Can Mold Grow At 60 Percent Humidity In The House?
If you check your hygrometer, and you see that the humidity level reads higher than 50 percent, you may wonder whether mold will grow.
Mold starts to grow when the humidity level is above 55 percent. If you keep the humidity level at home at 30 to 50 percent all the time, this fungus will not grow. If you keep it below 30 percent, the air will be too dry. When maintained above 50 percent for too long, it will be too damp and mold can start to grow.
If the humidity level is too high, mold can start to grow in as less as 24 hours! If it starts to grow in places where you cannot see it and remove it soon, you will put your family at the risk of experiencing mold toxicity symptoms.
So, to answer this: can mold grow at 60 percent humidity? Yes, it can grow, but this will depend on a few things such as the presence of nutrients. Mold feeds on organic materials. The fungus also requires a temperature range of 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit (26.67 °C).
How fast can mold grow at 60 percent humidity?
You now know that mold can certainly grow at 60 percent humidity level. But how soon will it start to grow? In some cases, mold starts to grow in as few as 24 hours.
How fast or slowly the mold will grow usually depends on the temperature, and not the availability of moisture alone.
If you assume that the RH (relative humidity) level is 60 percent, and the temperature is 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21.11 °C), the fungus will grow in about 160 days.
If you are thinking of how fast mold grows outside, if the dew point temperature is 60 degrees Fahrenheit (15.56 °C), it will grow sooner.
When the indoor temperature is maintained at 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21.11 °C), the mold might not grow even if the humidity level is 60 percent.
However, does not mean that the mold dies. It stays dormant and as soon as the conditions are right, it starts to grow again. Remember, floating mold spores cause mold exposure symptoms in babies and grownups alike.
Can mold grow at 60 percent humidity in the house and for how long?
Mold will grow in the house if the humidity level is above 55 percent. Always check your humidifier for mold symptoms.
If the humidity stays at 60 percent for too long, mold will grow. However, if the RH level stays at below 60 percent, the fungus will not grow.
First, you need to remember that mold only grows where it has the right temperature, there is moisture and other conditions. Mostly, it will thrive in temperatures of between 77 degrees Fahrenheit (25 degree Celsius) and 86 degrees Fahrenheit (30 degree Celsius).
The human body is also comfortable at this temperature. If you would like to feel comfortable and prevent mold growth at the same time, keep the humidity below 50 percent. At 45 percent, the fungus will not grow even if the temperature is right.
When the indoor temperature is 75 degrees Fahrenheit (23.89 °C), the dew point temperature is 75 degrees Fahrenheit (23.89 °C), and the humidity is 60 percent, there is no risk of mold growing.
I guess what we are trying to say here is that for mold to grow in your indoor space, the dew point temperature should be above 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21.11 °C). If it is lower than that, the risk of the fungus growing is very low.
What is the best humidity level to prevent mold growth?
The humidity level is not the only thing to worry about when it comes to the prevention of mold growth in your house.
You also have to think about the temperature. Of course, warmer air will hold more moisture, so in the cold season, check that temperature.
If the indoor temperature is between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit (26.67 °C), the mold will grow, if humidity level is at 60 percent or higher.
As we mentioned earlier, this is also the right temperature for comfort. Therefore, the only option is to maintain the humidity level at less than 50 percent.
If the indoor humidity stays at less than 50 percent, mold is not going to grow even if the temperature is high.
If you have to use a humidifier all the time, you might want to get a more advanced humidifier. You will need one with a built-in humidistat, such as the Honeywell Tower Humidifier that you can order on Amazon.com. It switches off as soon as the set humidity level is reached.
Other units such as Levoit Humidifiers do not have built-in humidistats, so they only switch off after the tank runs empty.
As long as there is water in the tank, the unit will keep pumping more mist into the air. That is how most such humidifiers can make mold grow in your home.
At what humidity does black mold grow in the house?
Black mold is sinister. Thus, you want to make sure it never grows in your indoor spaces if you can help it.
As long as you keep the indoor RH level below 50 percent, the mold is not going to grow. It will not grow as long as the humidity level is below 55 percent. But for good measure, lower the humidity below 50 percent.
If you are wondering whether keeping the RH below 50 percent is good for the human body, it is. After all, it still falls within the recommended RH range of 30 to 50 percent.
If you are exposed to RH levels higher than 50 percent, you might start to experience the effects of high humidity on the body, especially since the air is warmer inside the house.
Outside the house, this would not be a problem at all.
Conclusion
It is true, mold can grow at 60 percent humidity level, but that is not all, as it needs the right temperature too.
For your comfort, you need to keep the room temperature at 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit (26.67 °C), but this is also the temperature at which the black mold in the house grows.
But the good thing is that the mold will not grow if the humidity level is kept below 50 percent. Therefore, keep the right temperature and maintain a humidity level of about 45 percent.
Remember, the outdoor humidity can affect the indoor humidity, so keep the windows and doors closed.
Above all, keep an eye on the hygrometer to monitor the humidity level. If it goes above 55 percent, there is a danger that mold could start to develop.
Also remember to check my posts on:
Air purifier or dehumidifier for musty smell
Can mold cause sinus infection
Is Air Purifier Good For Mold?
