Today’s “off the wall” topic is Humidity.  If you live in the Chicago area you can totally feel me, when I talk about humidity, especially after yesterday’s weather.  For those of you around the country that missed out on the opportunity to experience Chicago’s hot and humid weather yesterday, let me take this opportunity to explain it to you.  Yesterday, when I walked outside, sweat began to pour from my face.  I am not a typical sweater, yet I had more water pouring out of my body then Lake Michigan has water.  Okay slight exaggeration, but you get my drift.

Did you know that if you have a basement, a dehumidifier can be highly beneficial in fighting mold growth in your “damp” areas?  During the summer months, I typically empty my large capacity dehumidifier six times a day.  If I emptied it as soon as it filled up, I would probably even empty it more often.  Can you imagine how much damage this type of weather can do to your finished basement walls?  Try mopping your basement floor, then rushing to get the clothes out of the dryer hours later and sliding across the room, trying desperately to catch your balance before you crash into the wall and your body slowly crumbles to the ground.  We have tile floors in our basement, so believe it or not, it can happen.

Anyhow, humidity may be annoying, but unfortunately if you live in the Midwest, or some areas of the southern region, it’s something that you just can’t get around.  So grab a cup of ice and set it outside and watch it melt, or better yet sit outside with a good book, or your favorite blogger’s website and enjoy your free sauna.  Make the best of it, because unless you’re planning to move, you’ll need to figure out how to deal with it!