Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air. The amount of humidity in the atmosphere varies based on the season, climatic conditions, and location. Generally, humidity levels are higher in summer and lower throughout the winter. Humidity can affect the comfort of your home, as well as the functioning of your heating and air conditioning units. Unfortunately, indoor humidity is one of the most neglected aspects of indoor climate control and may become a significant source of discomfort.
Ideal Indoor Humidity Level
As per research, the ideal relative humidity in the house should be between 40%-60%. However, to discourage mold growth, you should keep humidity levels below 50%.
Absolute humidity levels vary based on seasons and temperature. For example, the air contains more moisture in the summer, and it has much less moisture in the winter. If the humidity level dips below 30%, the air is too dry. If the humidity level goes beyond 50%, it will feel uncomfortable; therefore, you need to maintain a balanced indoor humidity level. This humidity level is comfortable for plants and pets as well.
Maintaining the ideal humidity range reduces the chances of you or your family members falling ill or suffering from respiratory ailments. Balanced humidity levels will also protect your home from moisture damage and drying effects.
Impact of low humidity levels
Low humidity levels can impact your health, possessions, and home. Low humidity can lead to dry air, irritating nasal passage and throat, causing inflammation. It also dries out mucous membranes in your body, which can cause sore throats and chapped lips. Dry air can also result in coughing, wheezing, and other respiratory ailments.
Wooden furniture and flooring contain a small amount of moisture. However, when they are placed in low humidity surroundings for a long time, they lose their water content over time; anything made from wood will begin to warp and bend as the dried wood shrinks in size. As a result, wooden floors often creak more and may even separate. In addition, low humidity causes water molecules to get easily polarized, consequentially increasing static electricity build-up incidence.
See also – How to Maintain Optimum Humidity Levels for your Hardwood Floors
Disadvantages of high humidity levels
When the humidity is too high, it can negatively impact your comfort, home, possessions, and health. In addition, when the air around you has too much moisture, your body can’t regulate its internal temperature through the process of evaporation.
High moisture levels promote the growth of fungus, mold, and dust mites. As a result, those who suffer from asthma and allergies may experience worsened symptoms. It can also cause respiratory problems and trigger allergies.
High humidity can lead to trouble sleeping in uncomfortable conditions. In addition, you might notice condensation on your windows, wet spots, and stains on ceilings and walls.
Prolonged exposure to high humidity levels can cause wood to rot and attract unwanted insects and lead to structural issues in the house. High humidity can also impact furniture and other items, causing them to warp.
One of the most prominent signs that your home suffers from high humidity is regularly finding dew or condensation on windows. If you see mold or moisture build-up on your ceilings, walls, or inside storage areas, it may result from excess humidity.
Winter Humidity
In the winter, indoor humidity drops between 25 to 35%. Whether you live on the east or west coast or somewhere in between, chances are you’ve experienced dry air inside your home during the winter. Ever wonder why this happens, especially during winter?
During winter, indoor air often becomes dry as the cold air outside, which carries less moisture than warm air, enters the house and is heated, lowering the relative humidity as you crank up the thermostat inside your home. In addition, as the warm air expands, so do the water molecules, thus lowering the surrounding environment’s relative humidity.
How to Increase Humidity in winter
Use a Humidifier –
Perhaps one of the easiest solutions for controlling the house humidity in winter is to use a humidifier. A humidifier adds moisture to the air to increase the humidity levels, helps avoid excessive dryness and helps treat dry skin, nose, throat, and lips, and eases some cold and flu symptoms. You can purchase a whole house humidifier if you face severely cold weather and stay in arid climates, or buy a smaller, portable unit if you face less severe winters. Depending on the size of your house and the coverage of the humidifier, you may need to purchase multiple units depending on the number of rooms in the house.
Take Hot Showers –
Use the steam from hot showers to humidify the indoor air. You can leave the bathroom door open and run the shower if privacy allows for it, or keep the door and shower curtain open after you’re done to allow water to evaporate in the air and help you create a comfortable environment.
Dry Laundry Indoors –
This is an alternative way of diffusing water vapors in the air if you don’t want to invest in a humidifier. By drying your laundry indoors, you can increase the humidity level as the moisture will evaporate into the air of your house while also saving up money on drying and heating expenses.
Air-Dry Your Dishes –
Leave your dishwasher open after your final wash cycle.
Grow Houseplants –
Houseplants not only add to the decor and ambiance they can also improve your house’s humidity and air quality. Adequately watered plants release vapor from the leaves and stem into the air. The soil for the houseplants also holds water that slowly evaporates. Choose tropical houseplants with large leaves or plants that do well in dry conditions, including Jade Plant, Palm, philodendrons, and Chinese evergreens, for the best humidity control. Remember to water regularly or mist for extra moisture.
Boil water and cook using the stovetop –
Use the stovetop for cooking and boiling water to release steam into the air to aid in humidity levels. Also, remove ds off of pots and pans to release moisture.
Set out a pan or vase of water –
Leave open water containers on top of radiators or near heating vents, and the water will slowly evaporate into the air. You can use decorative vases or vessels that add to the room’s decor and even include citrus peels, vanilla, or essential oils to provide a pleasant scent while humidifying the room.
Upgrade doors, windows, and weather-stripping –
Inefficient doors and windows leak heat and moisture in winter, increasing energy costs. Mitigate the heat and humidity loss by installing newer, more efficient windows and doors. If you don’t want to invest in new doors and windows, consider using weather-stripping or other means to seal up cracks and keep your warm, moist air inside and the cold, dry air outside.
Summer Humidity
Humidity is generally associated with hot weather, and humidity levels are always higher in the summer. Why is this? The relative humidity is temperature-dependent, and warmer temperatures can hold more moisture than colder temperatures. For example, air that is 68 degrees can hold ten times more water than air that is only 32 degrees. This is what makes the air feel heavy and thicker.
High humidity can leave rooms feeling clammy and sticky, unbearable. The humidity level of over 50% isn’t just uncomfortable; it can also cause health issues and higher HVAC system bills.
How to Reduce Humidity Indoors in the summer
Use a Dehumidifier: A dehumidifier pulls moisture from the air to reduce the humidity levels. It is one of the most effective methods to reduce humidity in areas with high humidity and summer temperatures. You can purchase a stand-alone portable dehumidifier or install a whole-home dehumidifier. The most efficient way to manage is to install a dehumidifier directly on your HVAC system so that the appliance can work with your air conditioning unit by pulling excess moisture from the air before it is released through the air ducts in your home.
Fans and Ventilation: Turning on fans, be it ceiling, floor, or exhaust fans, is an effective and inexpensive way to reduce the temperature and humidity in your home. As the fan circulates the air in your home, the breeze evaporates excess moisture, causing the room temperature to drop. Also, when you are cooking, cleaning, and bathing, ensure to switch on exhaust fans to release the hot, humid air outdoors.
Install an AC or service your old HVAC unit: Battling excessive humidity during summer may lead your old air conditioning system to overwork and malfunction. Ensure to get it serviced before the season starts to work effectively during the dog days of summer. If it is an old unit, you can consider upgrading the machine to control humidity levels and lower energy bills.
Take Cold Showers: Hot showers increase the humidity levels in your house and may lead to issues when the surrounding humidity is already very high. Lowering your shower’s temperature just a few degrees will help release steam and moisture in the air and inhibit mold growth in bathrooms.
Grow Indoor Plants: Some houseplants can naturally absorb water from air through their leaves. However, remember that not all plants are suitable to lower humidity levels. Some of the plants you can place indoors include Boston fern, Orchids, Cactus, English Ivy, etc.
Open Windows: Air circulation significantly reduces a moist home’s stuffy, sticky sensation.
Dry Laundry Outdoors If you are drying clothes inside your home in summer, the water evaporating from clothes will enter your house.
Use Charcoal Briquettes: Apart from helping barbeque on those long summer evenings, Charcoal briquettes make a pretty good dehumidification tool as they are very moisture absorbent. Take a few briquettes, place them in a basket or a plate, and replace them every 2-3 months.
Use extraction fans in bathrooms and laundries, as hot showers and dryers can dramatically increase relative humidity. Regularly clean and maintain extraction fans.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Ideal Indoor Humidity Level in summer?
The ideal range for indoor humidity is 30-50%. At this level, you find the balance between too much moisture and too little moisture to keep you and your house comfortable.
How Can I Reduce My Humidity Levels?
- Use Air Conditioner
- Actively Use Your Exhaust/Ventilation Fans
- Fix Any Leaking Pipes
- Keep Your Gutters Clean
- Dry Your Laundry Outside
- Move Your House Plants
What Should Indoor Humidity Be In Winter?
That precise sweet spot for what should humidity be in your house in the winter is between 35% and 45%.
How to Check Indoor Humidity?
The easiest way to measure indoor humidity is by purchasing a hygrometer. If you don’t want to buy a hygrometer, you can easily conduct a DIY test to measure indoor humidity with the help of the ice cube test. Place two to three ice cubes into a glass of water and stir them. After three to four minutes, if moisture is not formed outside the glass, it means the air is too dry. If condensation appears on the outside of the glass, it means the air is too moist.