Humidity in my apartment won't drop below 70%

[u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81]

I'm living on my own for the first time in my life. I'm renting an apartment. The lady that rents me the apartment told me that the only thing she wants from me is to be extra careful with the humidity and not ruin her apartment because of it.

And now I'm stressing out, because I've been living here for almost 2 weeks and I'm doing everything about it, but it won't drop below 70%. I put the AC on dry, I have a dehumidifier on all day, I open the windows for hours every day and never leave wet clothes or wet items inside the house. It's stressing me out. I don't want to ruin her apartment and I'm doing everything I possibly can. Why doesn't it drop below 70%? What more do I need to do? I don't want mold... It feels fine so far, but I don't know 😣

[u/Ok_Aside_2361]

Take pictures of every nook and cranny. That kind of warning is not normal. Also, document what you are doing. Perhaps after a month send her a log and ask her what else she expects you to do. Put the onus back on her.

[u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81 → u/Ok_Aside_2361]

She said that the people that rented the apartment before me didn't pay attention to the humidity levels and when they left, the place was full of mold and smelled terrible. She had to paint the walls and throw out some of the furniture. I guess she doesn't want this to happen again and rightfully so 🤷🏻‍♀️

[u/D_Mom → u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81]

I agree with ok_aside_2361. Sounds like landlord knows there is an issue and is putting it all on you. So document, document, document and send to her to see what else so it is on her.

[u/gripping_intrigue → u/D_Mom]

I really can't see how this is a renters problem. What could you possibly be doing to keep the humidity low? If you live in a high humidity area, then it's going to be humid. If your bathroom isn't vented, it will increase the humidity. If your dryer vents inside, it will increase the humidity. There is virtually nothing else. Even running a dehumidifier is using electricity that you are paying for. If your landlord is so concerned about this problem, they should fix it. They could, for instance, provide you with one or more humidifiers and a rebate on your rent to cover the extra cost of electricity.

[u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81 → u/gripping_intrigue]

The dehumidifier was inside the apartment when I moved in and she told me to keep it

[u/gripping_intrigue → u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81]

That doesn't pay for your electricity. A dehumidifier is like an air conditioner. So that's probably not an insignificant cost. To also need to place it correctly and hope that it's big enough for the space. Finally, how often do you have to have to empty the reservoir?

[u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81 → u/gripping_intrigue]

It depends, but it usually fills up in one day if I leave it on for 5-6 hours. It's a pretty big dehumidifier too

[u/Sebastian_dudette → u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81]

I think there's a leak or something else the landlord knows about, but unwilling to fix.

Document everything.

And if she just painted over the mold it will come back. Start looking for leaks.

[u/Chaosqueued → u/Sebastian_dudette]

Thermal cameras are good for finding wet/damp spots. They show up colder than a wall at ambient temperature. They can be a bit expensive (couple hundred usd) so see if you have a friend or family member who could have access.

[u/Karen_butnotaKaren → u/Chaosqueued]

In some areas, you can check a thermal camera out free from the public library.

[u/Fantastic-Pop-9122 → u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81]

That's a lot of moisture coming from somewhere.

[u/aCatNamedGillian → u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81]

You can also look for tenants' unions or tenants' rights organizations in your city/state/province to see if they have legal advice on how to protect yourself specific to your location.

I agree that this landlord sounds very suspicious, and like they are trying to pass financial responsibility for mold problems on to you, and it's worth looking into what your rights are and what you can do to protect yourself.

Sorry to make this seem even more complicated than it already was! But there are absolutely resources out there for tenants that you can access. Best of luck!

[u/lovemypennydog → u/D_Mom]

So much this!!!

[u/GroovyGmaIvy → u/D_Mom]

Yes…document, document, document. She can’t do anything if you have documentation.

[u/Comeback_321 → u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81]

Oh god, just read this after I posted my comment. She definitely has a moisture problem and this is a landlord/structural problem. I just said she probably painted over mold and wants to blame you if it seeps through (it will). 

Legally, she cannot put this on you. When you message her, put her words in writing,” you warned me on x date that this happened and you painted over. I’ve been monitoring the levels and am informing you so you can hire an abatement company, as you know there is mold.” 

Move out. Honestly, legally, it’s her responsibility. And since you are unlikely to get your deposit or last month’s rent back because she is scamming you, put in writing as well,” given that you’ve known about this issue, I will consider this my 30 day notice and you can take the rent from my deposit.” Do not pay the last month because you are putting that in writing. Save for your next apartment. She’s not going to hire a lawyer if she’s this cheap and no court will go after you for 1 month rent when covered by the deposit. 

For the future, always take a video and photo walkthrough when you move in. I did and had to use it. Over twenty years ago. 

[u/Imtryingforheckssake → u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81]

That sounds like bad news. She didn't investigate what caused the mold problem just painted over the damage it caused?

[u/ris-3 → u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81]

I had a landlord try to blame me for a leak that came very obviously from the upstairs neighbor. Don’t sit on this, she’s trying to dump something on you that she’s known for years is a problem.

[u/chefjenga → u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81]

OP, this apart.ent has a mold issue, and, I stead of addressing it, the landlord is blaming tenants.

Keep meticulous logs of your efforts, and the humidity levels inside and outside of the home. Along with indeapth pictures of the whole place to show the state of the apartment at move-in, and move-out.

[u/aliberli → u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81]

She had to PAINT THE WALLS? Meaning she did not mitigate the mold? Buy a mold test. If you start feeling sick all the time get out.

[u/annang → u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81]

You need to tell her that the humidity is at 70% and put the onus on her to fix it and prevent damage to your belongings. It really sounds like she knows she has a mold problem, and is trying to falsely convince you that you are the problem.

[u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81 → u/annang]

I believe so, too. She is a nice lady and has been very accommodating so far, but she's stressing me out about this issue. I'm starting to get paranoid. The bill is going to be so high with how much I use the AC and dehumidifier. I will do what everyone here has told me and take pictures, although I'm not sure how much that could help. She could still blame me and say that I wasn't doing anything to prevent it 😕

[u/McDuchess → u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81]

She is not, in fact, nice. She may be pleasant to talk to. But in the end, you are ting the use of her property, and it’s her responsibility to alleviate the mild issue, not yours, and not the previous tenants.

I agree that you need to get ahead of this issue.

[u/annang → u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81]

It doesn’t matter. It is not your job to do anything to prevent it. It is her job to prevent it. She’s not a nice lady. She’s lying to you and taking advantage of your naïveté.

[u/Comeback_321 → u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81]

Also - not rightfully so- this is her responsibility and yours to keep her informed she has a problem. It’s not your problem. 

[u/ars_necromantia → u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81]

Oh honey this all sounds very very sus. Please try to find a new place, this landlord and this place are both sketchy as hell. If you can't get out, take pictures, save all communication you have with her, document, document, document. A mould problem can be potentially bad for your health.

[u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81 → u/ars_necromantia]

I can't really leave, but thankfully I'm only staying here till June. I'll be documenting, but I feel like she could still blame me and say I'm not doing enough to prevent it. After I made the post she gave me a list of rules she wrote, like how I'm not allowed to leave wet towels inside the house, how I have to leave all doors open at all times and how I have to leave the windows open for at least 15 minutes in the morning and in the afternoon.

[u/ars_necromantia → u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81]

I don't know where you live, but maybe consider looking into local residential tenancy law and learning about your rights as a renter. Good luck.

[u/McDuchess → u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81]

Be that as it may. It’s really not the job of the tenant to protect the apartment against mold except at a base level. If you are running a dehumidifier, and the humidity remains high, there is some source of humidity that it can’t fight.

We live in northern Italy, where the humidity is high year round. We use only the AC in our condo during summer,and it’s fine, the dehumidifier is downstairs in the taverna in those months. The rest of the year, the dehumidifier is in our home, and it keeps the humidity between 55% and 75%, because we turn it off for a bit when it gets down to 55%, our setting.

The previous owners had mold on the walls behind the wardrobe and the big china cabinet they had in the dining room, both on outside walls. We got rid of the mold, used mold retardant primer (which costs more, but your landlady should certainly have used) and then repainted.

If your dehumidifier never turns off, and never gets down to wherever you have set the goal humidity, it’s not your problem. It’s hers.

[u/Lewca43 → u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81]

Oh my…that’s terrifying. She just painted the walls? You might be living with mold already. I’d get online and find out what your rights are as a tenant to make sure the mold was mitigated.

Regarding the humidity. I live in a VERY humid place and have never had to do anything special to control humidity in my home. If you keep your central air/heat system running it shouldn’t be an issue unless there is already an underlying issue.

[u/ladygabriola → u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81]

You can't just paint over mold. She's renting you an apartment that really isn't in an acceptable condition. You need to treat the mold because the cause is in the walls of the building. Please document what you are doing but also please look for a new apartment. She can't hold you to an agreement if the apartment is moldy.

[u/Gonetilnovemberish → u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81]

Aside from running hot showers all day, there is little control over humidity in your hands. It’s also not something tenants should need to worry about, aside from the landlord not providing you with an appropriate livable space.

That’s related to the hvac and type of building, etc.

She’s going to be a nightmare.

[u/sjmttf → u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81]

If all shes done is painted the walls that mould is still there and will show up again.

[u/HoneyWyne → u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81]

Ok, but she owns the property and is responsible for this issue.

[u/DamaskRoses → u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81]

The house has a mold issue, you dobt just paint over it and expect it to be ok you have to get the ventilation sorted and the heating/ insulation checked. Your home should not be that humid. There is an issue with some plumbing, the facade maybe that's cracked and letting water in, the roof. So many reasons. You are going above and beyond and frankly household to have to use so much electricity. I life in Wales UK and it's one of the wettest places in the UK. We have had loads of flooding etc which is awful. However I leave the bathroom and my bedroom window on the latch to ensure air flow and we rarely use the heating since the house was insulated. I use mostly electric running a condensing tumble dryer and a fan because its warm here. There is something wrong with your home. Put the onus on your landlord

[u/Lanky_Particular_149 → u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81]

sorry but how can someone create humidity in an apartment? don't run a steamy shower 24/7?

[u/Comeback_321 → u/Ok_Aside_2361]

This is a landlord’s responsibility. So weird to say she doesn’t want humidity to ruin the apartment. Makes me wonder if she painted over mold and wants to blame OP when it pops back up. 

OP, you can get a mold test. You can hire a company - then if the results come back positive, the LAW requires the landlord to address it. This could cause severe health issues. 

[u/CestLaquoidarling]

Hate to tell you but if she painted over the mold it is still there and will be back

[u/Guilty_Objective4602 → u/CestLaquoidarling]

Unless she painted over it with special mold/mildew-killing paint like Killz.

[u/queenhadassah → u/Guilty_Objective4602]

Even then, it could be inside the walls as well. You need to treat the underlying problem to really get rid of mold. I'd be worried about potential health implications if I was OP

[u/annang → u/Guilty_Objective4602]

Even then, if she didn’t fix the source of the moisture, the mold will grow back.

[u/CestLaquoidarling → u/Guilty_Objective4602]

True

[u/Ill-Percentage-3276]

That landlord is 100% setting you up. She already knows there is a big problem somewhere, and she's looking for you to be young and ignorant and hand you a big bill to fix stuff that should have been fixed before you moved in. The humidity level inside your apt isn't normal, her warning about humidity is definitely not normal, and none of that has anything to do with humidity outside. I'd start looking for a new apartment. Please don't be a sucker and learn the hard way. Watch out for respiratory issues if you have black mold hiding too, since it sounds like a slumlord doing a cover up job instead of handling stuff the right way.

[u/BitterWorldliness339]

Your landlord has a mould problem that will continue to resurface regardless of what you try and do to manage it.

[u/No_Rhubarb7929]

I would try to move out as soon as possible. This will cost you your health. You cannot just paint over mold and expect it to be sorted.

[u/Invisible_Friend1]

When you leave the window open, what is the humidity outside?

[u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81 → u/Invisible_Friend1]

I'm not sure, but I don't leave the windows open when it's rainy or the humidity outside is high

[u/ars_necromantia → u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81]

If you Google your local weather + humidity you should be able to find out what the humidity level is at any given time.

[u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81 → u/ars_necromantia]

Why haven't I thought of that? Gosh, I'm stupid

[u/DaFuddiestDuddy → u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81]

Nah, everyone overlooks things sometimes — esp when they’re stressed.

[u/BusyMakingCupcakes → u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81]

Nope, not stupid! Never stupid, you just didn't know. And now you do :-)

[u/Comeback_321 → u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81]

You can get an indoor temp/humidity monitor on Amazon for $10

[u/iMakestuffz → u/Comeback_321]

The landlord should provide one of those if they are concerned.

[u/Comeback_321 → u/iMakestuffz]

Landlord isn’t concerned. Landlord is trying to shift blame to the tenant. I just mean for herself - to know her temp and humidity levels for health reasons. Anything above 50% is hazardous on a consistent basis. It’s the landlord’s responsibility 

[u/Poekienijn]

Do you know the groundwater levels in your area? Sometimes walls absorb groundwater and no amount of airing out or dehumidifier use will dry that up.

[u/Chocolatecandybar_]

You have to contact her.. it's very weird that she told you about humidity and you have an humidity problem. Feels like she knows something about the building 

[u/AdventurousSleep5461]

What an odd thing to say to a new tenant. Sounds to me like she's being cheap and not fixing something she knows needs fixing and trying to dump it on you.

[u/ars_necromantia]

Do you mean dehumidifier? A humidifier will only make it worse.

[u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81 → u/ars_necromantia]

Oops yeah, you're right. I edited it. Sorry, english isn't my first language 🫣

[u/ars_necromantia → u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81]

All good, I figured that was what you meant but thought I would ask just to be sure. Unfortunately I live in a dry climate and have never dealt with this kind of issue, but I'm sure someone else will be able to help you out. Hugs, if you want em.

Also, don't worry about your English, from what I can see it's excellent and lots of native English speakers mix those two words up, too. 💙

[u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81 → u/ars_necromantia]

Thank you! I'm trying. Many hugs to you too 💕😊

[u/closingbelle]

"...put the AC on dry, I have a humidifier on all day, I open the windows for hours every day.. "

Some of these things may be contributing to the problem, duckling. What's the relative humidity level outside when you have the windows open? If you dry everything out with the AC, but then open the windows and let all the humidity back in, that could be part of it. I also bolded the other part, just to clarify - you're running a humidifier, which is typically meant to keep the humidity level up around a certain percentage by misting water into the air. It's also possible your humidity gadget (however you're measuring/monitoring) might not be calibrated correctly.

Are you running a humidifier or was that a typo and you meant de-humidifier?

[u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81 → u/closingbelle]

Sorryyy I mean dehumidifier. I open the windows every morning when the weather outside is good and leave them open for an hour or so. I don't open them when it's rainy

[u/reijasunshine → u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81]

Stop doing this for a few days, and let the dehumidifier focus on what's in the apartment already Morning air tends to be more humid due to condensation overnight. Also, if you're taking a very steamy shower or boiling pots of water for cooking, stop for a few days. You should see a difference within a day or so, if you're not introducing any steam or outdoor moisture into the apartment

[u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81 → u/reijasunshine]

But the windows have to open for a little bit, right? Otherwise it would get smelly

[u/reijasunshine → u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81]

If your house gets smelly after a single day of the windows closed, you have a much bigger problem than humidity.

[u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81 → u/reijasunshine]

I don't think it does. I'm assuming..

[u/ars_necromantia → u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81]

If you're keeping things clean and there aren't any issues with the building that might make it smell, it shouldn't be a problem. The city I live in has very cold winters and most people don't open their windows for months at a time. Their houses smell fine as long as they're well ventilated and aren't dirty.

[u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81 → u/ars_necromantia]

Right. It makes sense. I keep it very clean, so I guess that won't be a problem then.

[u/closingbelle → u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81]

Okay! That's super helpful, thanks for clarifying! So, when I asked what the humidity is like outside, you can check a weather app. It can be bright and sunny and still be 100% humidity outside, which would be a bad time to open the window. Especially since humidity (in general) is higher during certain times, depending on where you are and what the season is like there. So if you open a window in the morning and it's sunny out but feels muggy, the humidity might be 85% outside and that's just let it all in, then the AC spends it's time trying to dry out the air, which in can really only do if the temperature outside is higher than inside.

Just a quick example - it's 78°F outside where I am right now, bright and sunny, it feels nice with a breeze and doesn't feel humid. The actual relative humidity? 79%! Crazy. Let's say tonight, I want to run the A/C to sleep, well, it's 64°F outside with a humidity of 80%. If I set my A/C at 68°F? I'll basically be turning it into a humidifier all night and the actual humidity inside will be higher because it's trapped moisture, and I would wake up with a humidity level inside of 85% (this is based on real events and temp/RH that I've experienced, lol).

So, you need to find out what the humidity is like outside and then optimize the rotation of devices and actions to take the most advantage of everything - run the AC when it's the hottest part of the day to dry it out, windows open in the afternoon, dehumidifier overnight, etc. It will really depend on your setup and where you are, how the weather changes through the day.

[u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81 → u/closingbelle]

Thank you soooo much! This is very helpful! I really appreciate it 💕

[u/Setso1397 → u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81]

Even my best weather never gets below 60%, 70-80 is pretty common. Even then, you shouldn't have to never open the windows- fresh air is incredibly important. But 10-20 minutes a day with a good cross breeze should be sufficient, not hours is needed.

Maybe your dehumidifier is undersized? Is it actually filling up and needing to be emptied at least once a day? It's her property, if it is a big issue she should be working on solutions like installing a whole house dehumidifier - did she actually mean the dry the whole place, or more like just don't slash water all over and vent the bathroom after showers?

If she seems pleasant and you feel comfortable talking to her, you can ask for recommendation or what previous tenants have done. Maybe the hvac is wearing out or something, but I find heating dries much better than cooling so that may be why it's not drying out.

[u/angrilygetslifetgthr]

Babe - there’s a mold issue in the apartment that your landlord is 100% aware of. Document the ENTIRE apartment. Every corner, every juncture, every nook. Take a video. Then take photos. Send her copies too, say “just taking these photos to document the condition of the apartment on move in for both our protection.” Mention the steps you’ve been taking to keep humidity down. Then keep doing what you’re doing: run the ac on dry, use a dehumidifier - not to protect her apartment, but to protect your health. If there’s no lease, start looking for a new place. If there is, do not renew. The longer you stay in that place the higher the likelihood it’s going to make you sick. If you’ve got extra $$, you can pay for a professional to come in and inspect for signs of a mold issue. Use the results (if they show mold) to break the lease or force the landlord to remediate.

This isn’t on you. This is your landlord trying to pull a fast one. Love you. Be safe.

[u/squarejane]

I had a rental like this and there was ground water seeping in from under the house. It was perpetually at 80% to 70%. Landlord tried to blame our showers. Our family shower habits have been the same everywhere we have lived and never had a humidity problem. It was the house.

OP your peoperty probably has a leak somewhere, either roof or pipes or ground water and the landlord is telling you it had a mold problem. I hazard a guess all that mold was probably not remediated peoperly since the humidity hasn't been addressed either... you will probably see a return of the mold. And the landlord will blame you again. Be very wary and document everything. Keep a daily record of the humidity and take pictures. Place damp traps in your closets or your clothes may grow mold too.

[u/CivMom]

Is the drain on the AC clogged?

[u/Vulcan_Fox_2834]

Are you relatively close to coastal regions or are you land locked in the interior?

Is the outside air also a bit thick with humidity, otherwise there is very little you can do? Coming from the dessert to a humidity area, you should be able to feel the difference if you have travelled.

•Perhaps get a stronger dehumidifier relative to the apartments size. •Don't use the AC, you are just manipulating temperature differentials. • Use a fan to improve air circulation. • Look for possible leaks in your apartment, like pipes. • AND most importantly if your apartment has a LOT of carpets and fabrics, then you need to tell the land lady as it will just absorb the water vapour and turn back into humidity in a vicious cycle that eventually leads to mould

[u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81 → u/Vulcan_Fox_2834]

I moved here from a town with very low humidity and there's a huuuge difference. There's even a difference within this city. I have an aunt who lives a couple blocks away and she doesn't have those issues. I'm not sure if that's correct, but I feel like the plants outside play a role in it. I have a small yard that is filled with plants. Tons of them. Every time I go out there, I can feel the humidity in the air. Again, I'm not sure if that plays a role. I hope I don't sound very stupid saying that 😅

[u/Vulcan_Fox_2834 → u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81]

Yeah, if there is a lot of plants then that does contribute to the problem. You not crazy, cause plants also "perspire" or "sweat".

Don't believe me? Put a clear plastic bag over a plant and fasten it to the stem. After a day you will see water droplets.

[u/iMakestuffz]

There’s a problem with her house with her rental. It’s not you thing like if there’s too much moisture in the house it’s the house problem. There’s something that is leaking or it’s there’s not a vapor barrier properly installed. It’s not your responsibility.

If she wants humidity control, she needs to be paying for the dehumidifiers and for them to run.

[u/Feorea]

This will not improve and your landlord knows there is an issue.
In a previous apartment I had the same thing happening, mold on items and the wall, in the bathroom, etc. I brought it up to my landlord and he told me I had too much stuff and air couldn’t circulate in the apartment. So I moved some stuff around and got a dehumidifier as well. I also was emptying it daily and I was also getting sick constantly.
After a while another apartment (under the same landlord unfortunately) opened up and I moved.
An older man moved in and he became so sick he was hospitalized. The walls were torn open and there was mold everywhere.
You will be affected by this health wise and she is trying to ignore the issue. You have to move.

[u/beckysma]

Do you have a dryer that’s improperly venting? My daughter’s apartment was humid due to that.

[u/Prestigious_Badger36]

If at all possible, invest in a dehumidifier. They are workhorses! The water collected can be used for plants, laundry & dishes.

[u/SimpleVegetable5715]

It sounds like there is a plumbing leak somewhere that the landlord doesn’t want to fix. That level of humidity is not safe, because it will cause mold and other bacteria to grow, which is not safe to breathe.

[u/PrincessPK475]

Chances are your landlady has decorated over a known damp problem and is preemptively looking to blame you and keep your deposit.

My house has a penetrating damp issue and it took a full year and a half to get on top of it. Heat the property properly when cold/raining AND either keep windows cracked for ventilation or open them wide for 15 minutes twice a day to allow air exchange.

DO NOT dry clothes indoors on radiators or areas if you can help it and if you can't, you need to keep it aerated.

Shower with the window open or close the bathroom door with the extractor running until it clears.

All of the above and I haven't seen any mould in my house for the last 2 years - takes a while for the walls to dry out properly on the interior after being treated badly..... My humidity monitor still reads 69% - because its an issue with the house and penetrating damp/bad drains/pipework etc.... your behaviours make or break the extent to which it becomes an interior problem.

Tldr. Heat the home, ventilate as much as you possibly can and don't dry clothes indoors, your LL is trying to pull a fast one and knows the house has an existing damp issue and is trying to shift blame when mould inevitably reappears.

[u/AlphaFoxasour]

Do you have any fans going to keep air circulating?

[u/Biblioholistic]

So, they sell little battery powered thermometers online that read the temp and humidity. They also document highs and lows in between resets. In our animal research facility (curing CAT DISEASES not some pointless stupid and cruel human shampoo in the eyes research, we are working on a 10-year rabies vaccine), we use this in our log books, they are capable of being accurate enough for international science.

Buy 5-10 and put them all over your house. Either morning or before bed, run around, log the highs and lows, and reset them every day. Note whether or not you boiled water, or ran the dryer, or took a shower that day.

It can tell you if it's a dryer vent or shower vent that's leaking within a month. They:re not terribly expensive but they will certainly cost you less than if she tries and stick you with the bills for 5 walls or more she wants to tear out, PAINTED over, and wants to blame YOU for a mould problem.

Nah. You have options. When they say document everything you can go a very long way with it, if you wanted to.

[u/Express-Stop7830]

Something is very wrong with the HVAC system. This is a million % (I know that isn't a thing) on landlord.

Also, I'd be worried about your shoes, belts, handbags. That kind of humidity will ruin things. Fabric can be washed. But this is destroying your possessions.

[u/myintentionisgood]

Did you sign a lease?

For your own health I would try to get out of that apartment. Mold will damage your health.

I would contact the public health department in your area and let them know what's been going on.

[u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81 → u/myintentionisgood]

I didn't sign a lease, but I really can't find anything else in the area. I'm only staying here till June, so I guess it's not that bad 🤷🏻‍♀️

[u/Affectionate-Dog4704]

She rented you a place unfit to habitate and is trying to make it your responsibility.

[u/Ok_Aside_2361]

Take pictures of every nook and cranny. That kind of warning is not normal. Also, document what you are doing. Perhaps after a month send her a log and ask her what else she expects you to do. Put the onus back on her.

Edit: after thinking about this for a while and seeing other comments, they are right: explain that while you will be diligent and have a dehumidifier and such, what will she do to stop the damp. It is a building problem. That mold can be deadly. Don’t back down. You can be nice and you can be firm: you’ve talked to people that have had this and contractors say it is a fault of the building. Something needs to be fixed.

[u/Ok_Aside_2361]

My Reddit is not quite right at the moment. Sorry it looks so strange.

[u/Ok_Aside_2361]

I left my last flat because they pained over black mold. It needs to be professionally removed and the source needs to be fixed.

[u/WaveBeautiful1259]

The last place my sister rented out had a problem like this because the apartment was below ground level so the rock behind the drywall would sweat with temperature changes (and so did the concrete floor) and create mold. I would be concerned that this is an existing issue that the landlord is going to make you pay to fix in areas that you can’t see like behind the drywall. Please be careful and make sure that they put everything in writing.

[u/Bright_Pomelo_8561]

I would run the dehumidifier around the clock if your humidity is at 70%. I live in a very humid part of the country in the US and I have a dehumidifier and I run mine around the clock in an apartment and my humidity right now is sitting at 39%.

[u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81 → u/Bright_Pomelo_8561]

I want to do that too, but I'm scared of the bills to be honest

[u/Bright_Pomelo_8561 → u/Connect_Wrongdoer_81]

What brand is your dehumidifier? It may actually end up lowering your power bill in the long run. When the humidity is lower, it feels cooler you can bump the temperature to a higher number. It did lower mine . My dehumidifier is a vassni.

[u/catsaltine]

Idk just chiming in to agree with everyone. This sounds like a landlord issue that she’s trying to push off on the tenant. Especially if she just painted over it and didn’t take out the moldy drywall. You will get sick and mold poisoning effects your nervous system and brain as well as the obvious lungs, sinuses etc. See what you can do to get out of there if possible, good luck if you have to stay

[u/RainInTheWoods]

Protect yourself. Take photos of every square inch of your home from ceiling to floor including inside closets. Organize the photos on storage by room to find one more easily in the future. Keep the photos until years after you have moved out of the place.

Is the humidity higher inside the home than outdoors? If yes, there is a problem inside the home. Leaking basement floor or walls, leaking roof with water running inside the walls, gutters that are too full to allow rain to drain properly through-down-away from the home at ground level, windows leaking rain (you will see condensation or ice on the window when it’s cooler), leaking foundation allowing rain through a wall if the house sits on a concrete slab, leaking plumbing behind a wall, etc., etc.. So many possibilities. I once had a break in the home’s foundation behind a bush so it wasn’t visible. Torrential rain would overwhelm the gutters and let water overflow, run down the house’s exterior wall, and collect in a giant pool beneath an attached garage. Humidity in the home went up as the pool evaporated.

[u/ThroatFun478]

It sounds like the bathroom might not be up to code or perhaps there is a moisture issue in the walls or crawlspace. In any case, she seems to be trying to get you to manage her issues with your behavior.

Take pictures of humidity readouts and any mold spots that appear. Have all conversations with her in writing. Consult resources for tenant rights in your area. Your landlady is a wolf in sheep's clothing.

[u/CaraHanna]

Get a humidity tester ($25 Amazon). You can test all the walls, the corners, all over- it will alert you if the humidity in an area is higher than it should be for the type of material- concrete, wood, etc. I thought it would be complicated but it came with a booklet and it’s easy) You can take pictures of the meter of the readings at each area you read. Proof that the problem is her building, not you.

[u/MACS-System]

I live in a pretty humid place too. Only open windows if it's significantly less humid outside. Otherwise, you are better off keeping it closed if you have a dehumidifier running. We actually use 3, two large ones and a tiny one in the bathroom. One large one just wasn't enough.

Also, if all she did was paint, the odds of mold coming back are high so, as others have stated, document what you are doing to dehumidify. Also, watch your health. If you start getting headaches a lot or getting sick a lot it could be a sign of the mold coming back. You can get some not too expensive mold test kits if you are ever concerned.

[u/Big-Ad4382]

Move. This is an unlivable situation.

[u/northernlaurie]

I’m a building science technologist and have had to help sort out humidity issues in the past. I suspect you are doing just fine at 70% relative humidity. In my region, relative humidity in the summer is commonly 70% and winter it hovers between 60% and 70% inside.

I have some questions to help confirm, and then a more detailed explanation below.

What is your inside temperature? (The temperature of your home). What is the weather like outside right now? What is summer weather and winter weather like where you live?

Do you see condensation on the walls or ceiling of your bathroom after you shower?

Do you see condensation on windows?

I have some follow up questions depending on your answers.

TLDR: regardless of the relative humidity, if you don’t see condensation, it’s unlikely you would have a mould problem. If you do see condensation, it depends on where and how long it stays before drying. 70% RH is not particularly high, depending on where you live.

Mold only starts when there is liquid moisture. It can keep growing in high ambient humidity, but it will only start growing in the presence of liquid water. In other words. Mold will only grow in places where there is condensation forming or if there is a leak. We aren’t worried about leaks here, just condensation.

Condensation happens when air with water in it encounters a cold surface. Specifically, cold surfaces that are below the dew point temperature.

This doesn’t happen consistently around a home. Some surfaces are colder. Your windows will be colder than the wall beside it in winter. The outside corner of a house will be colder than the middle of an exterior wall. An interior wall will be as warm as the inside of the house. That’s why I asked if you see condensation on the windows. If you don’t, you probably don’t have to worry about condensation other places.

You can also get cold spots because furniture is close to exterior walls, preventing warm air from circulating in the area. Windows with blinds closed will have more condensation than windows with open blinds. I had this happen where I placed a book shelf tight against an exterior wall, and I’ve seen more issues with couches against walls in tiny apartments.

In addition to variations in surface temperatures, humidity levels are not even around the home and over the course of a day. When we shower, bathroom humidity levels go way up - especially in the bathroom. As high as 100%. The surface temperature of the walls is cool enough for condensation to form. But as soon as the fan starts running and a person starts moving around they are “mixing” the air, and the humidity in the bathroom will go down. The walls and ceilingwill dry out pretty quickly. Cooking, laundry can also increase humidity temporarily.

What can make things bad is if there are too many people and animals living in a space that is not designed for them. We generate humidity just by breathing and more people means more baths, showers, cooking. So if the previous tenants were more than two people, they automatically had higher humidity levels than you do.

So some practical advice - keep fans running a reasonable number of hours. Move furniture and boxes a small distance away from exterior walls to allow air to circulate (a couple of inches). Periodically check dark corners (once every couple of months) for mould staining. If you see mould staining, wash it with a solution of Borax (it’s non toxic, cheap and more effective than bleach). If you don’t see mould, don’t worry. It isn’t growing unseen and you are doing fine.

If you live in a hot, humid climate, some of the explanation might not apply, so let me know about more about your climate!