Warning: My humidity sensor gave a false reading and now my studio smells like mold

Honestly, I was so careful about everything else in my backyard studio build in Portland. I installed a basic humidity sensor from Amazon and thought I was golden. Two weeks ago I went in there and it smelled musty, like old wet cardboard. I checked the sensor and it was reading 45%, which seems fine. But I grabbed a cheap analog hygrometer from the hardware store and that thing read 68%. Turns out my digital sensor was stuck on a wrong reading because the battery was low. I had to tear out a section of drywall near the corner where moisture was building up behind my desk. Has anyone else had a sensor go bad on them like that? What do you use for tracking moisture in your space?

2 comments

2 Comments

troy_butler71d ago

Dang, that's a rough way to learn about low battery warnings.

fiona_nelson5117h ago

I bought three of those Govee Bluetooth sensors after my first basic one let me down in my basement studio in Seattle. What worked for me was setting a monthly calendar reminder to swap out the batteries on all of them at once. That way I don't have to trust the little low battery icon on the app. Also I keep a cheap analog hygrometer on the wall as a backup since they don't need batteries. The digital ones are convenient but the batteries dying quietly is a real problem that nobody warns you about.