Help! High humidity!

Hello,

I recently measured the humidity in our basement with a hygrometer.

Result: over 73%!

I read that the ideal humidity in rooms is between 40% and 60%.

Can mold develop at over 70%, or does anyone have experience with this?

That depends on the surface temperature of the walls...

But it's already a bit too much. Where does it come from?

Is it a new building? How often is the basement ventilated?

Hello Flixomi,

I googled a bit for you. There are many ways to reduce humidity, that much is certain. There are so-called dehumidifiers that you set up and that extract moisture from the air. However, this only regulates the moisture itself, not what is related to it.

We had this problem since we moved. Previously we lived in an apartment with a ventilation system or automatic air exchange. That was great, and the air was usually too dry rather than too humid. Now – living normally again – we have the "little problems" everyone has. The air is sometimes too humid, sometimes it’s totally stuffy or musty if you don’t ventilate at night, etc.

We got an air purifier, but a combo unit that can also regulate humidity. This is useful because we often had too much humidity and I didn’t know if it could also be dangerous regarding mold and the like. This purifier filters all that out, meaning spores, viruses, bacteria, and so on.

Mold can even form at 60-65% humidity, as has already been mentioned, it always depends on the circumstances, such as temperature, what the walls are made of, or how well it is ventilated. One option, as already mentioned, is a ventilation system, but that does not address the cause, which should be found and eliminated.

What is the status now by now? The post is already a bit old..