Are indoor humidity levels affecting your health?

The ideal indoor humidity level is 35% to 45% or 40% to 50%, depending on who you ask. Fortunately, the human body is quite flexible and you don’t have too much love for an exact figure. The important thing is to avoid extremes. Living indoors is not entirely natural. The artificial environments we create for ourselves can sometimes cause extremes of humidity to occur. For short periods of time this is not a cause for concern, but the long-term effects can be quite unpleasant.

If the humidity level regularly exceeds 50%, you are likely to experience a rapid increase in the dust mite population, which will affect allergy sufferers. Permanently damp rooms tend to have a musty smell. Moist air is a perfect breeding ground for mold, mildew, and fungus, which can cause serious health problems. Wherever possible the cause of such conditions should be removed, but it is not always that simple and a dehumidifier may be required. A modern dehumidifier with a built-in humidistat can be programmed to maintain a humidity level below 50%. There is a wide variety available, so it is important to find the right type for your situation. You can find a helpful guide on dehumidifiers at DehumidifierTips.com

Consistently low humidity levels are also bad. This tends to happen when it’s cold outside and we turn up the heat in our homes. The most noticeable effects are sore throat and sinusitis, symptoms that are common in modern society at certain times of the year. You may also have dry skin and itchy eyes. The solution is to buy a humidifier that will put moisture back into the air. Like dehumidifiers, these can be programmed to work automatically and there is a wide range available that make the most of a variety of different humidification techniques. These techniques are explored in detail at HumidifierInformation.com along with everything you need to know on the subject.

If any of these symptoms sound familiar, perhaps you should buy a hygrometer (moisture gauge) and take some readings to find out if humidity is the cause. With modern technology at your disposal, there is no need for your health to suffer.