Moisture and Humidity in the Home

This beautiful place we call home was dubbed ‘Raincouver’ for a reason. While our spring and summer seasons host great weather and a lifetime of breathtaking vistas that welcome the outdoor lifestyle, we do spend a good portion of our year under an umbrella. Yes, we are blessed with a milder Canadian winter, but we live in a fickle weather system that is affected by many factors, including rainfall. The estimated annual rainfall of Vancouver is 146 cm where North Vancouver gets an estimated average rainfall of 252 cm and if we are to look farther west, the estimated annual rainfall of Tofino is 327 cm and this can have an effect of changing weather. Water ingress, moisture and humidity can create several maintenance-related issues in homes and condos. That is why we at Sycamore Property Management highly recommend being mindful and vigilant of the moisture in one’s home as this is a sure-fire way to ensure rental costs are controlled while creating a better experience for tenants.

According to the Canadian Housing and Mortgage Corporation, household moisture problems can be solved when one or more of the following steps are taken:
– A proactive approach to investigating where any water ingress or moisture is coming from.
– When landlords and tenants adopt strategies to prevent excess moisture in the home.
– If prompt maintenance is performed to address leaks when reported.
– Using qualified contractors to make those repairs.
– For renters, they should report all plumbing leaks, water ingress and moisture problems immediately to your property manager with as much documentation as possible so the appropriate plan of action can be determined.
– For the owners of condominiums, if the moisture problem is coming from inside your unit, it is likely something you will have to undertake. Contact your strata or building manager if the moisture is coming from outside the unit (leaks through walls, windows, doors, ceilings or plumbing)

Familiar sources of moisture are:
– Showers, washing dishes and clothes, cooking, aquariums, standing water, people, pets and plants.
– For units without outdoor space, it is common to dry laundry indoors.
– Incorrectly vented clothes dryers.
– Damp basements.
– Earth floor basements or crawl spaces.
– Building envelope issues.
– Improperly set humidifiers.
– Water ingress and building envelope issues
– The Vancouver climate.

A temperature exchange can also be created by cold surfaces and that may be due to:
– Unusually cold weather outside.
– If inadequate or insufficient heat is provided to areas of the home (examples of this could be floor vents or baseboard heaters that are blocked by furniture, heat blocked off in unused bedrooms or a large unheated space like a basement)
– Changes in inside temperature (resetting of thermostats, uneven heat distribution, unheated or poorly heated rooms)
– Poor local air circulation within a room due to furnishings such as beds against the exterior walls.
– Older leaky windows, which can be quite common and source of both water ingress and temperature exchange.

Another key element for moisture buildup can arise through inadequate ventilation that may be caused by:
– Nonperforming or when no bathroom exhaust fans have been installed.
– Simply forgetting to put the exhaust fans on when using a bathroom.
– Kitchen range hoods that have been ducted outside the home.
– Broken or disconnected exhaust fans and ventilation system.
– In some cases, exhaust fans not being operated because they are too noisy or ineffective with no effort to replace them.
– In general, a lack of circulation of air within the home and the rooms in the home.

Humidity: The amount of moisture in the air is often called “relative humidity” or “RH” for short. RH is significant because it provides a way to assess moisture conditions and condensation risk in a home.

Key points about relative humidity:
– The relative humidity in a home can be measured with a hygrometer.
– RH measurements run from 10 percent to 100 percent and provide an indicator of how much moisture is in the air relative to what it can hold.
– Dry air has lower RH readings and moist air has higher.
– In very cold weather, a level of 30 percent or lower may be needed to prevent window condensation.
– In the winter heating season, the relative humidity should not exceed 45 percent.
– Upgraded, energy-efficient windows can support a higher level of relative humidity without condensation occurring.
– Low RH is suitable for controlling moisture but can be a comfort problem for household members. Low RH can be associated with dry eyes and nasal and throat discomfort.

The Solution
Solving in-home moisture-related issues for any rental property is a collaborative effort between landlord, tenant and property manager. Some examples are:

Keeping the house warm:
– Upgrading of windows to energy-efficient ones.
– Keeping drapes and blinds open during cold weather and overnight.
– Ensuring adding insulation in the home to keep walls and ceilings warm.
– Proper use of thermostats so surfaces that are susceptible to condensation do not get too cold.
– Providing sufficient heat to all indoor areas in the home and ensuring it flows over exterior walls, ceilings, windows and doors.
– Using proper sealants for windows and doors that prevent water ingress, which, in the presence of humid air can create issues with mould.

Providing adequate ventilation
– Installing the appropriate ventilation equipment to achieve the right amount of indoor-outdoor air exchange.
– Providing good air distribution throughout the home and circulation within each room.
– Using the ventilation systems as needed to maintain the moisture level in an acceptable range.

Solving water ingress and moisture-related problems in the home is possible by identifying the sources of ingress and moisture, providing adequate ventilation to deal with recurring sources of moisture and creating well-distributed air circulation. Implementing these three steps are a great start to deal with issues as they happen and may help avoid larger, more costly and disruptive problems. As professional property managers we know that maintaining an open line of communication with tenants ensures timely reporting and prompt documentation of issues while having access to an active roster of certified, professional contractors can result in the effective execution of required repairs. The property owner, tenant and property manager all have a role to play in controlling water ingress, moisture issues and maintaining the integrity of any rental property and ‘fast feet’ at all steps of the process is key. We trust that you found this article informative and since we are already well into the season that gave our city its beloved nickname ‘Raincouver’, the team at Sycamore Property Management wishes you all a safe, warm and dry winter ahead.