At least two-thirds of your life you spend indoors, and how you feel in it depends on the quality of the internal climate: temperature and humidity. Both factors affect not only the health and well-being of residents. But also the safety and structure of the building, along with furniture and interior items.
How to measure the humidity level in the Room?
You mean you don’t have a sixth sense for determining moisture?
Then you can take advantage of the following tricks:
- If condensation accumulates on the walls, ceiling and windows, and the windows also fog up, this indicates too high humidity.
- With repeated cases of static electricity, drying and cracking of carpentry and paint, we can talk about a low level.
If you are seriously puzzled by this issue, buy a hygrometer – a device that measures the temperature and relative humidity in the house or apartment. The norm of relative humidity for both health and comfort is about 30-50%. Anything less than 30% is too dry, and more than 50% is too high.
Humidity values vary during the winter months and also vary depending on the purpose of the room.
What causes a decrease in humidity?
In winter, the humidity level drops because cold air contains less water than warm air. In homes where forced-air heating is used, the problem is even more serious: batteries create hot air by burning cold, so they burn most of the water vapor. Even worse, when the humidity level drops, the surrounding air seems colder, and you turn on the heat to compensate for this.
Low rates cause:
- Static electricity
- Dry skin and hair
- Dry eyeballs
- Increased susceptibility to colds and respiratory diseases
- Reproduction of viruses and germs.
Experts have proven that dry and cold air dries out the airways, leading to stimulation of the sensory nerves, causing a reflex reaction and inflammation. Dry air masses increase the volume and peripheral resistance of the airways, initiating narrowing of the airways.
In another study, experts from Japan evaluated skin conductivity, elasticity, and fine lines on the eyelids of 20 volunteers. Participants were first 30 minutes in a room with high humidity (70%), and then in a room with low rates. Scientists concluded that low humidity worsened skin elasticity and contributed to the appearance of fine wrinkles. Thus, the importance of stabilizing moisture has been confirmed, especially when it comes to wrinkles.
Ways to Increase Values
Adding moisture to your home will fix all problems.
There are several standard ways:
- Natural evaporation. You can simply put a vessel of water next to a radiator or other air heating system, hang a wet towel in the room, clothes, do wet cleaning more often, and ventilate. These methods are ineffective and their effect is short-lived.
- Using a portable air humidifier. There are two types of steam used: cold and warm. Cold steam uses a wick to absorb water, and the fan blows air through a humidified filter – when air passes through the filter, it evaporates part of the water into the room. Warm humidifiers have a heating element that heats the water before scattering it in the air. The advantages of portable systems are that they are easy to use, various styles and prices are available, and they can also be moved as needed.
The most effective and expensive method is to install a controlled air humidification system. It distributes steam directly into the heated air and promotes its circulation throughout the house.
What if the humidity level is too high?
Some homes have too much moisture, which creates their own set of problems. Excess water promotes the growth and spread of mold, fungi, bacteria and viruses. These pollutants reduce indoor air quality, causing illness, and also damage the home. If your home is not adequately ventilated, excess water vapor from the air begins to pass through the walls and ceilings, causing wet insulation, peeling paint, mold on the walls and rot in wooden structures.
With increased rates of asthma and allergies, they suffer from more frequent painful manifestations. High humidity in the room causes the house to become stuffy (you may notice visible condensation on the windows and walls). Such stuffiness makes you feel hot and uncomfortable, you turn on the air conditioner and spend more energy – you just need to adjust the humidity values.
To reduce the humidity in your home, try the following:
- Turn on the hood during cooking and bathing or open the window if the air is drier outside
- Reduce the amount of water by cooking in closed pots
- Take a cooler shower and do it faster
- Reduce the number of plants in the house
- Arrange several bowls of salt throughout the house
- Sushi your laundry on the balcony or use the tumble dryer
Use a dehumidifier as a last resort, especially in basements and in the summer.
Conclusion
Humidity is one of the components that determine the quality of indoor air. If you feel unwell while at home, buy a hygrometer. The device will help you identify air humidity values and take measures to correct them.
