Did you know that humidity can affect the comfort of your home, no matter where you live in the world? In fact, the level of humidity in your home can take a toll on more than just your comfort - it can also hinder the performance of your HVAC system. If you’re experiencing low indoor humidity in your home, then you may want to take the time to read this post from the pros at All Green Heating & Air.
Why Does Humidity Matter?
At this point many of you may be wondering what difference humidity makes - and we’re here to break it down for you. Relative humidity is important in your home - but what exactly is it? Well, relative humidity is the amount of water vapor present in the air of your home. Sounds simple - but there’s more to it than that. It’s important to keep the relative humidity of your home at the right level in order for your HVAC system to work properly and efficiently. Because no one wants to feel uncomfortable in the place they should feel comforted the most.
How Do You Know if Your Home Has Low Indoor Humidity?
First thing’s first - how are you supposed to tell if your home has low humidity? Well, there are a few ways to figure this out. Homeowners can easily purchase a tool called a hygrometer, which is used to measure the humidity in the air of your home.
Another way to tell if your house has low indoor humidity is to perform a simple test by placing a small amount of ice cubes in a glass and put it in the room that you think has low humidity. Then, leave the room for a while and come back. What do you see? Is there condensation on the glass? If there is condensation on the outside of the glass, then the humidity in your home isn’t low at all. If there aren’t any droplets on the exterior of the cup, then you may need to raise the humidity in that room and the rest of your home.
Also, if you’re experiencing conditions like a runny nose, congestion, and/or dry & itchy skin, then you may also need to raise the humidity of your home.
How to Fix Low Indoor Humidity
If you’ve determined that you’re experiencing low humidity in your home, then you’re going to want to raise it as soon as possible. Here are some ways you can help raise the humidity in your house and help your heating and cooling system function properly:
Buy A Home Humidifier: In order to combat low humidity, the ideal thing to do is to purchase a humidifier that adds humidity to your whole home. There are several different types on the market, so you may want to do research or ask us at All Green which may be the best for you.
Boil Water: This may sound like a joke - but it’s the real deal. Boiling a pot of water and placing it next to a heat source will help add moisture to the air in your home.
Place Bowls of Water by Windows: Another simple fix is to take a glass or a bowl, fill it up with water, and place it on a windowsill that gets a lot of sunlight throughout the day. This will help add moisture to the room as the sunlight from the window will evaporate water into the air.
Introduce Houseplants: If you have a green thumb, then you’re in luck - adding houseplants to your indoor space can help with low indoor humidity. That’s because plants release water from their leaves and stems through a process called transpiration.
Hang Up Wet Clothes: Believe it or not, hanging up your wet laundry in a room is a great way to add moisture to the air. That’s because when your laundry is in the process of drying, water is evaporating into the air.
Of course, these are just a few of the many tricks to help raise the humidity in your home. However, if you’re having issues with the humidity in your home or with your HVAC system, be sure to contact us and we’ll be happy to help!
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