Napoleon Heating & Cooling Explains How To Measure And Maintain Home Humidity Levels To Ensure Optimum Comfort

Humidity in homes is both a blessing and a curse. Much of Canada faces exceptionally dry winters and oppressively humid summers. This means, everyone is trying to increase humidity, during part of the year, and remove it quickly, during other times. Measuring and maintaining the home humidity levels can be a challenge, one that never seems to end.

Throughout the winter months, humidity has to be increased in homes, making it easier to breathe, keeping the houseplants happy, and bringing some relief to dry skin and hair. Low humidity in homes cause static, dry skin, occasional nosebleeds, increased susceptibility to colds, and can damage wood floors and furnishings.

Humidity can cause damage in homes

In the summer, hot, sticky humid days can be miserable, making fresh air to enter homes from an open window a highly unlikely thing. Not only does humidity make it difficult to feel cool, but it’s an environment where bacteria and dust mites thrive.

In short, humidity can be problematic for the home and the health of the residents

Humidity can also cause damp odors and damage in homes, including mold. This can, in turn, affect the home’s indoor air quality (IAQ) and mold caused by excessive moisture can damage the drywall and flooring. Air that feels heavy can make it difficult to sleep, and certain health conditions, such as asthma can be exacerbated by these conditions, making it difficult to breathe.

In short, humidity can be problematic for the home and the health of the residents. Napoleon Heating & Cooling offers key tips on to tackle it head-on.

Home humidity levels

Home humidity levels can vary due to personal preference and comfort, and of course, will differ by season. Throughout the summer months, residents would want their home’s humidity to be in the 40% to 50% range.

Anything over 60% is sure to be uncomfortable and cause the home to feel muggy. Additionally, keeping the home’s humidity level in the 30-50% range will help to prevent the growth of mold and mildew year-round.

Maintaining ideal humidity level for optimum comfort

During the winter months, home should ideally be in the 30% to 40% humidity level range for optimum comfort. Humidity levels over 40% may cause condensation to form on the windows.

For residents having trouble maintaining comfortable and appropriate humidity levels in their home, contact a heating and cooling system repair service to have their home’s HVAC system inspected.

Measuring humidity at home

There are a few devices that can help to effectively measure the humidity in the home, such as a humidistat

There are a few devices that can help to effectively measure the humidity in the home, such as a humidistat, which is usually wired to a humidifier attached to the home’s HVAC system.

There are a variety of simple things that residents can do to maintain the humidity in their home, especially during the spring and fall seasons, when humidity levels are less extreme. During the cooler months, to add more humidity, try placing containers of water near the air vents and let the heated air spread the moisture throughout the room.

Investing in a humidifier

Other tips include boiling a pot of water, running the shower with hot water, or hanging the laundry to dry inside, rather than using a clothes dryer.

Investing in a humidifier will also go a long way to maintain the home’s humidity, either one that helps to add humidity to a specific room or a whole-home humidifier that attaches to the furnace. These air systems offer high efficiencies and require very little maintenance.

Ventilation Systems, such as Energy Recovery Ventilators

Ventilation Systems like Energy Recovery Ventilators can also be added to the home’s existing HVAC system, serving as an energy-efficient solution to clean and maintain the humidity of the air inside the home, and maintaining an ideal level of 30%-50% humidity.

Throughout the warmer months, to decrease the humidity level in the home, consider investing in a dehumidifier or turning on exhaust fans in the bathroom and kitchen to expel moist air.

Air conditioning systems are help reduce humidity

The simplest method is to install or periodically run the home’s central air conditioning system, which will whisk away humid air in a flash. Air conditioning systems are the ideal way to reduce humidity, while cooling the space during the summer months.

By controlling the indoor humidity levels, residents can not only be more comfortable, but also protect the home. For those who feel that their home’s humidity could use an adjustment or want advice on how to make the indoor air more comfortable, it might be worth speaking to a licensed HVAC professional. They are the experts, when it comes to home comfort systems and can recommend energy-efficient systems to keep the humidity in the home at the most comfortable levels.