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Moreover, an overly dry atmosphere can deteriorate the quality of indoor plants and furniture, manifesting in a less vibrant living space. Understanding and addressing these side effects can transform your home into a sanctuary of wellness, safeguarding your family’s health and well-being. Maintaining an optimal moisture level becomes essential, not just for comfort but for the health of everyone in your household. Consider monitoring your home’s humidity levels to ensure they remain within a healthy range.
Conditions
As the cold weather moves in, humidity levels naturally drop. That's because cold air can't hold as much moisture as warm air. Ideal indoor humidity during winter should hover around 45 percent. But dry winter air can cause your humidity to drop substantially, to levels of 15 percent or less. With this humidity imbalance come a number of potential problems that can affect your health, your home and especially your comfort.
How to make air in your home as safe and clean as possible - Sanford Health News
How to make air in your home as safe and clean as possible.
Posted: Mon, 22 Jun 2020 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Don't suffer through winter.
The best way to handle this issue is to invest in a humidifier. You can use a one-room humidifier or go for a whole-house humidifier for dry winter air. When you humidify the air, it will also make it easy for you to breathe.
Navigating the Health Impacts of Dry Air and Low Humidity
Remember, no matter how high the temperature is indoors, it will only provide the illusion of warmth. Another old-school method to increase moisture in a very dry home involves a bowl of water and a radiator. Simply put a bowl of water (a metal bowl is best, to prevent cracking and breakage) on the radiator or near any heater. This helps keep the humidity at a comfortable level as your home increases in temperature. Long, hot showers might feel great on frigid winter mornings, but the heat and steam can really dry out your skin. If you get out of the shower and your skin is red, the water was too hot.
Higher stress levels
When these membranes lose too much moisture to dry air, their ability to capture particles becomes compromised. During the wash cycle of your dishwasher, steam will be released into the atmosphere as the dishes are cleaned. For the drying cycle, cracking the dishwasher door and allowing your dishes to air dry will increase the humidity of the surrounding air as the steam escapes. However, humidifiers can sometimes be expensive and are usually only effective for a single room. Fortunately, there are ways that you can naturally increase the humidity in your home to combat dry air. There’s no real downside to line drying your linens and clothes, except that it takes longer than using a clothes dryer.
By using a hygrometer and humidifier, you can keep your moisture level in check and live comfortably. When the moisture level is above 50%, your ceilings and walls may become susceptible to mold growth. Also, make sure that you regularly clean and maintain your humidifier. Research indicates that any dirty mist from a humidifier can lead to lung difficulties, including problems with breathing. Too much of this type of moisture can increase the risk of infection and enhance the chances of getting asthma, especially in young children.
If you’ve ever woken up in the night and found it difficult to swallow, it may not surprise you to learn that dry air can cause pain and inflammation in your throat. Additionally, every 4% increase in humidity lets you decrease your home's thermostat by 1 degree. For example, if your home's humidity level is 26% and you adjust it to 50%, you can lower your thermostat by 6 degrees.
While the above symptoms affect the lungs and nasal passages, dry air can also affect the skin and other parts of the body. If you are struggling with irritated and dry eyes, low humidity could be the causes. Dry air increases tear evaporation, which causes problems with moisture and the eyes.
Series Air Purifier and Humidifier
So when the air lacks humidity, your skin will start to dry out. This can cause itching, flaking, and tightness around the joints. It can also cause painful cracking of the skin, and chapped lips. Overly dry air can also cause flare-ups of existing skin problems, including eczema and acne.
Breathing dry air also can cause dehydration since body fluids are depleted during respiration. The more houseplants you set up around the house, the higher the overall air humidity will be. Plus, you’ll also have the added benefit of enjoying cleaner air. Put flower holders on windowsills or sunny tables to increase the humidity of your house. Replace the water regularly to avoid buildup in the water.
Another indication the air in the house is too dry is the worsening of moderate to severe acne. Dry air will increase irritation of your air passageways, exacerbating the reaction to any allergens in the air. Irritants include pollen, dust, and bacteria, among other allergens. While pollen is likely not from outside due to the cold weather, indoor houseplants can carry it.
From modern humidifiers to whole-home systems, we have the tools to ensure your air is perfectly balanced. Dropping temperatures during the winter cause the air in the house to become too dry. Dry air sucks the moisture from your home, which can lead to problems not only for the residents but for your furniture as well.
Naturally, as your clothes dry on a line or drying rack, the moisture that gets released into the air helps decrease the drying. It also saves you money on your electric bill, which certainly comes in handy in the winter when you have to run the heat. Thermostats are getting smarter and smarter every year, as are HVAC systems.
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