According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the ideal range of humidity levels is between 30% to 50%. However, if the humidity rises about 60%, then it is considered high and may lead to mold, mildew, and even invite in pests like cockroaches and dust mites!
Is 60 Percent Humidity Too High for a Basement? Yes, 60% humidity is too high for basements. Generally, a safe humidity level is between 30-50%, but that can vary a bit depending on where you live and the conditions of your environment.
A relative humidity level of 70 percent or higher creates the perfect breeding ground for mold growth. Leaving basement mold unchecked could amount to unhealthy indoor air, causing sickness to your family and aggravated upper respiratory issues. Also, home-destroying mold could also cause costly foundation damage.
Water Vapor
If there are no cold-condensing surfaces and the relative humidity (RH) is maintained below 60 percent indoors, there will not be enough water in those materials for mold to grow. However, if the RH stays above 70 percent indoors for extended periods of time, mold will almost certainly grow.
A dehumidifier makes the external conditions less welcoming to mold; by removing moisture, they reduce the chances of mold growth. An air purifier, however, removes mold spores from the air, making it harder for mold and mildew to create new colonies. HEPA filters are one of the most important tools for removing mold.
Mold stays “dormant” in the air or on surfaces even when there's no excess moisture to help it grow. If the humidity in a room increases, mold will start growing in patches on walls, clothes, and more. So, to answer your question, dehumidifiers do NOT kill mold, but they do prevent it by reducing humidity.
A comfortable basement should maintain a humidity level of 30 to 50 percent — however, those may differ depending on your climate.
Dehumidify your basement
May says high humidity is the leading cause of mold growth in the basement. Mold and mildew flourish when the relative humidity level is above 80%; therefore all basements—finished or unfinished—should be kept at or below 50% relative humidity.
The size of the room, the humidity level, and the extent of the water damage are some of the variables that affect how long a dehumidifier takes to dry out a room. A dehumidifier typically needs between 24 and 72 hours to completely dry out a room.
You will want to install an exhaust fan in your basement bathroom in order to help reduce high levels of humidity in the basement. An exhaust fan will help to remove the moisture from the home and it can improve the ventilation in the basement.
If your entire home is prone to high moisture levels, you may need to invest in a whole-house dehumidifier. These can be installed in the basement and will help dehumidify the upstairs, and the entire house. Whole-house dehumidifiers are more expensive and much larger than their portable counterparts.
If the mold test comes back negative, but you've got odor or allergy problems, skip ahead to the allergen-control section. To kill mold, you need to get the humidity below 50%, and around 35% is optimal.
Keeping your humidity level between 30%-60% helps manage the prevention of mold growth. But active mold requires remediation to end the problem and ensure it will not begin to grow again. Mold can develop on wet or moist organic materials in your home within 24 to 48 hours of the moisture exposure.
Keep the thermostat at 78 degrees or above. A higher thermostat setting and slightly warmer air temperature results in drier indoor air. In the cooling mode, temperatures lower than 78 degrees generate more humid air and cool indoor surfaces, increasing condensation that breeds mold.
If you are running your dehumidifier too often — for example, when the humidity levels are already acceptable — this may have a harmful impact on the environment. The unit may make humidity levels too low, which can result in medical issues such as dry and itchy skin or unproductive coughing.
The EPA recommends keeping humidity levels between 30 and 50%. If, however, you read humidity levels above 60%, you should purchase a basement dehumidifier.
Use Portable Fans, Heaters and Dehumidifiers
These options can make a difference to your bills. According to industry experts, just a one-degree change in the thermostat can result in a two percent savings in costs. On occasion, you may need to use a single-room dehumidifier in the basement to remove humidity.
The basement humidity level should vary between 30% in winter and 50% in summer. 25% is too low and can cause skin conditions and peeling paint. Over 60% is considered too high and can lead to breathing problems, mildew, and fungal growth.
No, your dehumidifier should not have to run constantly to regulate the air humidity. An optimal humidity level to shoot for is between 30 and 50 percent.
A dehumidifier should collect a certain amount of water each day - generally, around 10-20 pints of water per 24-hour period. This should require you to empty most dehumidifiers daily or bi-daily when in operation.
Specifically, air purifiers with HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filters work great at removing mold spores. HEPA filters are considered to be rated MERV 17 or above, which means that the filters can trap more than 99.7% of air particles as small as 0.3-1.0 microns in size.
It also pulls other things in from the air, such as bacteria and mold spores. You might be using the machine to prevent mold inside your home, but you could be growing it inside the dehumidifier since it offers the perfect warm, damp environment for mold spores to grow.
Ventilation fans are the best way to prevent mold build up inside a home. Think about it: what happens when a home has a flood? Typically, a water damage expert will be called in and the first thing they do is bring in ventilation fans to dry out the moisture and wetness inside the home.