As an enjoyable Memorial Day vacation came to a close, my godson decided he wanted a Hermit Crab. Granted, I don't expect Sparky (as he was named) will live to a ripe old age, but one thing I noticed about him was that he, like many other creatures, requires a humid environment to thrive. One way you can go about keeping the humidity around a Hermit Crab (not to be confused with Crab People, Mr. Krabs or a crabby neighbor) up to the ideal 70% is to keep a wet sponge in with it. So while we set about to trying to keep the humidity in Sparky's home at 70%, this much humidity can cause real problems in your home.

_Excess humidity can come from a variety of sources in the home. Many of the everyday tasks we do each day put moisture into the air, including cooking, laundry, and bathing. During the summer months, warm moist air is bound to make it into almost every home, and for many the small amount of dehumidification that a central air conditioning system does can be enough to keep your humidity ideal – less than 50%. In more humid locations, a central air system simply cannot keep up. Besides, they are designed primarily for cooling, much less so for actually removing excess moisture. In instances like these, you can control humidity, dust mites and mold growth with a simple, yet efficient, room dehumidifier.

_Room dehumidifiers generally use refrigerant based technology to cool coils to almost freezing. Then as air passes over them, moisture precipitates out. When air cools, it loses its ability to hold water. The same volume of colder air cannot hold near as much moisture as the same volume of warm or hot air, so the moisture precipitates out in the form of condensate. Before the air leaves the dehumidifier, it passes over the motor. This warms the air before it heads back out into your home looking to suck up more moisture.

_This type of dehumidifier is common mainly because it is so effective, cost efficient, and because there are a variety of sizes and styles available. Danby has long held a top spot in consumer ratings magazines, and offers a great balance between cost and performance. Running this type of dehumidifier not only removes moisture in the air but can keep humidity levels low enough to stop dust mites and inhibit the growth of mold throughout your home, office or apartment.

_To learn more about how excess moisture can impact your health.

_As for Sparky, ‘she’ is doing fine, and I've just learned she's now called Woody…. too much Toy Story for that child.

_Author: KevvyG