Your Guide to Relative Humidity
In a previous article, we tackled the question, “How to Dry Out a Crawl Space and Manage Humidity Levels?“
Now, we’re going to take a step back and answer, “What is relative humidity?”
The answer is straightforward, so let’s dive right in.
What Is Relative Humidity?
Relative humidity measures the amount of moisture in the air compared to the maximum amount the air can hold at a given temperature.
It’s expressed as a percentage; for example, if the relative humidity is 50%, the air is holding half of the moisture it can at that temperature. Warmer air can hold more moisture than cooler air, so relative humidity changes with temperature fluctuations. Understanding relative humidity is important because high levels can lead to problems like mold growth, condensation, and wood rot, especially in areas like basements and crawl spaces.
How to Measure Relative Humidity and Protect Your Home
Measuring relative humidity in your home is easy with a hygrometer, a small device that reads the moisture level in the air. Hygrometers are inexpensive and can be placed in areas like basements, crawl spaces, or living rooms to monitor humidity levels.
High humidity can negatively affect your home by promoting mold and mildew growth, damaging walls, ceilings, and floors, and posing health risks.
Excess moisture can also cause wood to warp or rot, damage insulation, and create an environment that attracts pests like termites. Keeping an eye on relative humidity helps you take action before these issues escalate.
Understanding Relative Humidity & Its Impact on Your Home
In this post, we answered the question, “What is relative humidity?” We explained that relative humidity measures the moisture in the air compared to its maximum capacity at a given temperature. High humidity can lead to problems like mold, mildew, wood rot, and pest infestations, so keeping an eye on humidity levels is crucial for maintaining a healthy home.
There’s much more to learn about humidity’s impact on your home. In our next article, we’ll dive into the differences between wood rot and mold.
If you need basement or crawl space waterproofing, Foundation Recovery Systems offers a quick, easy, and completely FREE inspection—just click the button below to get started!
FAQs
The cost varies based on the size and condition of your crawl space, as well as necessary repairs. Foundation Recovery Systems offers free inspections, no-obligation quotes, and financing options to accommodate your budget.
Keeping humidity levels within 40-60% is crucial to prevent mold growth. For expert guidance on maintaining such levels, reach out to Foundation Recovery Systems.
A humidity range of 40 to 50 percent is optimal. Lower levels can cause uncomfortable dry air, while higher levels promote mold growth and other moisture issues. A professionally installed crawl space dehumidifier, combined with waterproofing and encapsulation methods, is essential. Contact Foundation Recovery Systems for a free inspection and estimate.
Related Resources
Award-Winning Service
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
Had a great experience from start to finish on a crawlspace job. Jay King, Jesse Pederson, and Willie Oliphant were on the service crew and …
Had a great experience from start to finish on a crawlspace job. Jay King, Jesse Pederson, and Willie Oliphant were on the service crew and did an awesome job. Was impressed by their expertise, communication, and professionalism.
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
Dwayne,Charles, Jerome, Art They did agreat Job,
Dwayne,Charles, Jerome, Art They did agreat Job,
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
Kevin Estes came out to the house for a crack in the foundation , and did an excellent job in advising me on what steps to take. While…
Kevin Estes came out to the house for a crack in the foundation , and did an excellent job in advising me on what steps to take. While there he also pointed out a few things the home inspector missed while doing his inspection. Kevin did a great job and I would definitely refer him to anyone need assistance.
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
Shae was very helpful and thorough! I'm very thankful.
Shae was very helpful and thorough! I'm very thankful.
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
Tyler Morelan was great to work with. He was attentive, professional, knowledgeable, and committed to not over selling just to earn…
Tyler Morelan was great to work with. He was attentive, professional, knowledgeable, and committed to not over selling just to earn business. Foundation Recovery Systems should be proud of the representation that Tyler provides to their customers.
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
Kevin Macdonald was very pleasant to work with, and extremely patient and helpful.
Kevin Macdonald was very pleasant to work with, and extremely patient and helpful.
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
Stabilized footings. Austin, Tanner, snd Alex performed the job well, professionally, and timely
Stabilized footings. Austin, Tanner, snd Alex performed the job well, professionally, and timely
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
Thank you to the great team at Foundation Recovery Systems. Our front stairs were pulling away from the house due to a sinking sidewalk and …
Thank you to the great team at Foundation Recovery Systems. Our front stairs were pulling away from the house due to a sinking sidewalk and we were finding cracks in our driveway from voids under the surface. Todd came out and walked us through the quote, answered all of our questions. Today we had a great experience with our installers Bryce and Brandon. They were very thorough in walking through the work process and the finished process looks great. The plugs where the poly were inserted look seamless, everything looks great. Polite, punctual, professional, excellent work!
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
Cody came by this morning and did our home inspection for foundation repair and basement waterproofing. He was very professional, thorough, …
Cody came by this morning and did our home inspection for foundation repair and basement waterproofing. He was very professional, thorough, and honest with the inspection. Cody explained why our basement had water coming in and put together a very detailed plan to solve our water and foundation issues. If you are questioning the health of your foundation and/or have water coming in the basement I would highly recommend having foundation recovery systems come inspect your home.
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
Worked with Mike Brown today and I enjoyed how professional and knowledgeable he was about my current concrete issue. No rushing to just…
Worked with Mike Brown today and I enjoyed how professional and knowledgeable he was about my current concrete issue. No rushing to just get me a quote, I feel he genuinely ensured I knew everything with recommendations without any hassle. It makes the decision to work with people who you fill are genuinely in it for the customer and not just trying to make a quick commission or buck for the company!
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
Dalton Campbell was great! Assessment , consultation and installation all DONE within four hours . That’s my kinda business !!!
Dalton Campbell was great! Assessment , consultation and installation all DONE within four hours . That’s my kinda business !!!
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
We hired FRS to correct water seepage issues in our storm room and to add piers under one side of our house. Shawn explained the problems…
We hired FRS to correct water seepage issues in our storm room and to add piers under one side of our house. Shawn explained the problems and solutions very well. Our crew came from Springfield MO, so had a 6 hour commute each day. They completed our project in 3-4 days. The team was led by James and Joseph. All work was excellent right thru cleanup. Excellent job guys!
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
The team, Greg, Cody, Garrett, and Jesse, from Foundation Recovery Systems were exceptional from start to finish!! All the guys were very…
The team, Greg, Cody, Garrett, and Jesse, from Foundation Recovery Systems were exceptional from start to finish!! All the guys were very personable and professional. They were very meticulous in the job process, especially the cleanup. I would highly recommend them. Rhonda
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
Reasonably priced; friendly customer service, cleaned up well when job was over. Highly recommend.
Reasonably priced; friendly customer service, cleaned up well when job was over. Highly recommend.
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
Had another well-known foundation company come out and give me a quote, wasn't happy so I had Foundation Recovery Systems come out. Todd…
Had another well-known foundation company come out and give me a quote, wasn't happy so I had Foundation Recovery Systems come out. Todd did a great job walking me through the process and letting me know what actually needed to be done and not sell me other things like the other company did. The crew did an awesome job leveling the driveway and filling in all the cracks.
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
Mike and Isaiah did a job I didn't it was possible. They were able to lift the front exterior wall back to normal, closed the cracks in the …
Mike and Isaiah did a job I didn't it was possible. They were able to lift the front exterior wall back to normal, closed the cracks in the wall, and gaps under the doorframe and windows. Super professional, knowledgeable, and friendly. Would highly recommend them later for future projects.
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
We had our crawl spaces and basement foundation work completed by Luis, Donavan and Billy. They did excellent work, very professional,…
We had our crawl spaces and basement foundation work completed by Luis, Donavan and Billy. They did excellent work, very professional, answered all questions and cleaned up after they were finished. I would recommend this company and their crew to others.
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
Kevin Estes came to thoroughly inspect our house and came up with a service plan to address a couple areas of concern. I feel so much…
Kevin Estes came to thoroughly inspect our house and came up with a service plan to address a couple areas of concern. I feel so much better knowing we will be preventing future foundation shifts. I learnt a lot and he showed us the existing issues and what caused them, patiently answered all our questions, and he was very professional and courteous. I am so glad we had them come out for a free quote and are moving forward with the recommendations using a payment plan!
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
Nick Mata was the inspector who reviewed our crawlspace. His review was very thorough, and he provided a complete and detailed outline of…
Nick Mata was the inspector who reviewed our crawlspace. His review was very thorough, and he provided a complete and detailed outline of his observations and recommendations. Nick was very professional and definitely spent time with us answering all of our questions and concerns.
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
- 5/
Very professional and thorough annual check up services. Well worth the peace of mind that our basement will have no issues after the…
Very professional and thorough annual check up services. Well worth the peace of mind that our basement will have no issues after the installation of their system.
Leah Leitow
Publish Date:
Last Modified Date:
