Some homes are just too humid in the summer and too dry in the winter.
Humidity levels inside a home should range between 30 to 60 percent, depending on what season it is. In the summer, the humidity level can go as high as 60 percent; in the winter the heat pump can bring the level down to below 30 percent. To keep your family comfortable, you will need to invest in both a humidifier and dehumidifier to take care of the seasonal fluctuations in relative humidity. When the humidity drops below 30 percent, the humidifier can bring it up to a comfortable level, and when it hits the 50 percent mark, the dehumidifier will do the trick.
Relative Humidity – How It Affects Your Health
Too high or too low humidity can have an adverse affect on your health, and it may be necessary to use a mechanical device to bring it up or down to a normal level. If you feel your skin is too dry or you are experiencing other skin problems such as eczema, then it is a sign you need to increase the humidity. Dry air can cause other symptoms as well, including congestion, sore throat, nosebleeds, dry sinuses, and a persistent cough. To alleviate these symptoms, invest in a humidifier.
On the other hand, if the humidity is too high, it can aggravate allergy symptoms and asthma. In the summer when you are using your air conditioning system, you may not require a dehumidifier; but in the fall and spring when your HVAC system is not in use, you may need a dehumidifier.
Relative Humidity – How It Affects Your Home
Dry air can have an adverse affect on natural materials such as leather and wood. You will need a humidifier to bring the humidity to the 40 percent mark to prevent cracking of musical instruments, leather furniture, window panes, and other such things in your home.
High moisture can promote the growth of mold and mildew. The early signs of high humidity inside a home are wet stains, a musty smell, window condensation, and rotting wood. If you have noticed these problems in your home, then you need a dehumidifier.
Choosing a Dehumidifier and Humidifier
It is important to choose a humidifier that is the right size for your home. You can choose between a tower, console, or tabletop humidifier. Humidifiers are available in two types: hot mist humidifier and cool mist humidifiers. If you want to humidify the entire house, you can invest in a whole house humidifier that is integrated with your HVAC system. Look for features such as a digital display, adjustable humidity level, automatic shut-off, and timer.
When choosing a dehumidifier for your home, capacity should be your first criteria. You can choose between a portable and whole house dehumidifier. The various features that you can look for are adjustable humidistat, digital display, auto shut-off, built-in pump, multispeed fan, and automatic defrost.
To get the moisture levels inside your home under control, get in touch with Thomas Hoffmann Air Conditioning & Heating LLC at (314) 471-7625.