The Cheery Home
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Home Improvement
    • Home Decor
    • Smart Home
      • Home Security
      • Ring
      • Thermostat
      • Router
    • Interior
    • Bedroom
    • Bathroom
    • Kitchen
    • Home Service
    • Garage
    • Flooring
    • Furniture
    • Roofing
    • Paint
    • Patio
    • Backyard
    • Construction
  • Guide
    • Home Theatre
    • Sound
    • Room Ideas
    • Window
    • Workspace
    • Cleaning
    • DIY
    • Glass
    • Hunting
    • Moving & Packing
    • Swimming Pool
  • Reviews
  • Home Finance
    • Property
  • Blog
The Cheery Home
No Result
View All Result

Understanding Humidity: How it Can Affect Your Furniture?

Elliana by Elliana
09/09/2023
in Furniture
0 0
How it Can Affect Your Furniture?
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

If you’ve just bought a new piece of furniture, inherited a family heirloom, or snagged a prized piece of wooden furniture at a local vintage store, you’ll want to keep it in a like-new condition for as long as possible.

When it comes to keeping the furniture in our homes in excellent shape, most people know to use a soft micro-fibre cloth and use protective elements like coasters under mugs and felt feet on frames.

However, there’s one invisible issue that might be quietly wreaking havoc on your wooden furniture — and that’s the humidity in your home. And humidity can cause much bigger problems than a water ring from a dewy glass or a scratch from a misplaced ornament.

Read on to find out how your wood furniture could be affected by rising and falling levels of humidity and how you can counter both of these variables.

How Does Your Home Get Humid?

Your home can become humid for a variety of reasons, outlined below.

The External Elements

Obviously, rooms are more humid on a hot and muggy summer day. This can be especially noticeable in climates across North America, where temperatures can turn on a dime and vary wildly between seasons.

For example, Mississauga, Ontario, is classified as a ‘humid continental, no dry season, warm summer’ climate. There, temperatures are eight percent higher than the Canadian average. In the winter, the temperature sits at an average high of minus one, whereas in the summer, the average high is 26 degrees Celsius.

For these reasons alone, anyone looking to buy solid wood furniture in Mississauga needs to take extra steps to control the humidity in their home.

In addition to the external climate, other factors can impact a home’s humidity levels.

Day-to-Day Habits

Our daily habits can have significant impacts on our home’s humidity.

For example, taking long, hot showers or steamy baths will definitely contribute. So will cooking for long periods of time, especially without an extractor fan running or without proper ventilation.

Issues with the Home

Several different problems around the home can mean extra humidity, including:

  • Your HVAC system isn’t running as it should.
  • There’s a leak from a pipe in the walls or major appliances — like a dishwasher or fridge.
  • You’ve got overall poor ventilation — you keep windows closed for long periods of time, or have inadequate attic insulation and roof ventilation.
  • Poor grading around the home is soaking the soil and slowly seeping into the foundation.

What Should Your Humidity Level Be?

As a general rule of thumb, since every home is different, your humidity should range between 30 percent to 40 percent in the winter. In the summer, as mentioned above, it might be a little higher — somewhere around the 50 to 60 percent mark.

What Should Your Humidity Level Be for Furniture

How Can I Check My Home’s Humidity?

There will be some clues of high humidity like the inside of your windows are running damp. But to get an accurate reading, use a hygrometer, which will immediately relay your home’s humidity. Note:don’t run this tool in the bathroom or kitchen, especially after cooking and bathing, as they’ll usually return a result that’s not indicative of the home’s overall rating.

How Does Humidity Affect Your Wooden Furniture?

Since wood is a porous material, it will absorb and onboard atmospheric moisture. In extreme cases, this can cause the wood to warp, grow mold and start to rot. On the other hand, when the air is too dry, it can cause wooden furniture to split and crack — it’s all about finding that happy balance.

If you’ve noticed that some of your wooden furniture is cracking or splitting, a lack of moisture in the air could be the cause. And if you’ve noticed that drawers are becoming increasingly more challenging to open, or you’ve spotted areas of mold behind a dresser or a bureau, humidity may be the culprit.

In cases of warping or dampness, gently wipe the furniture down and take it apart as best you can — removing drawers and taking out the back panel when possible. Now, leave it to dry out in a controlled space. This can take multiple weeks, so be patient; if the wood dries too quickly, it might split or crack.

Ways to Protect Wood from Humidity

Fortunately, there are some easy ways to protect your wooden furniture from humidity.

  • Most new, quality furniture will have a protective coating that will act as a defence against dampness. However, if you’ve bought a second-hand piece, treating it with a varnish or lacquer can instantly rebuff moisture!
  • Keep pieces that you care about and want to preserve out of bathrooms and kitchens, and don’t store them in garages or other outbuildings.
  • If you notice mold on a piece, treat it immediately before it spreads.
  • Invest in a dehumidifier that can control the room’s humidity levels and keep the percentage where it should be.
  • Make sure that extractor fans are running when you’re bathing or cooking.
  • Open the windows now and again to get air circulating through your home.
  • Change your HVAC filter every three months.
  • If you have major concerns about your HVAC systemor your attic insulation, consult with a specialist before the issue becomes a much bigger problem than a warped drawer.
  • If wood is splitting and you’ve found that the air is too dry in your home, consider trialing a humidifier.
  • And last, if it’s in your budget to do so, consider installing energy-efficient windows, which can help to prevent leaking air.

The Bottom Line

Yes, humidity can affect your furniture. However, by taking preventative steps to protect your assets and to control the moisture in your home, your furniture should be able to quickly rebuff this common threat, and you’ll be able to enjoy your tables, shelves, chairs and cabinets for years to come.

Recommended Posts:

  • Breathing New Life into Old Furniture: Guide to Refinishing and Restoring
  • How to Create a Vintage Gold Finish On Modern Furniture?

Related Posts

2-Seater Electric Recliner Tech Sofa
Furniture

2-Seater Electric Recliner Tech Sofa – Smart Comfort in Smokey Taupe

02/25/2025
Office Chairs in the Philippines
Furniture

Best Executive Office Chairs Available in the Philippines

06/08/2024
Exploring the World of Modern Furniture
Furniture

Exploring the World of Modern Furniture (Characteristics, Designs, Hallmarks)

11/21/2023
Home Reserve Review after 5 Months Using
Furniture

Home Reserve Review: What’s Good and Bad?

11/15/2023
Advantages Of Custom Sofas For Personal Comfort
Furniture

The Advantages Of Custom Sofas For Personal Comfort And Home Decor

11/13/2023
High Strength Drawer Slides
Furniture

High Strength Drawer Slides: Combining Durability with Elegance

11/07/2023
Next Post
Essential Tips for First-Time Buyers

Buying Dream Home: 7 Essential Tips for First-Time Buyers

Things to Know About Motion Sensors as a Home Owner

What You Should Know About Motion Sensors as a Home Owner

Guide to Warsaw's Architectural Design Treasures

Design Inspirations: A Guide to Warsaw's Architectural Design Treasures

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest Story

Pumps for Decorative Ponds and Waterfalls

The Best Pumps for Decorative Ponds and Waterfalls

3 days ago
Low-Maintenance Garden for Busy Lifestyles

How to Plan a Low-Maintenance Garden for Busy Lifestyles

2 weeks ago
Milwaukee Concrete Patio Repair or Replacement

Milwaukee Concrete Patio Repair or Replacement? Why a New Patio is the Best Choice

2 months ago
Psychology of Home Decor

The Psychology of Home Decor: How It Influences Potential Buyers

2 months ago
Moving Into an Older Home

Moving Into an Older Home? Key Upgrades to Consider

2 months ago
Choose the Perfect Silestone Countertop Color

How to Choose the Perfect Silestone Countertop Color for Your Kitchen

2 months ago
The Cheery Home

Decorating Home More Cheerful
With Style and Elegance

STORIES

  • Home Renovation
  • Home Decoration
  • Home Security
  • Home Finance
  • Property
  • Gardening
  • Interior

COMPANY

  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • About
  • Blog
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Write For Us

Copyrights © 2024 Thecheeyhome.com All rights reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Home Improvement
    • Home Decor
    • Smart Home
      • Home Security
      • Ring
      • Thermostat
      • Router
    • Interior
    • Bedroom
    • Bathroom
    • Kitchen
    • Home Service
    • Garage
    • Flooring
    • Furniture
    • Roofing
    • Paint
    • Patio
    • Backyard
    • Construction
  • Guide
    • Home Theatre
    • Sound
    • Room Ideas
    • Window
    • Workspace
    • Cleaning
    • DIY
    • Glass
    • Hunting
    • Moving & Packing
    • Swimming Pool
  • Reviews
  • Home Finance
    • Property
  • Blog

Copyrights © 2024 Thecheeyhome.com All rights reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In