What Owners Need to Understand About Humidity
Keeping the home or office comfortable during every season is a delicate balance of temperature and humidity. If the temperature isn’t right, the space can be distractingly uncomfortable. If the humidity isn’t right, the air will feel clammy or contribute to poor general health. That’s why controlling the humidity in a space is essential.
Humidity is probably the most misunderstood aspect of indoor air quality. To set the record straight, local professionals specialize in designing systems that promote high-quality indoor air. This article is a quick guide to understanding humidity and how to control it.
Why Is Humidity So Important?
The ideal humidity, indoors or outside, is between 40% and 60%. In the summer, when humidity levels climb, the air feels heavy and hotter as the humidity impedes the evaporation of sweat. In the winter, colder air causes humidity to drop, so the dry air pulls moisture from the skin and lungs, leading to dry skin and respiratory problems. The right humidity can help offset these problems, but owners must understand their responsibility to provide safe and comfortable spaces.
Indoor humidity is largely dependent on outdoor humidity. In the summer, moisture migrates into the home, making the space feel sticky and causing owners to run the air conditioner to compensate for the discomfort. In the winter, already-dry air is dried further by furnaces, causing problems like allergies and sinus infections. Luckily, controlling the humidity in a space is simple with the right equipment.
Using Humidifiers
Humidifiers are valuable tools in the fight against low humidity, especially during the winter. Humidifiers come in several portable units, and whole-home humidifiers are installed with central heating and cooling equipment. Small portable units boost humidity in small spaces, mostly bedrooms. This allows people to sleep in higher-quality air than they would otherwise be exposed to. Whole-home humidifiers automatically adjust the humidity of the entire home, so they take less attention and intervention than portable units.
A humidifier is the right choice for a space if:
- Sinus infections are a problem during the winter
- Allergies cause dry eyes and nasal passages
- Moisturization is necessary for skin or eyes
- Wood furniture starts to dry or crack
Benefits of Dehumidifiers
Humidifiers do a great job adding moisture to a space, but what if the opposite is needed? During the summer, many people suffer from spaces that contain too high humidity. In these spaces, a dehumidifier is an excellent choice. Like humidifiers, dehumidifiers come in portable units or as part of a central HVAC. Installing whole-home dehumidifiers or strategically using portable units can help lower power bills during the summer by lowering the moisture in the home, which leads to that familiar muggy feeling.
Some of the signs that a dehumidifier can help in a home or business are:
- Mold growth or musty odors
- High cooling bills
- Warm, muggy air in the space
- Dirty AC coils
- Condensation on windows
About City Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning
City Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning are the local experts regarding indoor air quality. With dehumidifier and humidifier installation, they also keep the air clean with duct cleaning services. Call today for HVAC service in Odessa, TX.
