How to Protect Your Home from Humidity and Heat
Summer in Georgia means warm sunshine, longer days, and plenty of time spent outside, but it also comes with heat and humidity that can affect your home if you're not prepared.
The good news? With a few simple maintenance tips, you can keep your home comfortable, energy-efficient, and in top shape all season long. From smart cooling strategies to moisture control, here’s how to protect your home from Georgia’s summer heat and humidity.
Seal and Insulate
Window and Door Caulking: Check and reseal around windows, doors, tubs, and showers before summer hits. This keeps moist air from seeping in and triggering mold growth.
Attic and Roof Prep: Ensure your attic and roof system have proper insulation and ventilation. A cooler attic means a cooler home and protects your roofing materials from warping and premature deterioration.
Keep the Air Moving
HVAC Tune-Up: Before the heat hits, schedule a professional inspection. Clean coils, change filters, and ensure your system can handle extra demand. This can help prevent breakdowns and improve efficiency.
Dehumidifiers Are Key: Georgia humidity often exceeds 60%, overworking AC units and fostering mold. A dehumidifier helps keep indoor levels between the ideal 30-50% range.
Cool the Indoors, Stay Stylish
Window Treatments: Use blackout or thermal curtains and blinds to block solar heat. Outdoor shade like awnings or trees can reduce solar gain and cooling costs.
Switch Light Bulbs: Replace incandescent bulbs with LEDs. LEDs release up to 80% less heat, helping your home feel cooler naturally.
Mind the Details
Ceiling Fans Direction: Run ceiling fans counterclockwise to push cool air down. This helps keep you comfortable without overworking the AC.
Upgrade Appliances: Swap old appliances for energy-efficient models. High-efficiency dishwashers, refrigerators, and dryers emit less excess heat into your home and save energy.
Outdoor Maintenance Tasks
Clean Gutters & Downspouts: Summer storms and humidity can clog gutters, which leads to water damage around your home's foundation.
Protect Wood Surfaces: Patio decks, trim, or siding made of wood can swell or crack in summer’s heat. Seal or refinish them regularly and opt for light-colored paints or elastomeric coatings.
Control Humidity at Home
Ventilation Matters: Use exhaust fans when cooking, bathing, or doing laundry to reduce moisture buildup and avoid mold in kitchens and bathrooms.
Watch for Condensation: Condensation on interior window glass is a warning sign of excess moisture. Use a hygrometer to monitor indoor humidity and aim to stay below 50%.
Comfort + Efficiency = Happy Living
Ernest Homes builds smart with comfort and savings in mind. Our homes include LED lighting, spray-foam insulation in the roofline, and energy-efficient TRANE HVAC systems.
Each home is energy-tested and comes with a RESNET HERS score, typically saving homeowners thousands on energy costs compared to conventional builds.
Why Ernest Homes Shine in Georgia’s Climate
Ernest Homes builds with the changing climate in mind. From energy-efficient framing and top-tier insulation to thoughtfully designed living spaces, our homes are ready for Georgia’s heat and humidity. We’re proud to help homeowners stay comfortable year-round and we want you to come see why.
A little preparation goes a long way. By sealing, ventilating, and maintaining your home—and choosing smart upgrades where it counts—you’re not just surviving summer, you’re thriving in it. And when you're ready for a new home built to stand the test of time (and weather), consider exploring the thoughtful design in every Ernest Home.
Ready to learn more? Explore our available homes or visit the Ernest Homes Design Studio to see how we build with comfort, elegance, and Southern resilience in mind.
