Top 10 Ways Humidity Can Impact Your Home Value & Health

High humidity in the summertime isn’t just uncomfortable—it can be problematic for your home, too. Excessive humidity can affect the quality of your living environment in a variety of ways. If left untreated, humidity can affect the value of your home. Fortunately, the signs of excessive humidity are relatively clear.

Between minor visible issues like peeling paint to more problematic issues like widespread mold damage, elevated indoor humidity in your home could leave you facing expensive repairs down the road if not properly addressed.

Between minor visible issues like peeling paint to more problematic issues like widespread mold damage, elevated indoor humidity in your home could leave you facing expensive repairs down the road if not properly addressed.

On the flipside, a home operating without the proper amount of humidity can also be negatively affected. Fortunately for homeowners, low humidity in the home doesn’t cause as many problems as high humidity. While low humidity is more common in homes during the winter, it can also occur during the summer as a result of excessive air conditioning, which removes moisture from the air as it operates.

After you understand how important it is to maintain adequate levels of humidity in the home, you can begin to take preventative measures as soon as possible because once the damage is done, it is very difficult to reverse.

Excessive humidity levels can affect the health of your family or the value of your home in the 10 following ways:

1.You may see the paint peeling from the walls. Although this might appear to be a purely cosmetic problem, the peeling paint indicates an underlying problem.
2. Water damage from humidity is just as devastating to the structure of the property as water damage from a leaky pipe.
3. Exposed plywood or drywall  may show signs of moisture.
4. Mold is one of the most dangerous signs of excessive humidity.
5. Mold or mildew can begin to grow rapidly once your property is damaged by water from excessive showering without proper ventilation.

6. Dry areas will be affected by the lack of humidity. This can cause the wood in the structure of the home to be damaged.
7. Excessively dry climates can also damage paper products that are used inside of the home. The moisture will be drained out of any material that has a porous composition.

8. High levels of moisture can attract pests such as termites, spiders, crickets, and more. When moisture levels become extreme, such as when there’s standing water or water beading on surfaces, rats and musty smells can become an issue. Pests can carry diseases that can impact the health of those living in your home, so it’s important to address the issue immediately.
9. Some types of flooring can be affected by extreme humidity levels. If the floor is made from wood products, the changes in humidity levels can cause the panels to expand and contract. Over time, this can cause cracks, warping and other signs of excessive wear and tear.

10. Walls are also susceptible to structural damage from excessively moist or dry levels of humidity. In addition to the paint that may peel on the surface, the drywall underneath can be affected by the moisture that caused the cosmetic damage to occur. Mold and mildew can grow unseen in the walls, and in turn substantially depreciate the value of the property.

How Jersey Shore Crawlspace Enhancement Can Help

At Jersey Shore Crawlspace Enhancement, we pride ourselves in being able to support homeowners across the Jersey Shore as they protect the value and health of their homes and families. With our crawlspace encapsulation services, basement & crawlspace dehumidifiers, and expert technicians, we are more than prepared to help make your home as comfortable and efficient as possible. Contact us today to learn more or schedule an evaluation!