Most people often associate humidity with negative things such as mold and mildew or health problems like dehydration, exhaustion, and fatigue. While excessive humidity is truly a silent enemy of homeowners, humidity is not “pure evil’’. In fact, some humidity in your indoor air is actually helpful.
Risks of having a Low Humidity
Humidity refers to the amount of water vapor or moisture present in the air. During winter, humidity levels drop because cold air is not able to hold moisture well enough as warm air does. The use of heating systems in homes leads to extremely low humidity because furnaces use combustion to heat the air. As a result, the moisture in the air evaporates even more.
How does it happen? When the cold air enters your home, your furnace produces heat to warm up your indoor space. This causes the air to expand. And while the moisture content is the same, the relative humidity inside your home is greatly reduced.
Now, the dry air inside your home will try to get water from anywhere it can find - your furniture, walls, floors, and your body. Yes, your body.
Low humidity levels are tied to the following risks:
Impact on Health
When the humidity levels in your home are too low, it can result in several health symptoms, such as dry skin and lips, scratchy throat, lung and sinus problems, and respiratory illnesses. It also increases your risk of catching a cold. When the moisture content in the air is too low, it creates an environment that is highly attractive to viruses and bacteria. This is why during winter, the rate of flu and infections are relatively high.
Impact on Furniture and House
The extremely low humidity levels can cause irreversible damage to your home. When the air is too dry, it causes wood floors and furniture to dry, shrink, separate, crack and warp. You may notice your wallpaper peeling off or your wall paint chipping.
The Ideal Level of Humidity Indoor
The ideal humidity level in homes and buildings is between 30 and 50 percent. In colder months, the air’s ability to hold water decreases and in summer, it increases.
During hot weather
During hot weather, experts recommend keeping the relative humidity indoors at less than 55%.
During cold weather
In winter, it’s important to keep the relative humidity between 30% and 50%.
Ways to Control the Humidity Level in Your Home
Controlling the humidity levels in your home is easier than you think. Here’s how:
- Use a humidity monitor. The best way to keep your humidity levels in check is to purchase a hygrometer. Place this device in the room you want to test and simply follow the instructions provided in the label. A hygrometer will show you the relative humidity level in a percentage. If you don’t have a hygrometer or you don’t consider buying one, it’s helpful to learn how to spot signs of low humidity.
- Install a humidifier. You can use a portable humidifier or a whole-house humidifier that is connected to your HVAC system. This device ensures that the relative humidity in your home is at the ideal level.
- Keep your indoor air clean. When humidity levels in your home are too low, viruses and bacteria are on the rise. Apart from a dehumidifier, you can also benefit from using an air purifier. This device traps pollutants like dust, pollen, and dander without reducing the air moisture.
- Provide air with a source of moisture. To manage humidity levels in your home, give air enough sources of moisture. Distribute shallow dishes of water around your house. Make sure to drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration and dry skin. Winter is the time to make extra efforts in strengthening your immune system because infections are more common in this season.
- Keep houseplants. It helps retain moisture in the air while cleaning harmful chemicals and pollutants.
- Cook or boil water with the lid off the pan.
High humidity at home is associated with a lot of problems, from mold to sleeping problems, and allergies. However, if humidity is too low, you can also suffer from cold and other respiratory issues. Keeping the humidity levels in your home within the ideal range (30-50%) is one way of ensuring clean, safe, and healthy indoor air.
