Usually, we pay attention to temperatures as it relates to home comfort, but the humidity levels in your home play a bigger role than you might believe. Normally when we hear the word humidity, we narrow in on the weather outside. However, it is recommended that your home maintains a humidity level between 30 and 50 percent. What do those levels mean? The indoor air is holding between 30 to 50 percent of the maximum amount of moisture it can hold.
What occurs when you have too much or too little humidity?
Too Much Humidity
If you haven’t actually felt it, chances are you have at least heard about the influence humidity can have on how hot the weather feels. An 80-degree day in one area might feel cooler than an 80-degree day in place with heightened humidity. Humidity can impact the temps in your house as well. If there is too much humidity, it more challenging for your body to monitor internal temperatures.
Dehumidified air feels cooler, so you could set your thermostat at a higher temp and sustain comfort levels, which could provide you with energy savings.
Too Little Humidity
While drier air might provide a break outdoors, too little humidity also has negative implications inside the home. Dry air can cause your skin to be itchy and cold and result in sore throats and chapped lips. The amount of static electricity goes up as well, so you’ll experience more shocks when touching doorknobs and other items.
Lack of moisture takes a toll on the wood throughout your home, creating cracking and shrinking in your furniture, trim and even floors. The dry air also affects your body’s mucous membranes, increasing your risk of developing a cold or breathing challenges.
What can you do?
Luckily, there are steps to help you monitor and control humidity levels in the home. A smart thermostat can help you assess the air in your home to see what levels you are coming in at. And if you are having challenges getting in the 30 to 50 percent range for humidity, there are humidifiers and dehumidifiers to help improve the situation.
If you experience any of the warning signs stated above, or if you want an expert to come out and review the humidity in your home, Northern Comfort Inc can help. You can book an appointment by reaching us at 507-387-6596. Our experts will answer your questions and help you understand next steps for achieving the best humidity level for your home comfort.