Regardless of the climate in which a person lives, the level of relative humidity can affect the comfort of the home, as well as the proper functioning of heating and air conditioning systems. Managing the ideal indoor humidity should be a priority for every homeowner, especially when it comes to adapting heating and cooling preferences to personal home needs. However, such requirements are minimal.
Before moving on to the main essence of the topic, you need to turn to the problems and solutions of normal humidity. To do this, take a look at the basics.
What is relative humidity (OS)
OS is the amount of water vapor present in the air, "expressed as a percentage of the amount needed to saturate at the same temperature." When the temperature rises or falls, the ability of air to retain water changes. This leads to a change in key indicators. Normal humidity is set depending on the climate and season. Such indicators can vary based on the number of people living in the room.
A constant level of humidity in the home at home will ensure the efficient operation of home heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems.
The main question that worries apartment owners is: "What humidity should be in my house in the summer and how to regulate it." In the summer months, the average should be 30-45% (below the 50% mark). In winter, an OS below 40% may be required to avoid condensation on the windows. By staying in the proper ranges, problems can be prevented.
In other words, the right humidity level helps the homeowner feel cool in the summer and warm in the winter. If levels are not properly maintained, not only will it be very uncomfortable to live in a house, but tenants can also become susceptible to respiratory distress or chemical reactions. Normal humidity can eliminate such problems. Many doctors advise people with allergic reactions to monitor the indicator.
In addition, improper humidity levels can also lead to damage both inside and outside the house. Removing unwanted moisture in the house is one of the main functions of the air conditioning system. However, it alone may not be enough to remove excess moisture that enters the apartment.
The ideal temperature in your home will depend on the preferences of the residents, and maintaining the recommended humidity level at different times of the year will provide you comfort and safety.
How to adjust performance at home during the seasons
The optimal level of humidity in the house depends on your personal preferences, clothes and level of physical activity. Doctors offer a range of indicators from 45% to 55% to control health effects and diseases. This is enough for daily activity. Normal humidity is divided into several values.
Main characteristics:
- Convenient - 30% - 60%.
- Recommended - 45% - 55%.
- High - 55% - 80%.
Low performance issues
To solve problems with the humidity level in the apartment, additional equipment may be required, such as a ventilation system for the whole house or a humidification system. These systems are designed to increase home comfort and reduce the risk of health problems associated with level indicators. Normal humidity in the apartment contributes to the safety of many household items. In the event of a deviation from the norms, health problems and materials in the apartment may arise.
Low humidity can cause:
- Static electricity.
- Dry, itchy skin and brittle hair.
- Susceptibility to colds and respiratory infections.
- Viruses and germs thrive.
- Damage to wooden furniture and floors, split furniture and cracks.
- Paint may crack.
- Electronics may be damaged.
First of all, the air in the room becomes dry when the humidity in the street is low. In cool weather, the heaters turn on, which leads to the appearance of dry air. Frequent operation of radiators and heaters not only causes concern about the cost of heating, but also leads to drying out of the sinuses, which can cause unpleasant sensations and breathing problems.
How to increase the humidity in the apartment
There are many articles on the Internet that describe available methods for such an action. The main ones include the use of open vessels filled with water. When using an open two-liter bottle of water in a room, the indicator rises from an average of 38% to 44%, but it takes about an hour. Normal humidity in the apartment can be set much faster using specialized household appliances.
Additionally, you can purchase electronic devices in the apartment. They act simply. The owner needs to pour water into the tank and set the required humidity level on the sensor. After that, the system will slowly begin to evaporate the liquid, which positively affects the increase in humidity.
Health benefits
Here are the main indicators of the effectiveness of a normal level of humidity in a house:
- Cleans sinuses, which improves breathing.
- Reduces the risk of infections. Viruses and bacteria do not live in humid air. Studies have shown that raising humidity to 43 percent or more significantly reduces the ability of airborne viruses caused by influenza infections.
- Increases the healing time of infections.
- Humidifiers will keep the nasal passages moist inside.
- Softer skin. Moisturizers help maintain skin moisture by preventing dry and dull skin.
- Relieve snoring. When moist air moisturizes the respiratory system, snoring can decrease in volume and actually subside over time due to relaxation of the nasal passages and a natural decrease in irritating particles in the air, such as dust.
- Improves sleep. In addition to relieving snoring, moisture in the bedroom will help with dry throat.
- Helps relieve sore throat.
Benefits for owners of apartments and houses
Normal humidity in the apartment must circulate. For this, external and internal systems are made. When heat passes through a heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, it releases dry air to heat the house. This dry air can also create some problems in the apartment.
Using a humidifier will improve, prevent, or eliminate the following:
- Electric shocks. A humidifier can make the air slightly less dry and thus reduce the likelihood that static electricity can be touched.
- Cracked wooden furniture. Over time, dry air can distort furniture.
- The presence of a humidifier in your home will protect paintings, photographs and even a collection of stamps from fragility, discoloration, peeling and much more.
Unfortunately, there is a downside to excessive air humidity:
- Mold growth.
- Wet insulation.
- Rot on wood.
- Discomfort during sleep.
How to reduce humidity in the house
Now it’s worth talking about desiccants. Using a dehumidifier is a good way to control air quality, which can cause asthma in your apartment. In addition, indicators should be manually adjusted when there are young children in the room. Normal humidity in the apartment also affects immunity.
You should think about investing in dehumidifiers in advance, as well as regular cleaning and replacing filters in the system. They help regulate the level of humidity and maintain it in conditions favorable to asthmatics. It is important to change the filters at least once a month, since a large number of bacteria accumulate on them when the air is drained. Normal humidity in the room when using such equipment will be at a mark not exceeding 40%.
Also, when the humidity in the house is too high, you can reduce it by installing exhaust fans in the kitchen or bathrooms. However, it is necessary to monitor constant indicators so as not to lower the mark to a critical level.
The Importance of Level Management
Depending on the temperature conditions, the indicators may vary. Normal humidity in the room is set every season manually based on temperature and precipitation in the street. Seasonal humidity can affect home comfort, so controlling the humidity in the apartment at any time of the year can make the time spent there much more enjoyable. The coldest months of the year or the climate is not able to retain moisture, so you should control it inside yourself.
In winter or in regions where it is cold for most of the year, moistening or adding moisture is important because cold air cannot hold much moisture and tends to be dry. That is why you should install additional equipment to adjust the levels. Considering the question of what is normal humidity, we should also talk about temperature conditions in winter. The higher the degree of air, the drier the air.
Again, if there is a humidifier, you can independently set the humidity level by turning it on in the winter. In the winter months, a humidity of 30–40% is recommended. You can also add live indoor plants to moisturize or place containers with water next to the heating system.
Adjustment in the summer months
Answering the question: “What is normal humidity”, it is necessary to determine this indicator in each season. Depending on the location of the apartment, the climate may vary. Being with ponds increases this indicator.
During the summer months or in warmer climates, moisture removal or dehumidification becomes a priority. In those climatic conditions, when the air is very warm and humid for most of the year, the importance of additional drainage - or the removal of moisture from the air - cannot be underestimated.
Without this addition, the house will not only become uncomfortable, but the presence of too much moisture can stimulate the growth of mold and bacteria. A humidity level below 60% is recommended by most experts for the summer months. This rule applies to office space. "What humidity is considered normal for schools and kindergartens" is an interesting question. The indicator coefficient is individual and is established in a specific region by the inspecting authorities.
Place of residence is not the only factor that can affect the level of humidity. Standard apartment features, such as steam produced in the shower or while cooking, can affect the humidity level in the room. It also creates a certain pressure on the climate inside. "What is normal humidity in the apartment, if food is constantly being prepared in the kitchen" - the question is ambiguous. The main thing is to install a good hood to mechanically reduce the percentage of moisture.
To make the house feel comfortable, especially in winter, it is recommended to maintain the temperature of the heating devices at about 22 degrees Celsius, and maintain the relative humidity at the recommended above 45%. When washing, it is necessary to isolate the rooms so as not to increase the figure in all rooms.
What humidity is considered normal in a children's room? Many parents are puzzled by this question. Especially newborn babies. For acclimatization will be enough 40%. By installing a humidifier connected to the heating or placing it separately, you can control the humidity in the apartment throughout the year.
How to measure levels
There are several simple ways to determine if the humidity in a house is too low or too high:
- Nebula and condensation on the windows, moisture and mold on the walls and ceilings indicate too much humidity.
- An increase in static electricity, dried and cracked coatings and paint indicate a low level of humidity.
If the user really wants to take humidity seriously, he can buy a device called a hygrometer to accurately determine the rate in the apartment. Through the Internet you can buy cheap (digital or analog) for less than a thousand rubles.
Speaking about what is the normal air humidity in the apartment, it should be noted that a comprehensive technique helps to increase and measure the level of this indicator. Finding them is also difficult, since not all household appliance stores sell such equipment.
There are also combined types of devices, which are much more expensive, that measure temperature and humidity, carbon dioxide, toxic chemicals and dust in the air. This technique allows you to remotely control humidity, as well as set automatic control when analyzing indicators.
Level up
Experts, talking about what humidity in the apartment is considered normal, note that it is important to take into account the climatic properties of indoor air. They directly affect performance. In winter, warm air especially prevails in the rooms. In homes that use forced air heating, the problem has escalated, as in stoves and boilers, combustion is used to create hot air, as a result of which most of the water vapor needed to achieve the optimum effect disappears. As a result of this, everything begins to seriously dry up.
What air humidity in the apartment is considered normal? Experts call this issue controversial. In the calculations, I act on many external and internal factors. The optimal indicator ranges from 35% to 50%. Reduced rates cause static electricity, dry skin and hair, increased susceptibility to colds and respiratory diseases, and also contributes to the spread of viruses and germs. Adding a humidifier to the house will solve these problems.
There are three standard types to choose from:
- Natural evaporation. Adding moisture to the air is as simple as placing a container of water on or near a radiator or other air heating system (there are small containers for this). Leaving wet towels and clothes to dry are other ways to get moisture in the air. This is a very technologically advanced and low-power method, however, control over the indicators is limited, and the available humidity depends on the size of the vessel used and should be often replenished.
- Portable / indoor humidifier. The most common type of humidifier is a portable one, for example, a type that is installed on a floor or other surface. It can work both in manual and automatic mode.
- Built-in ventilation and humidification system in the apartment. The best and most controlled humidity system. Radiators and an air humidifier for the whole house can be added to it so that the vapors are distributed directly in the heated air and circulated throughout the apartment in a conventional duct system. The whole house system is the most expensive option and requires connection to cold water and a place for the humidifier unit. Using a humidifier in the whole house, the humidity level is controlled using a device called a hygrostat - this method has the greatest ability to moisturize and provides the greatest stability in general.
What to do if the level is too high
Normal humidity in winter is provided by technology and improvised means. It is important not to exceed the rate of more than 50%. This may cause dampness. Humans may have excessively high humidity (especially in certain regions), which will create their own set of problems. If the owner of the apartment has a high level of humidity, condensation around the house will become noticeable, especially at windows in winter. It is during this period that the warm, moist air inside comes in contact with the cold air on the other side of the window, the temperature drops and the air may no longer hold water vapor, which leads to condensation.
To fix such problems, do the following:
- If there is a humidifier, it must be turned off for a period of cold weather.
- If condensation is detected, the air dryer must be switched on.
- Turn on exhaust fans during cooking and bathing, or ventilate through open windows if there is fresh, drier air outside.
Additionally, the amount of water introduced into the house should be reduced. Cook with closed pots, take a cooler, shorter shower. Plants in winter are better to take out of the apartment, and linen to dry on the balcony.
