Florida Homeowners: How to Protect Your Home from Moisture Damage

Florida living has its charms; sunny skies, ocean breezes, and year-round warmth. But behind the palm trees and postcard weather, there’s a persistent challenge that every homeowner eventually faces: humidity. As a coastal state, frequent sea breezes can carry moisture from the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico into Florida's air, and given its unique geological location, flooding, storm surges, and hurricanes can further exacerbate high humidity problems.

Does my house have humidity problems?

You can easily find answers by looking at your house's relative humidity, which can be tracked by a simple, affordable tool called a hygrometer (available for as little as $10). Just place it in rooms that feel damp or have poor airflow to monitor problem areas.

You might ask, what is relative humidity?

Relative humidity (RH) measures how much moisture is in the air compared to what it could hold at a certain temperature.

According to National Library of Medicine, the optimum relative humidity range for indoor environments is between 40% and 60%. Outside this range, harmful factors could emerge. You might not see the problem right away. There’s no dramatic leak or puddle. But over time, that damp air seeps in, warping wood, encouraging mold, and inviting dust mites. And while everything might look fine on the surface, what’s happening underneath your home could be slowly causing damage you won’t notice until it’s too late.

How to Control Humidity in Florida Homes

Managing humidity is possible, even in Florida’s challenging climate. Here’s how:

First, test your home for excess moisture.

To identify high humidity in your home, look for signs like fogging or excess condensation on windows and doors, as well as moisture accumulation on walls or ceilings. If you're unsure about the severity of the issue, use a humidity gauge (hygrometer) to monitor indoor air quality.

So, what to do if there is excess moisture in your home?

There are several things you could do to help alleviate the problem:

• HVAC Tune-Ups: Low refrigerant levels or dirty coils reduce efficiency, leaving air damp. So keep up the regular maintenance of your HVAC systems to optimize dehumidification. Check refrigerant levels, or any ductwork leaks. This helps with the efficiency of your HVAC system, allowing it to pull moisture while cooling.

• Passive Measures: Have moisture-absorbing materials in the small places in your home. For example, you could get desiccant packs to put in your closets/cabinets. These packs absorb excess moisture passively, keeping small spaces drier, preventing enclosed spaces to smell musty.

• Daily Habits: Some daily habits can also help reduce moisture. For example, you could take shorter showers, run bathroom fans for a bit longer and use ceiling fans to improve air circulation, preventing the formation of stagnant, humid pockets where mold thrives.

• Rainwater Diversion: You could also try grading soil away from your house's foundation and using gutters to divert rainwater. Slopes direct rainwater away from the foundation, preventing seepage; and gutters direct water away from your roof and walls, preventing water from seeping through, building up moisture, and damaging your house's structure.

Additionally, you could consider investing in a dehumidifier.

If moisture problems persist, it might be time to invest in a dehumidifier.

For whole-house moisture issues:

If you're experiencing moisture throughout your entire home, noticing dust mites, and mold in more than one room, you might consider investing in a whole-house dehumidifiers, which are suitable for large or multi-story homes. This kind of dehumidifer, like the AlorAir Sentinel WHD 150, can be integrated into your home's HVAC system with 3.7L/kWh (AHAM)high efficiency covering 3,500sq.ft and removing moisture from every room in your house while cooling, keeping your house's humidity level inside the ideal range, eliminating problems caused by high humidity.

For localized moisture issues:

However, if you're noticing mold and peeling wallpaper in just a few spaces in your home, for instance, in basements or storage rooms, a whole-house dehumidifier might not be the best option. Instead, you could look into portable dehumifiers like AlorAir's Sentinel HD35P, that are designed to solve localized moisture problems in your home. This type of compact dehumidifier specifically targets smaller or low spaces covering 1,000 sq.ft. They can be easily moved around and plugged into standard outlets, making it possible for you to solve localized moisture problems more efficiently, avoiding peeling wallpaper and musty-smelling rooms.

In humid climates like Florida, not just any dehumidifier will do. Aside from coverage, here are five other key factors to consider before making a purchase:

Energy Efficiency Rating: Check the Integrated Energy Factor (IEF). Higher ratings mean better efficiency, saving on long-term electricity costs.

PPD Rating (Pints Per Day): This tells you how much moisture the dehumidifier can remove in a day, higher ratings are better for damp or larger spaces.

Drainage Options: Look for built-in pumps or gravity drainage to avoid daily emptying.

Smart Features: Features like adjustable humidity settings, auto shut-off, and digital controls help optimize performance and reduce energy consumption.

Size & Placement: Choose a model that fits your space, especially if it's for tight areas like crawl spaces or closets.

Get Ahead of the Problem

Moisture management isn’t just for flood recovery, it is for everyday homeowners who want to protect their investment, improve their indoor air quality, and enjoy a more comfortable living space. If you live in Florida, you already know how intense the humidity can be. But now you also know how to fight back, starting with awareness, a few simple tools, and the right moisture control strategy.

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