Indoor air quality is a critical part to your comfort, and may even be crucial to your health as well. And yet it almost never gets the attention it deserves in most homes. Aside from replacing their air filter every so often, most people don’t really focus on their air quality all that much unless it becomes a major problem. That may not be a good thing, as indoor humidity levels can cause a wide variety of annoying and even serious issues.
How to Achieve Optimal Indoor Humidity Levels
Have you ever noticed how your hands feel dry, cracked, and rough during winter months? How your lips always seem like they need soothing balm when temperatures drop? Or that your home can feel muggy and unwelcoming even though your indoor temperature might be exactly where you set it during the summer? These are a few problems caused by indoor humidity fluctuations. This makes controlling humidity all that much more important.
Here are three ways you can take control of your indoor humidity all year long.
1. Use a Humidifier/Dehumidifier
Today, we have devices and equipment that are specifically designed to tackle indoor humidity problems. Humidifiers add water vapor to the air in your home, helping it feel softer and more comfortable during cold winter weather. Dehumidifiers can help your air conditioner remove more of the moisture from the air, helping your home finally achieve that dry, cool, and refreshing feeling that you may have been struggling to obtain.
Many modern humidifiers are installed directly in your HVAC equipment, and some can even be controlled directly with a smart thermostat. By directly connecting them to a water line, you can improve humidity all winter long without ever having to worry about refilling a tank.
Conversely, your air conditioner itself is a massive dehumidifier, as it pulls moisture from the air naturally through its cooling process. However, an air conditioner can’t overcome excessive humidity, and this could even cause it to freeze. Instead, utilizing a specialized dehumidifier can help you solve the problem and enjoy a more comfortable feeling home.
2. Boil Water During Winter
The reason you struggle with low indoor humidity during winter months is simply because there isn’t nearly as much humidity in the atmosphere. Cooler air temperatures mean reduced water capacity, and that in turn means less water in the air. Less water in the air means lower relative humidity indoors, and that makes your air feel drier than you and your body are used to.
One way to improve this is by simply boiling a pot of water during winter months. While this might not be the most efficient way of putting humidity into your air, it is a way for almost anyone to get a little bit of relief and make at least some sort of improvement. As the water boils, it turns to steam, and steam evaporates into the air as vapor that in turn brings up your indoor humidity. If you ever find you are really struggling with low indoor humidity, boiling a pot of water is a fast and easy way to get a small amount of relief from this problem.
3. Seal Doors & Windows
The number one reason for indoor humidity problems is excessive air leaks between your home and the environment around it. Air leaks come in all shapes and sizes, from small and nearly invisible cracks to significant gaps around doors, windows, vents, and more. While it isn’t possible to completely seal your home and prevent all air transfer between the indoor and outdoor environment, it is possible to improve the seals around these common leak points to reduce this air transfer as much as possible. Replacing weather stripping around doors and windows is a great start, and you can even go a step further by replacing caulking or silicone seals around windows to mitigate loss in areas that don’t really receive a lot of attention. Your loved ones may appreciate this repair, as it will help improve energy efficiency and keep pests out of your home, too!
Reach out to the experts at Bay Heating & Air Conditioning today if you struggle with indoor air quality problems, such as inconsistent humidity levels. Call us at (440) 294-4954 now to book an appointment.