The ideal indoor humidity level is a tricky subject. Too much humidity can lead to mildew and mold growth, while too little humidity can create uncomfortable living conditions for you and your family.
Let’s review:
- What humidity is.
- Which home humidity levels are best in the winter.
- Signs humidity is too low in your home.
- Helpful tips to keep your entire home at a comfortable humidity level.
What Is Humidity?
Humidity refers to moisture levels in the air.
When relative humidity is high, it means there is a lot of water vapor in the air. It can feel muggy and sticky outside when there’s a lot of moist air and high humidity. This is most common in the summer.
Right now, we’re dealing with the relative humidity getting lower as winter approaches in Minnesota. This makes the outdoor temperature feel drier and colder, because moisture in the air tends to warm things up a bit.
What Is a Good Humidity Level?
Humidity is lower during the winter. This affects your indoor air, especially as your furnace runs more frequently. During winter, Mayo Clinic recommends keeping your home’s humidity between 40% to 50%. Installing a smart thermostat is an easy way to measure indoor humidity. Then you won’t have to be wondering what the humidity levels should be in your home.
How Humidity Affects Indoor Air Quality
When you’re dealing with low humidity levels in your home, you might notice:
- Static electricity
- Damage to certain surfaces in your home, like wood furniture, cabinets, trim or flooring
Besides impacting your indoor air quality, low humidity can also affect your family’s health.
Overly dry air makes you more susceptible to viruses and germs, so keeping your home’s humidity in the right range helps you avoid health issues.
You’re more likely to get sick in the winter because you’re indoors more often. Viruses also tend to flourish when there’s cold air and low humidity. Here are a few other side effects of a low humidity level indoors:
- Dry skin and chapped lips.
- Dry eyes.
- Dry nasal passages, which increases your chance of infection.
Portable humidifiers can help solve the problem with adding more moisture to the air, but only in one room at a time. Here’s why we recommend installing a whole-house humidifier to increase humidity in your living space:
5 Benefits of Installing a Whole-House Humidifier
A whole-home humidifier works alongside your HVAC system to efficiently add moisture throughout your home. Here are just a few benefits of having Ditter Cooling, Heating and Electrical install one in your home:
- Keeps you healthier. Viruses and germs have a harder time surviving in moist environments. Ideal indoor humidity levels keep your eyes, nose, throat and skin hydrated.
- Helps you sleep better. Ideal humidity can decrease snoring and even help you sleep better.
- Saves on energy bills. Since more humid air feels warmer, you’ll be able to set your thermostat at a more ideal temperature that’s also energy efficient. Keeping your home’s humidity level in the right range will help you save money all winter long.
- Stops static. Static is annoying but you can stop it with keeping the humidity level in your house in the ideal range.
- Protects wood. As we mentioned earlier, dry air can crack, shrink and warp wood in your home. It can also make pictures and books brittle. Whole-home humidifiers can eliminate this problem.
Request Your Free Estimate for a Whole-House Humidifier
At Ditter, you’ll hear us saying that we’re not comfortable until you are. This extends to making sure your home is at a comfortable humidity level.
If you’re looking for a way to combat the dry winter air, installing a whole-home humidifier is one of the best ways. It can help protect your respiratory system from illnesses, keep static electricity at bay and preserve wood surfaces in your home.
For more information or a free estimate, please give us a call at 763-200-5055.
