Why is Monitoring the Humidity in Your Home Important?

Too moist zone

It is important to understand that you can’t measure relative humidity without also measuring the temperature of the air; the two go hand-in-hand. RH is just the ratio of actual moisture or water vapor in the air as compared to total saturation. Depending on the temperature, it can vary too; warmer air needs more moisture to reach its saturation point, while colder air has a much lower saturation threshold. That is why it’s called “relative” humidity – it’s all relative to how much water the air can hold.

Measuring Humidity

Humidity can also be measured with a device called a hygrometer.  There are several different types of hygrometers available, which can vary greatly in price. The better monitors will typically provide additional information, such as temperature and dew point, and deliver warnings when there are conditions that could be problematic. This is especially important in crawl spaces, basements, and attics, where moisture problems can easily go undetected since they aren’t frequently visited.