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May 2, 2008
Can the Shower Be a Humidifier?
Q: Ed, can you resolve another husband/wife dispute? During the heating season we run an electric humidifier to put moisture into our home since we heat with a wood stove and the air can get very dry. When taking showers I leave the bathroom door open with the fan off to let the moist air dispense into the house. I feel this helps keep our house extra moist during the heating season. My husband insists that we keep the bathroom door closed tight with the bathroom vent fan on to prevent mold from building up in the bathroom. What do you think? Jayne (New Hampshire)
A: Issue one: I think that a husband should never complain about his wife taking showers with an open door. Issue two: Both of you bring up some very valid points.
You are correct that moist air is moist air and the extra shower steam may feel good in a dry house. Your husband is correct that good air flow from a vent fan may prevent mold from building up.
I have the perfect solution for your home and your marriage: Continue to take your showers with the bathroom door open, but run the vent fan while taking your shower. This will give you a nice mix of fresh air flow and extra moisture throughout your home.
Now that this dispute is over, I'm sure you'll be showering each other with love very soon!
Ed Del Grande, the author of Ed Del Grande's House Call, was born and raised in a family-owned plumbing business. With more than 25 years of experience in every aspect of construction, he holds current Master licenses in pipefitting, fire protection and plumbing. If you have a question for Ed, send him an e-mail at eddelgrande@hgtvpro.com.Posted by Ed Del Grande at May 2, 2008 11:47 AM
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Comments
Dear Ed,
I am hoping you can help me with a mold issue in my home, since my health and my husband and maybe my dog's health is also at stake.
We have several leaks in our home (ceiling...brown spots, ceiling popcorn and plaster peeling off) and since the outside is composed of wood/brick (mostly wood) and my husband never put gutters on the house, the bottom two rungs of wood on the back of the house are rotting and falling apart. Literally disentegrating. The outside can be smelled (musty odor for several years now...) inside the kitchen. Long story short, my allergies came back after 35 years, got really sick and had to leave my home for a couple of months. Got on allergy meds, but am back with the "mold problem" now. (Note: I tested severe allergic reaction to three types of mold). We have some roofers coming to repair the roof when it quits raining and stays above 80 degrees (according to them they can not do it sooner) and repair the ceiling where the leaks are in two different rooms. I guess my question is what precautions should be taken while the leaky ceiling is repaired? I am going to have to stay somewhere else, but should I be concerned also about my dog and my husband? And my husband, says he will repair the wood outside and kill the mold himself. What precautions should be taken for this? I don't want him to get ill since he really does not know what he is doing and will NOT spend the money for a professional to do the job. I was hoping you could tell me what general things to do to protect against mold spores being released into the air in the home while repairs are being done?
Wish me luck and please say a prayer...thanks for any and all suggestions!
Posted by: Angela M. at May 6, 2008 7:56 PM
As a desert dweller, part of the year and a high humidity dweller the other part, I can see all the angles to this puzzle as well. When the humidity is low, I not only leave my bathroom door open when I take a shower, I also either wash my dishes by hand or open the dishwasher to let out that hot steam into the air. There isn't much danger of growing mildew when the humidity is at less than ten percent day after day anyway.
Posted by: Anne at May 7, 2008 8:00 AM
I'm with Ed, we have a vent fan in our rental that's not strong enough & the moisture buildup in the winter causes HUGE problems! YUCK! Also I live in Germany, here if there is a flat place on the stove or oven they place a container (appropriate for the heat source) with water in it, on it or by it to keep the air from drying out & it's decorative as well!
Posted by: Anastasia at May 21, 2008 2:23 AM
