What is the normal humidity level in an apartment? Most people can easily answer what the temperature in a living room should be, but the question of humidity will baffle them. And only a few will be able to name the correct numbers. Meanwhile, humidity is one of the main indicators of the microclimate level in the house.

in the apartment

Indoor air humidity is measured with a special device - a hygrometer. They vary in design (digital, hairline, wireless) and measurement range, but each is very easy to use. In any case, no more difficult than with a regular thermometer.

The humidity level depends on the type of room. For example, in bakeries, in fermentation rooms, in poultry houses, in cold warehouses for storing food, it is 70-80%. In greenhouses for growing tulips it can reach 95%, and this is considered the norm. But for rooms with computers, telephone nodes and office equipment, the figures should not exceed 50%.

The level of humidity in an apartment also depends on the type of room. On average, the figures range from 40-60%. According to the living rooms and in the interior corridor optimal humidity in the cold season it should be 30-45%. Acceptable indicators for these types of premises are up to 60%.

During the warm season, the optimal humidity in the apartment is 30-60%. Acceptable - up to 65%. However, in regions from the air (above 75% on the street) the permissible indicators are increased to 75%.

In the kitchen, toilet, bathroom, lobby, on and in the pantry this indicator is not standardized.

Various indicators and the need to use special instruments - all this may seem too complicated for the average person. Therefore, to find out whether the humidity in the apartment is high or low, you can conduct an experiment with a glass. Take a glass or a glass (any glass vessel), pour water into it, cool it to 3-4 °C in the refrigerator. Then you need to place the vessel in the room and observe:

• the walls of the vessel fogged up, and then dried out in 5 minutes - the humidity was low, the air was dry;
• after 5 minutes the walls are wet - optimal performance;
• after 5 minutes streams run along the walls of the vessel - high humidity.

This is how you can easily find out the microclimate in the room, but for the purity of the experiment, the glass must be placed away from heating devices.

Why is high humidity harmful?

High humidity means foggy windows, laundry that takes several days to dry, clothes with an unpleasant moldy smell, fungi and mold. These factors alone make the house unsuitable for living. It’s also worth adding that such a microclimate does not have a very good effect on human health: fungal spores when
If they come into contact with food, they can cause poisoning and allergies, disrupt heat exchange processes, and increase the risk of developing infection. A person living in a house with high humidity gets sick more often and longer.

How does low humidity affect the human body?

Low humidity also causes a number of problems. The intensity of evaporation increases from everything that contains water: from human skin, from plants. The latter dry out, and the skin loses its elasticity and ages. The nasal mucosa dries out, which means there is a risk of a runny nose and acute respiratory infections. The respiratory system suffers, especially in asthmatics and allergy sufferers.

The norm of humidity in an apartment is not abstract concept. These are real numbers that allow you to understand how safe the indoor microclimate is. And if air humidity is greatly reduced or increased, it is necessary to ensure that it corresponds to normal values.

Ways to reduce humidity

There are two main methods of dehumidifying air.

1. Find and eliminate the cause high humidity. This could be a temporary increase in indicators due to cooking, showering or drying things, lack of sunlight, lack of normal ventilation, sealed PVC windows, etc. For each reason, you can choose a way to eliminate it: make good ventilation, ventilate the rooms more often , increase batteries, etc.
2. Forced dehumidification using special dehumidifiers, chemicals, absorbing moisture, and climate control units.

Ideally, you should use only the first method, but if this is impossible to do or involves serious financial costs, then you can use the second.

Methods for increasing humidity

Most often, dry air in a room is formed in winter period, when heating devices work intensively, and the premises are rarely ventilated. However, you can get rid of this problem too. The level of humidity in an apartment with dry air is achieved through the following measures:

1. The presence of an aquarium in the room or
2. Presence large quantity plants.
3. Installation of a household humidifier.
4. Reducing the frequency of use of any household appliances, especially heating ones.
5. Frequent ventilation.

In an apartment, this is the key to preserving your health and ensuring the required level of comfort in your home. But you shouldn’t skimp on your health. Therefore, try to maintain normal humidity levels, even if forcibly.

Maintaining a normal microclimate inside an apartment is the key to the health of all its residents. There is a certain norm of air humidity in the apartment, which, if violated, will have a bad effect on well-being. Therefore, it is very important to maintain normal humidity in your apartment by removing excess moisture in the air. This article describes what a normal indicator is and how to change it.

What air humidity should be in the apartment?

The exact answer is indicated in the state standard number 30494-2011. It regulates the characteristics of the microclimate inside the room. In accordance with the presented normative document, permissible norm Air humidity in any apartment should be maintained at a level of 30 to 60 percent in summer and 30 to 45 percent in winter. At the same time, for winter time the limit is 60%, and in summer it should not exceed 65 percent.

It should be noted here that the values ​​​​given in the state standard are aimed primarily at designers and maintenance personnel, and not at the residents themselves. This is noticeable if only by the fact that for the winter the percentage decreases compared to summer season. The thing is that in cold weather the air temperature is much lower, which affects the level of relative humidity when heating inside the apartment. Designing and maintaining buildings while maintaining the “summer” norm in winter is quite complex tasks. On the other hand, air humidity must be brought to such a level that residents do not experience health problems.

Important! According to physiologists, regardless of the period, the optimal percentage of humidity should be maintained at a level of 40 to 60 percent.

If the air humidity in the room is at the level of 30 percent, many people feel “dry”, which can provoke negative consequences for the body. This is clearly not enough for wide range plants that are grown on windowsills - in such an environment they quickly wither and then dry out completely. For our latitudes, the optimal indicator for indoor flowers is from 40 to 70 percent. Accordingly, it should be wet, but within reasonable limits.

Standards for individual premises

Judging by the figures given above, we can draw the following conclusion - with the onset winter cold the air dries out. Optimal rate humidity in a living space must be maintained in all rooms, regardless of how much time people spend in them.

1. Children's room. In a children's room, little residents freeze or overheat faster. Due to underdeveloped immunity, it is more difficult for them to tolerate various types of diseases. Therefore, it is necessary to create a healthy microclimate for the child. The ingress of dry air negatively affects the nasopharyngeal mucosa, because it gradually loses its moisture supply. Ultimately, this leads to cough, bronchitis, and runny nose. Dry air is a source of increased danger for newborns. It's simple - the skin suffers from a lack of moisture, which first provokes peeling and then leads to atopic dermatitis. Optimal indicator– from 50 to 60 percent.
2. Bathroom and kitchen. As you know, the kitchen, bathroom and toilet are places where real indicators exceed all acceptable limits. Showering, bathing, or cooking increases the humidity and temperature significantly. The solution to the problem is to install a high-quality ventilation system. If the hood’s power is insufficient, it is necessary to additionally equip it with another fan, simultaneously ventilating the rooms with greater intensity. It is recommended to ensure that it is saturated with relative humidity - for example, 50-60 percent.
3. Living room. This room is the most spacious and largest. Family members spend the most time here. A comfortable indicator is equivalent to the bathroom, kitchen and toilet - from 40 to 50 percent. In such a microclimate, indoor flowers and pets feel good, and household appliances and furniture work fully.
4. Greenhouse. If the area of ​​the apartment is sufficient for arrangement winter garden, do not forget that comfortable temperature regime and quality lighting are not the only factors that need to be given more attention. The optimal dose of moisture for plants varies from 50 to 70 percent, based on the type of flowers and their origin.
5. Study. For your own library or workspace, the recommended amount is 30 to 40 percent. When it increases, books will quickly deteriorate, ink on documents will begin to “float” inside the plastic file, and equipment will begin to rust and oxidize faster. As a rule, the microclimate in rooms intended for work is characterized by dry air, so it is recommended, if possible, to increase the indicators.
6. Pharmacy. In accordance with technical requirements, the permissible humidity level in a pharmacy according to a hygrometer varies from 40 to 60 percent. At this level, all drugs inside will be stored correctly. Three orders issued by the Ministry of Health regulate the level of humidity in a pharmacy.

Optimal humidity according to GOST

Acceptable rules and requirements for sanitary standards of air humidity are regulated by Sanpin. Below are the indoor air humidity standards according to Sanpin, depending on the type of room.

1. Bedroom. At temperatures up to 20° degrees, the indicator should not exceed 55 percent and not be lower than 40.
2. Children's room. Many people wonder what humidity should be in a child’s room. The answer is: from 50 to 60 percent, while permissible temperature should not be more than 24° degrees.
3. Living room. In terms of temperature indicators, you should focus on the nursery, but the humidity should be a maximum of 50 percent.
4. Bathroom. It is for this room that the minimum temperature level is set at 21° degrees, the maximum is 2° more. The size is the same as in the living room. The indicators are considered optimal if there is an additional ventilation system inside.
5. Kitchen. To maintain a healthy microclimate, it is also necessary to equip the air ducts with a ventilation and air conditioning system. Level – from 40 to 50 percent.
6. Toilet. The values ​​are identical to the hallway - both rooms should have a value between 40 and 45 percent.
7. Study. Given the presence of a large number paper products– folders, documents, books, brochures and so on, the recommended humidity in the warm period should be slightly lower – from 30 to 40 percent. By the way, the study is a room with a minimum humidity level in general.

Important! Sanpin also indicates what the humidity in the apartment should be in winter. Generally speaking, we can conclude that it is necessary to increase humidity due to the frequent entry of cold air inside (opening windows, doors, uncovered ventilation ducts, and so on).

Consequences of exceeding humidity standards

Always be aware of the danger high humidity. To prevent it from harming human health, it is necessary to check the permissible value from time to time. Failure to comply with this requirement leads to a number of negative consequences.

• The frequency and complexity of respiratory diseases is increasing. Residents of an apartment will more often suffer from a runny nose, allergies, high temperature. What's worse is asthma and bronchitis.
• Comfortable living becomes impossible - people begin to notice stuffiness or dampness inside the premises.
• “Freshness” disappears – harmful bacteria and microorganisms begin to multiply more and more intensively. They can cause serious illness, so it is strongly recommended to keep levels within acceptable limits.
• Washed laundry will take much longer to dry.
• Houseplants inside the apartment will begin to rot.

And this is far from full list troubles that the owner may encounter. For example, due to too high humidity, mold begins to appear on the walls and ceiling. Wooden crafts lose their original strength.

How to measure air humidity?

The current indicator can be determined using available tools or a device for measuring humidity. Let's consider both options.

How to reduce air humidity?

It is possible that the air inside the room is too humid. There are several reasons - a pond near the apartment, a dilapidated roof, or living near a basement. The most reliable way is to do repair work using waterproofing materials. It is not always necessary to resort to drastic methods - there are alternative ways to normalize the air condition in the room. The most effective is the use of dehumidifiers. They are divided into two categories - adsorption and compressor type.

You can also get by traditional methods, especially when the help of special devices is not enough. For example, frequent ventilation, saturating the room with sunlight, cleaning ventilation duct in the kitchen and bathroom.

In general, the humidity in the room should always be maintained at an adequate level. Otherwise, health problems or failure may occur. household appliances, damage to paper products, development of pathogens. The choice in favor of one method or another is made depending on the personal preferences of the home owner.

In conclusion, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the video material

Air quality, humidity and temperature are important not only for humans. So, for indoor plants, the optimal humidity is from 40 to 70%; for electronics and household appliances - 45−60%; for books, antiques and furniture - 40−60%.

If you don't have a hygrometer, you can use folk remedies for determining humidity in an apartment. They are based on the evaporation of moisture. Of course, the accuracy of their results is not as high as that of a special device, but at the right time they will come to the rescue.

Methods for determining the humidity level in an apartment:

Of course, these methods will not give one hundred percent accuracy expressed in numbers, but they will definitely tell you whether the air in your home needs humidification or, conversely, drying.

How to increase air humidity

The most optimal and modern way increase the humidity in the apartment - buy humidifier. This device is designed mainly for rooms with an area of up to 150 m³. Water is poured into a special container of the humidifier, which evaporates when the device operates.

Humidifiers are:

• traditional
• steam
• ultrasonic

Traditional(mechanical) using built-in fan The air is forced through a container of water, where it is moistened and cleaned of dust. The disadvantage of a mechanical humidifier is the limited level of humidification (no more than 60%) and high noise.

Steam humidifier works on the principle of a teapot. The water boils in it and comes out in the form of steam. The disadvantage of such models is hot steam(up to 60° C), high noise and high power consumption. However, a steam humidifier can use even very dirty or hard water. Some models have special attachments that allow you to use the device as an inhaler. You can increase air humidity with a steam humidifier above 60%.

Ultrasonic The humidifier uses a special membrane to convert water into steam. It is not as noisy as mechanical or steam models. The water heating function helps fight germs in the air. The disadvantage of an ultrasonic humidifier is that it only requires distilled water or special cartridges for cleaning and softening water, which must be changed regularly.

How to increase humidity with folk remedies

Folk remedies for air humidification will be an excellent help for those who have not yet acquired a special device for regulating the humidity in the room.

1. The most common way is place a wet towel or sheet on the radiator. The fabric heats up and the water begins to evaporate. When the towel is dry, you need to wet it again.
2. If you don't want to go to the bathroom every time the cloth dries, you can place containers of water on the batteries. In this case, you will need to add water every few days.
3. From containers with water placed on pieces of furniture (on cabinets, for example), evaporation occurs slower, but the humidity is still the same rises.
4. Can place a bowl of water near the radiator. The end falls into it bandage, folded in several rows. The other end is located on the battery. The water constantly rises up the bandage and evaporates from the heat.

Helps humidify the air and household little things. Among them:

Reducing indoor humidity

If the humidity level in the apartment is above normal, you can purchase special device, - Air Dryer. It forces humid air through an “evaporator”, where the temperature difference (the temperature in the device is lower than in the room) turns the moisture into condensation. Drops of condensate flow into a special container. The air is heated again and enters the room. Thus, excess moisture disappears from the room.

When purchasing a dehumidifier, the main consideration is its performance, which is calculated in “liters per day.” A household dehumidifier can absorb from 12 to 300 liters of water in 24 hours.

Dehumidifiers can be portable or stationary. Portable can be used in different rooms. Stationary ones are mounted in the wall and cannot be moved. At the same time they have greater productivity.

The advantage of dehumidifiers is their ability to function in cold rooms, since frost formed during operation is removed automatically. When the water tank is full and not emptied promptly the device turns off without the participation of the owner.

IN small room You can reduce humidity by using moisture absorbers. The device includes a special tablet that adsorbs water from the air. It is designed for an area of ​​up to 20 m² on average. The disadvantage of the absorber is that the tablet needs to be changed frequently. The advantage is the absence of noise, compactness and price. The moisture absorber is especially suitable for those who experience humidity as a seasonal phenomenon.

Folk remedies for reducing humidity

Among folk remedies simplest - regular ventilation. The more often it is carried out, the drier the air will become. Even if the humidity outside is higher than at home, when airing the apartment it decreases.

The bathroom and toilet are unventilated areas. For air circulation they are provided hoods. However, they do not always cope with the amount of work. Therefore, it would be useful to install exhaust fan.

with a built-in fan will dry humid air in a small room. The required temperature and humidity level will be maintained by the set air conditioner. Can dry the air well Sun rays through uncurtained windows in the rooms.

The kitchen can also be equipped exhaust systems. They not only help in the fight against humidity, but also remove excess odors.

Sanitary standards and rules for heating are in this material:

Feeling comfortable at home is very important for any person. Quality air in the apartment has a positive effect on the well-being of residents, helps to avoid chronic diseases and allergic reactions to dust or mold. Therefore, it is very important to determine the humidity level in your home and then maintain it at normal levels.

Lately there has been a lot of talk about air humidity in the apartment, normal which ranges from 30% to 60%. Perhaps this is a publicity stunt for humidifier sellers. However, this indicator really affects your well-being. Personally, I thought about this after watching Dr. Komarovsky’s program about children’s immunity.

However, keeping it at these levels is not so easy. In winter, the air dries out due to central heating, in summer the humidity is often high. How to measure air humidity in an apartment and bring it to normal?

First, let's find out why excess or insufficient humidity is harmful to humans. Why, actually bring it back to normal?

Our well-being directly depends on the level of humidity. Excessively dry air dries out our mucous membranes (eyes, respiratory tract, nasopharynx) and can lead to decreased immunity, fatigue, and deterioration of skin condition. And just to discomfort. Excessive humidity is quite capable of causing diseases such as asthma, allergies, and rhinitis.

Children are especially sensitive to changes in humidity. That is why the level of humidity in the children's room must be treated most carefully.

And the room itself “suffers” from a lack or excess of moisture in the air. So, in dry air they very quickly lose their appearance parquet, furniture, etc. wooden surfaces. Cracks may appear and objects may “shrink out.”

Excessive humidity is even more detrimental to your apartment, because it can cause mold and mildew to appear on the walls and especially in corners where air movement is minimal. Food products also deteriorate quickly when exposed to moisture.

Air humidity in the apartment: how to achieve the norm

So, the standard level of air humidity in an apartment, as we have already written, is 30-60%, while the average level - 45% - is the most optimal. The humidity level depends on the moisture concentration outside the room. In winter, this difference is significant due to the heating operation. To measure humidity, use a good old hygrometer (personally, I still have one from my grandparents - 3 in 1: thermometer, hygrometer and barometer).

How to increase air humidity in an apartment

• The easiest way to bring the air humidity in your home back to normal is to use a household humidifier.

Don't discount the height of your room's ceiling when purchasing a humidifier. For example, we have a very high ceiling in the nursery (it is in the nursery that we use a humidifier), so the humidifier can barely cope with maintaining the humidity level. It would be necessary to buy a more powerful one.

• Increase the number of indoor plants. Firstly, they themselves have a positive effect on the air humidity in the apartment (albeit slightly), and secondly, they will become a kind of hygrometer: if the leaves wrinkle and dry out, this is a sign of a lack of moisture in your apartment.

• If you are not a fan of indoor flowers, start an aquarium. Just remember to regularly add evaporating water.
• Everyone knows that it is necessary to ventilate the room not only in summer, but also in winter. There's nothing better than fresh air. However, at the same time, oddly enough, the air humidity in the apartment decreases, since cold air has low humidity. Therefore, when ventilating your apartment in winter, do not neglect the tips for humidifying the air in the apartment.

To prevent the house from cooling down, it is better not to leave the window open for a long time, but rather, open the window wide for 5-7 minutes. During this time, the air will have time to renew itself, and heat loss will be reduced to a minimum.

Do not forget that running household appliances (TV, computer, iron, etc.) dry out the air in the room. To bring air humidity back to normal, try to ventilate these rooms more often or install a humidifier in them.

You can buy an air humidifier at a hardware store, but personally I think it’s easier to do it in an online store. Firstly, it is often significantly cheaper, and secondly, the selection of humidifiers here is simply huge, in contrast to the assortment of a regular store (2-4 models). Well, for example, on the website of a popular online hypermarket there is a page with ultrasonic humidifiers air. Moreover, here each model is presented in several stores and you can compare prices and choose the most profitable one for yourself.

We bought this one for our nursery. Satisfied:) (My impression of him is in the article ““)

How to reduce air humidity in an apartment

• Steam builds up after cooking, washing, bathing or showering. Therefore, these rooms need to be ventilated immediately.
• Drying clothes at home is not advisable. It’s better to do this outdoors or in a spare room, closing the door and opening the window.
• To bring the air humidity in the apartment back to normal, in the summer, do not curtain the windows in damp rooms, let the sun dry them.
• By analogy with an air humidifier, there are special moisture absorbers that contain an absorbent substance that absorbs excess moisture from the air, like a sponge.

And one more important point: working in summer time not only lowers the air temperature in the room, but also dries the air. Even though it is easy to breathe in an air-conditioned room, this does not mean that the humidity is within normal limits. Therefore, it is advisable to use a humidifier in an air-conditioned room.

« Air humidity in the apartment: normal" especially for the Eco-Life website

Recently, interest in humidity has increased. Exist optimal values this parameter and adjustment methods.

One of the air parameters in an apartment is air humidity. This indicator affects a person’s perception of the surrounding temperature. A person’s well-being is directly determined by the level of humidity. Therefore, many people ask the question - what air humidity is considered normal in an apartment?

Concept of the term

The volume of water vapor present in the air mass of a room is called humidity. The parameter changes depending on the season. When winter sets in, the rooms begin to be heated, which leads to warmer air. This in turn affects its dryness.

In the presence of poor heating The air temperature does not rise, and there is more moisture.

The parameter is divided into two types:

• Relative - assumes the ratio of the actual volume of water in the air under certain conditions, expressed as a percentage.
• Absolute - implies the content of 1 gram of water in 1 m3 of air.

Relative humidity in a room is a generally accepted parameter. The level of humidity determines the state of the microclimate.

What causes high and low moisture levels?

A low level can lead to the following problems:

• Reduced elasticity of hair, nails, skin;
• The mucous membrane of the eyes begins to dry, which leads to redness or itching;
• The blood becomes thicker, which affects the general condition of the body (weakness, decreased ability to work, headaches);
• The mucous membranes of the respiratory system begin to dry out, which affects the reduction of immune protective functions;
• An increase in the number of allergens that lead to allergies to humidity and dampness.

Low parameter values ​​lead to increased loss of moisture through the skin and respiratory tract.

If the value becomes high, the following consequences occur:

• The appearance of fungal and mold formations;
• A feeling of dampness in the house;
• The rate of bacterial reproduction increases;
• Rapid spoilage of food.

High or low humidity influence not only human body, but also for interior items. Houseplants can start or begin to rot if there is more or less moisture. Furniture, flooring, and paper items are also affected.

Normalized values

Based on the seasonal period and the purpose of the room, different values ​​are known. The following parameters are typical for a residential premises:

• The minimum air humidity in summer is 30-60%. The level can be maximally increased to 65%. In some areas the norm has been increased to 75% due to increased moisture levels
• The norm in winter is 30-45%. The maximum level allowed is 60%.

For other premises (bathroom, toilet, pantry, corridor) the value of the indicator is not standardized.

The optimal value is considered to be 45%. Normal humidity in a children's room the value corresponds to 50-70%. If a child has ARVI-related illnesses and other infectious diseases, the value should be maintained at least 60%.

Measurement methods

The percentage of humidity can be measured using auxiliary equipment– hygrometer. This device is used by specialists from various laboratories. But they use professional equipment. For your home, you can purchase a hygrometer with a simple operating mechanism (the error of such a device is 3-5%). You can find a thermometer or a clock that comes with a hygrometer. There are other ways to determine this parameter.

Using a glass of water

Comfortable humidity depends on the amount of moisture in the air. The method involves using a glass of water. This glass is cooled in the refrigerator to a temperature of 3-5°C. Usually the required temperature can be reached within 3 hours. Then the glass is placed where there is no temperature difference, i.e. far from the battery. Condensation should form on the walls of the container, which should be monitored. After 5 minutes the following results are possible:

• Drying glass indicates reduced moisture;
• Remaining fogging indicates that an acceptable value is present;
• Streaks of water suggest high water content.

This method does not allow you to find the exact value, but it can indicate an increased or decreased value.

Using a thermometer and Assmann table

This method is based on measuring moisture using a psychrometer device. This device consists of two thermometers. You can make a similar device with your own hands at home by using a regular thermometer to measure air temperature. The air temperature is first measured, then the end of the thermometer is wrapped in a damp cloth. After five minutes, the temperature of the tissue is measured. The value will be lower than usual.

After measurements, you need to use the Assmann table, which displays the relative humidity value based on two temperatures. Find the measured temperature in the table (the vertical column corresponds to the dry bulb readings). After calculating the difference between the dry and wet thermometer values, find the appropriate value on the horizontal line of the table. At the intersection of these quantities is the relative value. It may be close to the value that corresponds to the recommended humidity in the home.

With a fir cone

This method involves using a spruce cone. It should be placed away from heating devices. After a few hours, the lump may change. When the scales are more open, we can talk about the presence of a small amount of moisture. If there is a tight compression of the mold, then there is a lot of moisture.

Change in Humidity Level

Normal air humidity in the apartment should be in the range of 30-65%. Moreover, 65% corresponds to the upper permissible limit. If this range is not observed, you can apply various ways changes in indicators. To increase your performance, you should adhere to the following principles:

• Having an aquarium or fountain will add moisture;
• Minimize the use of heating and air conditioning equipment;
• Purchase moisturizing devices;
• Use a spray bottle to spray water;
• Availability of indoor flowers;
• Performing wet cleaning.

To reduce humidity levels, there are the following rules:

• Ventilate the room regularly;
• Install an exhaust ventilation device;
• Purchase air drying devices;
• The use of heating devices is allowed;
• Do not dry clothes indoors;
• Avoid damage water pipes and plumbers.

In the presence of a sick child, humidity should be increased to 70%. But temperature standards should be controlled. After all, the highest air temperature cannot be more than 24°C.

Symptoms feeling unwell May depend on room humidity. Taking this parameter into account, you can protect the body from many diseases, prevent the appearance of mold, and preserve interior items.