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A New Year. Too much humidity, or too little, can produce a host of difficulties for homeowners and tenants. Learn how to diagnose and correct humidity problems. Learn about hygrometers, relative humidity, how to determine if your home's humidity levels are too high or low, and possible solutions.

How to Measure Humidity in Your Home

Straight Facts About Humidity

Humidity is the amount of moisture or water vapour in the air. You, your family, and your pets produce moisture when you breathe or perspire. Even your indoor plants produce moisture. We add water vapour to indoor air through routine household activities: cooking, showering, bathing, doing laundry, and dishwashing. More moisture can enter your home from the surrounding soil through a basement or crawl space.

When is Humidity a Problem?

We need humidity for our comfort and health. But too much or too little humidity can produce a host of difficulties for householders. Some of the problems are no more than nuisances; others could be far more serious. Many are familiar to Canadians. They often occur during the heating season when our windows are closed, and indoor air circulation and ventilation are reduced.

Typical symptoms of too little humidity

• Condensation on windows 
• Wet stains on walls and ceilings 
• Moldy bathroom 
• Musty smells 
• Allergic reactions 
• Chapped skin and lips 
• Scratchy nose and throat 
• Breathing problems 
• Static and sparks 
• Problems with electronic equipment 

How to Diagnose a Humidity Problem

Instead of guessing whether or not you have a humidity problem inside your house, why not find out for sure?

A small, inexpensive and easy-to-use instrument called a hygrometer (sometimes referred to as a humidity sensor or relative humidity indicator) can measure the humidity level in your house and confirm whether the house has too much or too little humidity. Once you know for sure, you can decide whether any action is required and, if so, what action.

To learn about Relative Humidity and to see how to diagrams and tables, take a look at Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s site.