How to Reduce Humidity in a Room: Practical Ways That Work

Want to know how to reduce humidity in a room without spending much money? Yes you can, with some simple daily habits like ventilation, exhaust fans, drying clothes outside and cooking with lids. But when the humidity of your room stay high for weeks in monsoon, then a dehumidifier is the most reliable way for bringing it down.

Quick Facts

• Target: US EPA says keep indoor relative humidity below 60 percent, ideally 30 to 50 percent.
• Kolkata: average evening humidity is 82 percent in July, 83 percent in August and 82 percent in September as per IMD climate normals (Alipore, 1991 to 2020).
• Biggest home sources (New Zealand government building guidance): cooking around 3 litres a day, showers and baths around 1.5 litres per person a day, clothes dried inside without venting around 5 litres per load.
• AC dry mode: White Westinghouse 1.5 ton ACs are rated 1.5 litres per hour moisture removal, but they also cool the room.
• Dehumidifiers we sell: 12 to 60 litres per day, Rs 24,000 to Rs 72,000.

What Humidity Level Is Comfortable Indoors?

As per the US Environmental Protection Agency, the indoor relative humidity should be kept below 60 percent, and ideally between 30 to 50 percent if possible. When humidity of a room stay above 60 percent for long time, the room become a good place for mould, mildew and dust mites to grow.

So the target for most homes is to keep room humidity below 60 percent. In Kolkata monsoon it is not always possible to reach 30 to 50 percent without a machine. But even bringing your room from 80 percent to below 60 percent make a big difference, in comfort and also in the health of your home.

How Do You Know Your Room Is Too Humid?

• Windows and pipes: water drops on inside of the windows and on cold water pipes.
• Smell: musty smell in the room or inside the almirah.
• Walls: damp patches, peeling paint or black spots, mainly in corners and behind furniture.
• Clothes and bedding: clothes taking very long for drying inside, bed sheets feeling little damp at night.
• Wood: doors and drawers getting stuck in rainy season, as wood swells when it takes moisture.
• Hygrometer reading: above 60 percent for most of the day.

Easiest way for checking is a hygrometer, which is small and low cost device that shows the relative humidity on display. Keep it in the room for few days and check the reading in morning and at night. If it shows above 60 percent for most of the day, then your room need some action.

Ways to Reduce Humidity Without Spending Money

Before you buy any machine, first try to stop the moisture coming from your own daily activities.

• Open the windows: when outside air is drier than inside, like on a sunny day or winter afternoon. Cross ventilation with windows open on two sides takes moist air out faster.
• Use exhaust fans: in kitchen and bathroom every time you cook or take bath, and keep running for some time after. If bathroom has no exhaust fan, keep its door closed and window open after shower.
• Dry clothes outside: on balcony or terrace whenever weather allows. If you must dry inside, use one small room with door closed, not the bedroom or living room. Indoor drying without venting adds around 5 litres per load.
• Cook with lids: lids keep most of the steam inside the pot. Cooking can add around 3 litres of moisture a day.
• Fix the leaks: leaking pipes, taps, roof cracks and seepage in walls, as a small leak keep adding moisture every single day.
• Fewer indoor plants: in a damp room, as plants also releases moisture in the air.

Does AC Dry Mode Reduce Humidity?

Yes, the dry mode of an air conditioner reduces the humidity of a room, as in dry mode the AC runs its fan at a low speed and removes moisture from the air while cooling the room a little. For example, the White Westinghouse 1.5 ton ACs we sell have a dry mode and a rated moisture removal of 1.5 litres per hour. But, dry mode still cools the room, so it is not very comfortable in winter or on cool rainy days. You can read our full guide on whether AC dry mode is the same as a dehumidifier for more details.

When Do You Need a Dehumidifier?

You need a dehumidifier when the simple habits are not enough and the humidity of your room stays above 60 percent for many days. This happens mostly in the monsoon season, in ground floor flats, in old buildings with damp walls, in rooms with no proper window, and in rooms where you have to dry clothes inside.

A dehumidifier removes the moisture from the air without cooling the room, so you can use a dehumidifier in the monsoon and in winter also. A dehumidifier is also useful for protecting your wardrobe, furniture, books, electronics and musical instruments from damp. You can read our blog on why you need a dehumidifier to know about all the benefits.

Which Dehumidifier Capacity for Which Room?

The capacity of a dehumidifier shows how many litres of moisture it can remove from the air in one day. The room size below is worked out from the coverage of each model in cubic feet, for a room with a 10 ft ceiling, and the prices are as on our website today.

• Up to around 120 sq ft (small bedroom, study, walk in closet): Aavta 12 Litre Dehumidifier at Rs 24,000, or White Westinghouse 12 Litre Dehumidifier at Rs 24,000.
• Up to around 200 sq ft (medium bedroom, living room): Aavta 20 Litre Dehumidifier at Rs 35,000, or White Westinghouse 20 Litre Dehumidifier at Rs 35,000.
• Up to around 300 sq ft (large room): Aavta 30 Litre Dehumidifier at Rs 49,000, or White Westinghouse 30 Litre Dehumidifier at Rs 42,990.
• Up to around 400 sq ft (hall, open plan room): White Westinghouse 40 Litre Dehumidifier at Rs 52,000.
• Up to around 500 to 600 sq ft (basement, shop, small office): Aavta 50 Litre Dehumidifier at Rs 59,000, White Westinghouse 50 Litre Dehumidifier at Rs 64,000, or White Westinghouse 60 Litre Dehumidifier at Rs 72,000.

If your room is on the ground floor or has damp walls, then you should choose one size bigger than the room size suggests. You can also read our dehumidifier placement guide for getting the best result from your dehumidifier.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I reduce humidity in my room naturally?

You can reduce humidity in your room naturally by opening the windows when the outside air is drier, using exhaust fans in the kitchen and bathroom, drying clothes outside, cooking with lids and fixing any leaks in the room.

What is the ideal humidity for a bedroom?

As per the US Environmental Protection Agency, the indoor humidity should be kept below 60 percent and ideally between 30 and 50 percent.

Does a fan reduce humidity in a room?

A ceiling fan does not remove moisture from the air, but it moves the air and helps damp surfaces dry faster. An exhaust fan does help, as it pushes the moist air out of the room.

How do I remove dampness from walls?

You should first find and fix the source of the water, like a leak, seepage or a crack. After that, you can keep the room dry with ventilation and a dehumidifier, and repaint the wall with damp proof paint once the wall is fully dry.

Is a dehumidifier better than AC dry mode?

A dehumidifier is better when you want to reduce humidity without cooling the room, like in the monsoon and in winter. AC dry mode is fine on warm and humid days when some cooling is also welcome.

Need help with a damp room? Then, call or WhatsApp us at +91 8981224400 and tell us your room size and the problem you are facing, and we will suggest the right dehumidifier for your room. All our products come with a 12 month warranty, and our Kridovia Care team gives service and support within 48 hours.