As the cold weather moves in and we heat the air, humidity levels naturally drop. Ideal indoor humidity during winter should be 35 to 45%. Heating your home can cause the indoor humidity to drop to levels of 15% or less. With this extremely low humidity come potential problems that can affect your health, your home and especially your comfort.
Problem 1: Dry air and Illness prevention
The upper part of your respiratory system, including your throat and nose, is lined with moist membranes. These membranes serve to capture dirt, dust, viruses, and bacteria before they reach your lungs. When these membranes dry out, they lose their ability to capture particles and your health can become compromised.
Maintaining proper humidity levels help these membranes to prevent germs and viruses from getting into your lungs. So, take the necessary steps to keep the right amount of moisture in your home, you can substantially reduce your risk of illness.
Problem 2: Dry air leads to a sensitive nose
In many people, dry air can cause an unpleasant symptom such as itchy, uncomfortable nasal passages. Most of our breathing is done through the nose so low humidity levels will cause the inside of the nose to become dry and irritated. This can be painful and can cause nosebleeds. Properly humidified air will keep the nasal passages healthy and comfortable.
Problem 3: Proper humidity maintains health skin
Your skin is more than 50% water. When the air dries out, your skin will start to dry out as well. This can cause irritation, itching, flaking, and tightness around the joints. This can lead to painful cracking of the skin, and chapped lips. Dry air can also cause flare-ups of existing skin conditions, including eczema and acne. But humidified air can help keep your skin feeling great throughout even the winter.
Problem 4: Avoid static electricity
With proper humidity levels the static electricity in your home is naturally dissipated. When air becomes too dry, static electricity begins to build up. This will cause blankets and clothes to stick together. And, more noticeably, it can cause painful electric shocks every time you touch a metal surface, doorknob, or your loved ones.
When air has enough moisture in it, the electricity is dissipated before it can build up, so you don’t feel the shocks, and you have no problem cuddling up under your favorite blanket.
Problem 5: Damage to your home
Dry air absorbs moisture wherever it can find it. This means that during cold winter weather, dry air will start to pull moisture from your home furniture and valuables. As your house dries out, you’ll notice that floors, particularly hardwood floors, will begin to creak more.
Dry air also pulls moisture from the wood in the structure of your home, causing walls and door jambs to shift. This can make doors hard to open and close, and cause gaps between ceilings and walls. These gaps can also form in windows and doors letting in cold winter air, thereby increasing the cost of your heating bill.
Problem 6: Damage to your furnishings
As the air in your home becomes dry, it can start to damage not only your home, but the things in it. Wood furniture can start to bend and even crack. Musical instruments can lose their shape and their tune. Even paper items such as books and artwork can become brittle, warped, and wrinkled.
Fighting the problem: Dry Air
If you would like to avoid the misery, inconvenience, and damage of dry air, adding humidity to your home is the solution. Many families find a Whole-Home Central Humidifier is the most effective and convenient way to alleviate the issues caused by dry air. Portable humidifiers can provide some relief. However, they only add moisture in one room and need to be filled daily. A whole-home humidifier helps provide better comfort and healthier air in every room.
If you’re suffering from dry air, get help right away.
The short days and cold weather make winter bad enough. Don’t let dry air make you uncomfortable in your own home. Maintain a healthy indoor air environment and don’t let your home and the things in it get damaged. Take control of maintaining proper humidity with a central humidifier and enjoy the warm air in your home.
You do not have to suffer through another winter.
Contact Clarksville Heating & Air, LLC to learn more about proper humidification by contacting us at (443) 324-0728 or visit our website at www.clarksvillecomfort.com
To learn more about the many ways we can help improve the quality of the air in your home, visit us at https://clarksvillecomfort.com/indoor-air-quality/
