During the heating season the average American home (unhumidified) may have a relative humidity (RH) as low as 13%. Amazingly, that is about one-half of the average RH in the Sahara Desert. The amount of humidity required in a home is dependent to a certain extent on the way it is constructed. A well insulated house with vapor barriers in walls, ceilings and slabs and properly fitting storm doors and windows may need only three gallons of additional moisture per day to maintain the proper relative humidity. A house of similar size but loosely constructed might require five times as much moisture in the same period.
Posts Tagged ‘Dry Air’
The Proper Indoor Humidity
Wednesday, November 25th, 2009Benefits of Proper Humidity
Tuesday, November 24th, 2009Dry, thirsty air evaporates moisture from your skin, a cooling process that makey you feel chilly. But, with the humidity raised to recommended levels, you can dial your thermostat down to 68F and still feel comfortable. Heated air dries out wood framing around doors and windows, too. Shrinkage of the wood occurs, leaving spaces that permit cold, outside air to infiltrate the home, lowering the inside temperature and requiring more heating. Proper humidity reduces annoying wintertime static electricity shocks, too.
Effects of Too-Dry Air
Monday, November 23rd, 2009The evidence of air that is too-dry is easy to identify. In addition to making one feel uncomfortable, the dry air “steals” moisture from plaster, wood, glue and fabrics. Over a period of time this can result in cracks in ceilings and walls, loose furniture joints and flooring, shrinking mouldings and loosened wallpaper. Excessive static electricity is still another problem.
Relative Humidity
Thursday, November 19th, 2009Relative Humidity is the percentage of water vapor the air is holding, in relation to the amount it is capable of holding at a given temperature. The relative humidity (RH) figure you hear on radio and TV is the outdoor RH. During the heating season the indoor RH is very low in comparison to the outdoor percentage.
Unhealthy Air and Humidity
Monday, November 9th, 2009Viruses thrive in low humidity conditions and can actually increase the likelihood of getting colds, flu and other upper respiratory ailments. The American Society of Otolaryngology advises the importance of preventing an overly dry environment because it significantly increases susceptibility to infection.
Damage to Your Home
Wednesday, November 4th, 2009When heated air isn’t properly humidified, it causes walls and ceilings to crack and wood floors and trip to separate. Expensive musical instruments can go out of tune and electronic equipment can fall victim to static electric charges, requiring expensive repair or replacement.
Winter Indoor Air Quality
Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009Heating your home dries out the air. The resulting dry air absorbs moisture from you and everything inside your home. Even newer, tighter built homes will succumb to the negative effects of air that is too dry.
Indoor Air and Humidity
Tuesday, October 27th, 2009During the winter months as we’re sealed up in our homes trying to keep warm, a by-product occurs. The air inside our homes gets dry, and the overall quality of the air can suffer. The EPA estimates that our indoor air can in some instances be 10 times more polluted than the air outside. With a small investment you can improve the air quality in your home to help you breathe easier and also feel more comfortable.
