Humidity can put a damper on your health and overall comfort if you have poor humidity levels in your home. In the summer months, humidity can make the heat feel even worse causing you to feel sick and overheated. You may normally consider humidity as hot and heavy outdoor air, it’s important to consider your indoor humidity levels as well.
Normal Humidity Levels
Although you can’t see humidity, it’s still there. It’s the measure of the level of moisture vapor suspended in the air around you. The ideal relative humidity levels for your comfort and health is anywhere between 30-50%. This means that the air holds between 30-50% of the maximum amount of moisture it can contain.
Dangers of too much humidity
Too much humidity can negatively impact your environment. When the air around you has too much, your body can’t regulate its internal temperature through the process of evaporation. If you’re in a room with the same temperature but one has high humidity levels and one has less humidity, the room with more humidity will feel warmer to you.
Too much humidity can also make you sick. High levels encourage the growth of mold, fungus, and dust mites which can lead to breathing issues for those with allergies or asthma. This extra moisture should be monitored in your home to ensure your family’s health and comfort. The extra moisture in the air also creates a breeding ground for mildew and mold. This can result in costly damages to your home. Overtime, it can cause wood to rot and attract unwanted insects.
Hazards of too little humidity
Air that’s too dry can be just as damaging to your home, comfort, and your health as high humidity levels. The dry air can feel itchy and cold to your skin, as well as leaving you with chapped lips and sore throats due to the mucous membranes being dried out in your body. Dry air can increase coughing, wheezing, and other breathing issues.
Your home can suffer from extensive cracking and shrinking around door frames and molding. Anything with wood will begin to wrap and bend as the wood dries out. The floors often creak more and may even separate in some of the worst cases.
How To Tell if You have Poor Indoor Humidity
Having the correct level of moisture in you home’s air is critical to feeling your best and creating the perfect environment within your home. Here are some signs that your humidity levels need to be adjusted:
- You can’t stop sweating inside your home. You may feel sticky and covered in sweat. While you can’t control this outside, it’s definitely something you can control inside your home.
- You aren’t sleeping well. Too little or too much humidity can sabotage your slumber, so it’s time to think about your air. When there’s too much humidity in the air, your body has to work harder to evaporate sweat in order to cool itself. On the other hand, breathing in air that’s too dry can irritate your throat and lead to fits of coughing.
- You have difficulty breathing. High levels of humidity can lead to asthma symptoms such as chest tightness and wheezing. Low levels can also lead to a host of respiratory issues.
Contact your HVAC experts today
If you believe that your humidity levels aren’t right in your house, give us a call today at 712-252-3007. Our experts can diagnose your issue and give you the correct solution to ensure your family’s health and comfort. You can also fill out this form on our website and we’ll be in touch! We have Service That Suits You!