WITH many people heading down to the coast this December, they are likely to walk straight into a wetter, heavier start to the holidays.

The early summer weather has arrived with more rain than usual, and KZN’s humidity has kicked up sooner than many expected.

“Anyone who has done a December at the coast knows exactly what I am talking about. You open the door, excited for your break, and the house just feels damp. Clothes stay cool and clammy, the air hangs on your skin, and even your phone or camera can behave strangely in the moisture. It takes the shine off the first few days,” said sales manager at Solenco, Wynand Deyzel.

And it is not only about comfort. Once a closed-up home fills with warm, wet air, it seeps into everything from fabrics, wood, and even the corners you forget to check, causing everything from allergic reactions to spoiled furniture and structural damage.

Also read: Create delicious meals with leftover holiday food

By the time the crowds arrive, many families end up running the aircon far longer than they planned, just trying to make the space feel normal again.

Simple ways to ease the load

• Give your cupboards and bedding room to breathe. Keep cupboard doors open during the day and turn bedding down so moisture does not settle into closed, still air.
• Spread out anything wet. Towels, beachwear, and washing that pile up in one corner stay damp for hours. Space them out so the moisture can escape rather than soak into fabrics and furniture.
• Let your electronics acclimatise. Phones, cameras, and lenses can fog when moved between cold aircon and warm, humid conditions. Leaving them to adjust naturally helps prevent condensation from forming inside the components.
• Watch your aircon use. Running the unit for hours to “dry the air” is expensive and does not actually remove large amounts of moisture. Aircons cool the air, but they draw a lot of electricity when used as a substitute for a dehumidifier.
• Remove the ‘sticky’ feeling with a dehumidifier. Durban’s heat is uncomfortable due to humidity rather than temperature. A dehumidifier does not cool the air, but removes the moisture that makes rooms feel sticky. The same principle works in reverse in places like Cape Town in winter, where the familiar “winter chill” is often caused by high humidity. Lowering the moisture level helps rooms feel warmer without touching the thermostat.
• Help your aircon run more efficiently. When humidity is under control, an aircon does not have to work as hard to reach or maintain a comfortable temperature. That means better performance and lower electricity use, especially during long holiday stays.
• Choose the right dehumidifier for your space. Larger coastal properties often benefit from compact ceiling-mounted systems that stay out of sight and can extract up to 45 litres of moisture per day.

With wetter, stickier weather settling in early this year, air treatment is becoming the difference between a home that looks good and a home that feels good.

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