Your laundry room is one of the most essential spaces in your house, although it may be the most uncomfortable. The humidity is often strongest in this area, and there are many reasons why this happens. So, if you're wondering why your laundry room is humid, we have the answers for you!
Your laundry room is humid because the water sticking to your damp clothes mixes with the hot air from the dryer. This creates a "sticky" feeling on your skin, especially if you live in a typically humid location.
It's normal to feel warmer in the laundry room because of the dryer, but the humidity should be controlled.
Here are other reasons why the humidity in your room may be too much:
- Broken or overworked dryer
- Faulty dryer vents
- Dirty dryer vents
- The laundry room is not ventilated
A humid laundry room will make anyone feel uncomfortable or unmotivated to do this essential chore. Keep reading below to learn more about fixing an overly-humid laundry room to make the area feel as fresh as possible. Let's dive right in!
Why Is My Laundry Room Humid?
Humidity comes from too much moisture in the air. The air becomes heavier when the warm air in the laundry room gets mixed with dampness in clothes or mopped surfaces.
This can be difficult to remove if your laundry room has no windows where the humid air can flow out or if you don't have any system to reduce the humidity.
Other factors contribute to the laundry room's humidity, and it's essential to pinpoint the issue first so you'll know what to do to address it.
Here are possible reasons why your laundry room may be too humid.
You Live In A Humid Location
If your location is the issue, you'll have to install a better system to dehumidify your laundry room. A humid location will naturally make your laundry room warmer, especially with damp clothes.
Although it's good to open the windows, you'll only exchange the humidity inside with the humidity outside. The laundry room will keep feeling humid because there is nothing to pull out the moisture in the area.
Different seasons will easily affect how humid your laundry room gets, so prepare better to avoid an uncomfortable indoor climate.
Broken Or Overworked Dryer
An overworked dryer can contribute to your laundry room's humidity. If the dryer releases too much heat, it will mix with the dampness and make the room feel "stickier."
A functioning dryer should not make the laundry room too uncomfortable, so it may be time to replace it if you notice that it may be broken.
It will also be unable to dry your clothes effectively, increasing the dampness in the air.
Here are signs that your dryer may be broken:
- The heat feels either too much or not enough
- The dryer doesn't power on command
- Intermittent and strange noises
- Overheats and stops mid-cycle
When you notice these issues, it's best to either replace the dryer or have it repaired.
Faulty Dryer Vents
The dryer vent is one of the biggest contributors to your laundry room's indoor climate. If the dryer vent is broken, it will not be able to release the excess moisture outside.
It can also trap the steam and release it inside rather than outside, making your laundry room more humid and the clothes still damp.
One of the early signs that your dryer vents are broken is when it takes too much time for it to dry the clothes. Make sure to check your appliance immediately if you notice this happening, both to reduce your room's humidity and make it functional again.
Dirty Dryer Vents
If your dryer vents are clogged, they won't be able to puff out the warm air out. Not only is this inconvenient, but it can also be dangerous because clogged dryer vents can cause a fire.
Most of the time, clothes fiber, lint, and dust clog the dryer vents--all potential fire kindling.
This is one of the things you need to check first if you notice your dryer vent malfunctioning to ensure you don't have a fire hazard.
The Laundry Room is Not Ventilated
This one's a no-brainer: if your laundry room doesn't have anything in place to reduce the humidity, the air will keep being moisture-heavy.
There are many ways you can get around it, but you should first understand your location's climate so you will implement the best solution.
Ventilating the laundry room will make it feel more comfortable, and you wouldn't have to dread doing your chore too much!
How To Make Laundry Rooms Less Humid
Once you've identified the problem, it's time to try the best solution to improve your indoor climate. You must also observe your humidity levels first because not everything will work for your situation.
For example, having a small dehumidifier can only do so much if you live in an overly-humid location. You may need to implement one or more solutions to make your laundry room less humid.
Make sure to account for the amount of space to dehumidify so you won't have uncomfortable spots in your laundry room.
Here are ways you can dehumidify your laundry room:
Place A Dehumidifier In The Room
A dehumidifier is a practical appliance, but only if you choose the right one. For instance, you will need to select the right size and pint capacity so it can effectively remove heavy moisture within 24 hours.
If your laundry room is roughly 400 square feet, ensure you get a 35-30 pint dehumidifier. 20-pint dehumidifiers can suffice for a room that's only 300 square feet.
You can use natural dehumidifiers if you don't want to buy an expensive dehumidifier.
Here are some examples:
- Rock salt
- Charcoal briquettes
- Baking soda
- Non-dairy coffee creamer
- Calcium Chloride is tied inside a sock and hung in a humid area.
These homemade dehumidifiers absorb moisture in the air. However, if the humidity is too high, you may still need a real dehumidifier.
Turn On The AC
If you have an AC in your laundry room, power it up to reduce the humidity. The AC can pull out excess moisture in the air and gets it outside, making the laundry room feel dry and clean.
If you look outside, you can notice the water dripping--this is the moisture that had been pulled out.
However, running the AC for a long time can be costly, so you should still try looking for more energy-saving alternatives unless this is your only choice.
Fix The Dryer Vent
The dryer vent is responsible for drying your clothes and drum and sending out the excess moisture outside. If the dryer vent is broken, your humidity will shoot up.
Make sure to hire a professional if you intend to have the dryer vent repaired so you can avoid the hassle in the future.
If your dryer vent is past fixing, it's time to purchase a new one.
Improve Your Ventilation
One of the easiest ways to improve ventilation is to install an exhaust fan in the laundry room.
However, just like the dehumidifier, you have to consider the room size to get the right-sized exhaust fan to ventilate the area.
Exhaust fans effectively pull out the humidity in the air and cool down the room, improving your indoor climate.
Install the exhaust fan properly so it can effectively do its job. If it's not installed correctly, the problem can get worse and make your laundry room more uncomfortable than before.
Why Should You Dehumidify Your Laundry Room?
The laundry area is one of the most critical parts of your house since it also deals with your hygiene.
If you let your laundry room become too humid, you can have bacteria and mold build up on random corners of your room, which can affect how your clothes will smell later.
Final Thoughts
Although we may feel that humid laundry is "normal," we should still try to reduce it if it becomes too much. It's essential to keep all parts of our homes clean, even the ones we don't frequent daily.
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