A comfortable home in Dallas-Fort Worth is certainly governed by temperature. But humidity plays a large role in comfort, too, particularly during the summer and early fall.

Humidity is increased or decreased by several mechanisms:

1. Air pressure differences cause air to move from high to low pressure. Moving air can either bring water vapor into your home OR take water vapor out of your home.

2. Many personal activities such as cooking, washing dishes, bathing, and doing laundry add to your home's humidity. Even the human body, lounging around just watching the tube, increases the humidity in a home.

3. Air comes into your house with a certain amount of humidity. This means drafts can affect the amount of humidity present. This also means humidity problems are fairly common in older or less energy-efficient homes. 

However, the reverse is true with a more energy-efficient home and a tighter envelope. 

The lack of air exchange coupled with humans and their activities can cause high indoor humidity.   

Humidity Directory
Best if read in order

Relative Humidity and Power Usage 
Summer and Air-Conditioning
Use Your Fans
Humidity and Exhaust Problems
Cautions
Humidity and Health  
More about Humidity
Humidity Summary

CAUTION: If you have appliances with chimneys in your house, and you wish to install high capacity exhaust fans, you will need a matching supply air fan to balance home pressures. Be certain that your exhaust system is properly installed with supply air.

At the very least, add smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors to warn you of severe chimney backdrafting.  

Written by Terry Jensen and published in DFW Green Building and Remodeling fall edition, 2008.

Call Terry Jensen at 972 251-1532 or 817 545-0140.

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