During the winter season the humidity levels in the air drop. This cold air seeps into your house, drying out the air in your home. These conditions are only worsened by heating equipment such as furnaces and fireplaces.
The dryness of your air is measured in terms of “relative humidity”, a number that tells you how much water is in the air. A good range for relative humidity is between 30-45%. Your home will start to feel dry below 30% relative humidity, and like a sauna above 45%.
How can I tell if I have low humidity?
Static electricity
Low humidity is easy to measure. If you find yourself being “zapped” by static electricity when going about your daily business in your house, the humidity in your home is probably too low.
Dry skin, sinuses, and lips
Dry air wreaks havoc on your skin, nasal passages and lips. If you’re finding that your skin feels dry, your lips are chapped and that you’re suffering from a stuffy nose and sore throat, dry air can be the culprit.
Skin and respiratory problems
Dry air can exacerbate existing skin problems such as eczema. It can also lead to uncomfortable cracking and peeling around joints such as knuckles, elbows, and knees. Additionally, breathing dry air can worsen respiratory conditions, and potentially make you more susceptible to illness.
Household expansion and contraction
Air wants to be moist, so it will try to suck moisture out of anything nearby. If your floorboards are creaking, your doors are difficult to open and close, and gaps are beginning to appear around your windows, dry air is the culprit.
Damage to furnishings
Dry air doesn’t stop at damaging the structure of your home. Everyday household items such as furniture, musical instruments, and books also contain moisture. In the winter months, dry air sucks the moisture out of all of these, warping and damaging your furniture and personal possessions.
What to do about low humidity in winter
If your eyes are dry, your home is creaking and you’re seeing condensation on the windows, chances are your humidity levels are too low. Fortunately, this issue can easily be remedied.
Installing a humidifier add-on to your HVAC system is a quick, effective and affordable way to increase the relative humidity levels in your home.
After installing a humidifier add-on you’ll quickly enjoy benefits such as increased physical comfort together with noticeable power savings. This is because a humidifier add-on means that you can set your systems a degree or two cooler than usual, saving money on your utility bills.
If you’re feeling the effects of low humidity in your home this winter, add a humidifier add-on to your system today.