Humidity levels show how much moisture is in the air around you. It’s measured as a percentage, with higher percentages meaning the air feels wetter and lower percentages feeling drier.
Maintaining an indoor humidity level between 30 and 50 percent is optimal for your comfort and health as well as your home’s structural integrity. Discover what you should know about humidity levels in your home to protect your living space and well-being.
Facts That Affect Indoor Humidity
Indoor humidity levels are influenced by many factors, starting with the weather outside. During hot, humid seasons, moisture from the air can seep into your home, increasing indoor humidity. On the other hand, in colder months, heating systems can dry out the air and lower humidity levels significantly.
Daily activities inside your home also impact humidity levels. Cooking, showering, and drying clothes indoors release moisture into the air, raising the humidity. Conversely, using heating systems excessively or overusing air conditioning can make a home less humid than ideal.
Impact on Your Home
High humidity can wreak havoc on your home’s structural integrity. Constant exposure to moisture can warp wood, cause paint to peel, and lead to hidden mold growth, which can damage walls and ceilings. Additionally, high humidity is one of the common causes of condensation on pipes. Sweaty pipes can lead to mold growth, water damage, and pipe corrosion.
Low humidity causes other types of problems in a home. Items made of wood, such as floors and furniture, can crack or split because of the dry air. Additionally, walls in overly dry environments may develop small gaps or crevices, which can lead to higher energy bills as your heating or cooling escapes.
Health Effects
When humidity levels rise too high, they can aggravate allergies and worsen asthma. Homes with high moisture can become ideal for harboring mold, fungi, and other biological contaminants. One of the possible effects of mold toxicity is tissue inflammation.
Low humidity often irritates the skin, throat, and sinuses. Dry air can negatively impact health by drying out the protective lining in the nose and throat, making it harder for the body to block germs effectively. By maintaining balanced humidity levels, you can breathe easier and keep health problems at bay.
How To Manage It
You can use many tools and techniques to manage humidity levels in your home. If you’re dealing with excess moisture, a dehumidifier can work wonders. Alternatively, if the air in your home is too dry, investing in a humidifier or adding houseplants can help naturally increase moisture.
Proper ventilation is also key to managing humidity. Make sure that all bathrooms and the kitchen have working exhaust fans, and seal gaps around windows and doors to prevent outside air from disrupting your home’s balance. Finally, periodically inspect your pipes and insulation to prevent excessive humidity.
Balanced humidity is one of the secrets to a comfortable and healthy home. Too much moisture can lead to mold, warped wood, and peeling paint, while too little can cause cracks in wood and gaps in walls. High humidity triggers allergies and asthma, while low humidity dries out your skin, throat, and sinuses, making it harder to stay healthy. With a dehumidifier, humidifier, proper ventilation, and robust insulation, you can maintain healthy humidity levels indoors.
