and enter the human skin, as well as into the body through the respiratory system or mucous membranes. In addition, they can not only become more active and multiply, but also release dangerous toxins.

Fungal lesions often cause severe allergic reactions (up to bronchial asthma), as well as a variety of skin diseases. Among other things, with a decrease in immunity, diseases of the internal organs can develop.

How to reduce?

So, how to remove strong humidity in the apartment? There are several ways:

1. The easiest way is to use an air conditioner or split system. Such a device will provide an influx of air from the outside and reduce humidity. So just turn on the air conditioner every day for at least an hour to gradually normalize the performance.
2. There are special devices - the so-called air dryers. The air is forced through the evaporator, where condensate forms due to the temperature difference. The water flows into the container. Such a device can absorb about 10-200 liters per day.
3. Use a moisture absorber. It is also a special device, but its principle of operation differs from the essence of the dehumidifier. A special tablet is placed in the body of such a device, which absorbs water from the air. Such a device is much cheaper than a dehumidifier. But its performance is less, so it is hardly suitable for large rooms. In addition, the tablets will have to be changed frequently.
4. It is known that the humidity of the air decreases markedly during the period heating season. So if you notice its increase, then you can turn on the heater.
5. Try to use folk remedies. Many powdered compositions, such as starch, flour, sugar, crushed chalk, talc, semolina, and so on, have good adsorbing, that is, absorbent properties. You can pour one of these products into bowls and arrange them around the perimeter of the room. But it is difficult to call this method effective.

Most effective method control is the elimination of the main cause of the increase in humidity.

Prevention

What can I do to keep the humidity from rising? Basic preventive measures:

• Closely monitor the operation of the ventilation system.
• Constantly evaluate the performance of the pipeline.
• Every day (and preferably several times a day) ventilate the apartment or house.
• If you are drying clothes in the room, then open the windows. Besides, in washing machine you can select the spin function to remove most of the moisture from the material. And if you have a balcony, then it is best to dry washed things on it.
• Houseplants should be watered properly. Avoid standing water.
• If plastic windows are installed in your apartment or house, then place their shutters in the micro-ventilation position.
• At the stage of building a house or overhaul eliminate all cracks in the ceiling, floor and walls.

Let the humidity in your home always be normal!