how to lower humidity in house

Proper ventilation can help lower humidity in your house. Depending on the time of year and the outdoor humidity, you may want to open windows on opposite sides of the house to get some cross-ventilation going for better air circulation. If your basement is the only place in your home with high humidity, you’ll want to do some investigating. Water intrusion issues may be to blame. You’ll want to look for cracks in the walls or floor, and watch for puddles when it rains. Basement waterproofing is your best way to stop water intrusion and reduce humidity permanently. You may not know this, but your air conditioner or heat pump naturally removes moisture from the air while it’s cooling. If you like to have the windows open in the spring but the humidity is rising, turning on the AC can make your home more comfortable. Lastly, you may want to consider upgrading your HVAC system. This is especially true if your system is 15 years or older, and you’ve had more than one recent repair. As air conditioners and heat pumps increase in age, they can have a corresponding decrease in efficiency of cooling and dehumidification.

how do i lower the humidity in my house

Proper ventilation can help lower humidity in your house. Depending on the time of year and the outdoor humidity, you may want to open windows on opposite sides of the house to get some cross-ventilation going for better air circulation. If your basement is the only place in your home with high humidity, you’ll want to do some investigating. Water intrusion issues may be to blame. You’ll want to look for cracks in the walls or floor, and watch for puddles when it rains. Basement waterproofing is your best way to stop water intrusion and reduce humidity permanently. You may not know this, but your air conditioner or heat pump naturally removes moisture from the air while it’s cooling. If you like to have the windows open in the spring but the humidity is rising, turning on the AC can make your home more comfortable. Lastly, you may want to consider upgrading your HVAC system. This is especially true if your system is 15 years or older, and you’ve had more than one recent repair. As air conditioners and heat pumps increase in age, they can have a corresponding decrease in efficiency of cooling and dehumidification.

how to lower humidity in the house

Proper ventilation can help lower humidity in your house. Depending on the time of year and the outdoor humidity, you may want to open windows on opposite sides of the house to get some cross-ventilation going for better air circulation. If your basement is the only place in your home with high humidity, you’ll want to do some investigating. Water intrusion issues may be to blame. You’ll want to look for cracks in the walls or floor, and watch for puddles when it rains. Basement waterproofing is your best way to stop water intrusion and reduce humidity permanently. You may not know this, but your air conditioner or heat pump naturally removes moisture from the air while it’s cooling. If you like to have the windows open in the spring but the humidity is rising, turning on the AC can make your home more comfortable. Lastly, you may want to consider upgrading your HVAC system. This is especially true if your system is 15 years or older, and you’ve had more than one recent repair. As air conditioners and heat pumps increase in age, they can have a corresponding decrease in efficiency of cooling and dehumidification.

how to lower humidity in home

Proper ventilation can help lower humidity in your house. Depending on the time of year and the outdoor humidity, you may want to open windows on opposite sides of the house to get some cross-ventilation going for better air circulation. If your basement is the only place in your home with high humidity, you’ll want to do some investigating. Water intrusion issues may be to blame. You’ll want to look for cracks in the walls or floor, and watch for puddles when it rains. Basement waterproofing is your best way to stop water intrusion and reduce humidity permanently. You may not know this, but your air conditioner or heat pump naturally removes moisture from the air while it’s cooling. If you like to have the windows open in the spring but the humidity is rising, turning on the AC can make your home more comfortable. Lastly, you may want to consider upgrading your HVAC system. This is especially true if your system is 15 years or older, and you’ve had more than one recent repair. As air conditioners and heat pumps increase in age, they can have a corresponding decrease in efficiency of cooling and dehumidification.

low humidity in house

Proper ventilation can help lower humidity in your house. Depending on the time of year and the outdoor humidity, you may want to open windows on opposite sides of the house to get some cross-ventilation going for better air circulation. If your basement is the only place in your home with high humidity, you’ll want to do some investigating. Water intrusion issues may be to blame. You’ll want to look for cracks in the walls or floor, and watch for puddles when it rains. Basement waterproofing is your best way to stop water intrusion and reduce humidity permanently. You may not know this, but your air conditioner or heat pump naturally removes moisture from the air while it’s cooling. If you like to have the windows open in the spring but the humidity is rising, turning on the AC can make your home more comfortable. Lastly, you may want to consider upgrading your HVAC system. This is especially true if your system is 15 years or older, and you’ve had more than one recent repair. As air conditioners and heat pumps increase in age, they can have a corresponding decrease in efficiency of cooling and dehumidification.

how to lower humidity inside home

Proper ventilation can help lower humidity in your house. Depending on the time of year and the outdoor humidity, you may want to open windows on opposite sides of the house to get some cross-ventilation going for better air circulation. If your basement is the only place in your home with high humidity, you’ll want to do some investigating. Water intrusion issues may be to blame. You’ll want to look for cracks in the walls or floor, and watch for puddles when it rains. Basement waterproofing is your best way to stop water intrusion and reduce humidity permanently. You may not know this, but your air conditioner or heat pump naturally removes moisture from the air while it’s cooling. If you like to have the windows open in the spring but the humidity is rising, turning on the AC can make your home more comfortable. Lastly, you may want to consider upgrading your HVAC system. This is especially true if your system is 15 years or older, and you’ve had more than one recent repair. As air conditioners and heat pumps increase in age, they can have a corresponding decrease in efficiency of cooling and dehumidification.

HVAC Tips & Tricks4min read

How to Lower Humidity in Your House

Discover what constitutes high humidity, the damage it can cause, and how to lower humidity in your home.

July 18, 2025

Home Interior in Summer with People in Shorts and Short Sleeves

By Anne Fonda

In the simplest terms, humidity is the amount of moisture in the air. Excess humidity can cause damage to your home, impact your health, and decrease your comfort. But before we get into how to lower humidity, we need to go over just what high humidity is and some of the signs that excessive moisture levels are a problem in your home.

What is considered high humidity in a house?

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 60% humidity is too high in a house. For optimal indoor air quality (IAQ) and comfort, the EPA says the recommended indoor humidity level is between 30 and 50%.

Signs of high indoor humidity

You may start to feel uncomfortable above 50% humidity and notice physical signs of high humidity levels, including:

Clammy, sticky feeling
Trouble sleeping
Increased asthma and allergy symptoms
Musty smell
Peeling paint
Interior doors that stick
Condensation on the walls and inside of windows
Mildew and mold growth
Rotting wood
Increase in dust mites

Mold, mildew, and dust mites can thrive at 60% humidity and higher. Reducing the humidity will help resolve the issues above, protecting your home and your health.

There are 4 main ways to reduce humidity levels in your home.

#1: Improve ventilation

Proper ventilation can help lower humidity in your house. Depending on the time of year and the outdoor humidity, you may want to open windows on opposite sides of the house to get some cross-ventilation going for better air circulation.

Ensure that you have bathroom exhaust fans that will draw warm, moist air out of your bathrooms. Use the vent fan on your stove as well. The best fans vent to the outside.

If your home is newer and tightly sealed, you might benefit from a whole-house ventilator such as our energy recovery ventilator, which can help regulate humidity as well as save energy while providing fresh air to your home.

#2: Use a dehumidifier

If your basement is the only place in your home with high humidity, you’ll want to do some investigating. Water intrusion issues may be to blame. You’ll want to look for cracks in the walls or floor, and watch for puddles when it rains. Basement waterproofing is your best way to stop water intrusion and reduce humidity permanently.

If you had basement flooding, you could use a portable dehumidifier and fans to help dry things out. Be sure to remove any wet drywall, carpeting, or upholstered furniture to avoid mold growth.

If your whole house is humid during the summer or year-round, you need a whole-house solution like our whole-home dehumidifier. It serves homes up to 3,000 sq. ft. and can remove up to 15 gallons (120 pints) of water a day.

#3: Turn on the air conditioning

You may not know this, but your air conditioner or heat pump naturally removes moisture from the air while it’s cooling. If you like to have the windows open in the spring but the humidity is rising, turning on the AC can make your home more comfortable.

If that doesn’t satisfactorily remove the humidity in the summer, you may want to add a whole-house dehumidifier if you have a single-stage system. If your system is older, you may want to start thinking about replacing it. Which brings us to #4.

#4: Upgrade your HVAC system

Lastly, you may want to consider upgrading your HVAC system. This is especially true if your system is 15 years or older, and you’ve had more than one recent repair. As air conditioners and heat pumps increase in age, they can have a corresponding decrease in efficiency of cooling and dehumidification.

If you have a single-stage HVAC system, it’s possible the dehumidification was never as good as it could have been. New, highly energy-efficient air conditioners and heat pumps come with enhanced humidity control. You get increased comfort, increased energy efficiency, energy savings, and a potential reduction in your utility bills.

Work with HVAC professionals you can count on

With an in-home consultation, your local American Standard dealer can assess your home’s humidity levels and the condition of your HVAC system and make recommendations. They can help you choose humidity control, ventilation, and heating and cooling solutions that fit your needs and your budget.

Schedule a quote

Anne Fonda

Content Writer, Trane Technologies

A Content Writer with Trane Technologies, Anne Fonda researches topics and writes for Trane® and associated residential HVAC brands. She works in collaboration with Trane Technologies subject matter experts, offering easy-to-understand, informative content on complex topics. Her goal is to help consumers make informed decisions on the products and services they need.

She has written for HVAC and other service provider websites for over 16 years. Before transitioning to web content writing, Anne had a 14-year stint as an award-winning journalist. She graduated cum laude from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Journalism.

When she’s not working, Anne enjoys playing word games, reading, gardening, spending time with family, and visiting gardens and museums.

Expert review by Sean Goddard, Product Manager, Coils & Indoor Air Quality