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Summer heat doesn’t stand a chance.
Humidity 101: How to Deal With Moisture In Your Home
Summer heat doesn’t stand a chance.
For those months of the year when scorching temperatures teeter into oppressive territory, escaping inside your home for a cool blast of air is godsend. The sensation of pivoting from muggy heat to cool and dry is the ultimate soothing balm.
But what happens when the humidity levels in your personal space fall out of balance? Unfortunately, less-than-ideal situations can ensue, from a scratchy throat and dry eyes to more serious issues such as mold.
Ahead, we dive into the specifics of what humidity is, the percentage you should strive for in your home, and ways to mitigate unwanted fluctuations in the air’s moisture to keep your abode the ultimate haven from unreliable weather outside.
What is humidity?
Let’s begin with a basic definition, shall we? Humidity is the measure of the amount of water vapour that’s present in the air. When talking about ‘relative humidity’ this is usually shown as a percentage and indicates the amount needed to achieve saturation at the same temperature.
Is there an ideal humidity level?
Specifically within the context of a living space, most experts indicate that you should strive for somewhere between 30% and 50% humidity (with 60% being the absolute threshold). If it rests within this range you’ll be able to prevent issues associated with high humidity (like mould growth) as well as low humidity (such as dry skin).
What causes fluctuations in humidity?
Unfortunately, a bevy of contributing factors can increase or decrease the humidity in your home. Perhaps most obviously: the weather. If it’s hot and humid outside, that can trickle indoors. Conversely, when it’s cold and dry with low humidity during the winter, you’ll encounter those qualities in your home as well.
Other daily activities like cooking, showering, and running your dryer can all impact the humidity levels throughout your living space, as well as considerations like ventilation and the materials that were used to build your home (an example being wood, which absorbs and releases moisture). Fun fact: Your indoor plants release moisture through a process called transpiration, which in effect can also increase humidity levels!
