Relative Humidity - Air Advice for Homes

Dry Air

The air people breathe needs to have moisture in it, at a level of at least 25% relative humidity. If the air in your home falls below this target and becomes overly dry, it can affect your health and the health of your whole family. Dry air can increase colds and respiratory infections, aggravate asthma and bronchitis, and lead to sinusitis, nosebleeds, dry eyes, cracked lips, dry nose, and dry skin. The health of your house can be affected too, causing cracked paint, furniture damage, high levels of static electricity and increased volumes of dust in the air. It can even make your home feel cooler, so you may need a higher thermostat setting to feel comfortable.

There are a few factors that can contribute to the air in your home being too dry:

The type of heating used
Ventilation
Overuse of air conditioning

AirAdvice indoor air quality tip:

In winter, use humidifiers to raise relative humidity. One of the major causes of respiratory infection is lack of humidity during cold weather.

Humid Air

It’s a known fact that the human body tends to feel most comfortable at a relative humidity of about 45%. But what can you do when the environment in your home feels “sticky” and you just can’t cool off? When relative humidity levels rise above the 45% mark, the human body has trouble cooling down. Our natural system of sweating to cool the body is counteracted because higher levels of humidity prevent its evaporation from the skin.

Not only are you feeling uncomfortable when humidity levels are greater than 55% but your home can become the perfect haven for mold, mildew, bacteria, fungi, and dust mites. Moreover, these pollutants can have adverse health effects.

AirAdvice indoor air quality tips:

In summer, use air conditioners or dehumidifiers to reduce humidity levels.
Check for leaks in your home’s plumbing. Even slow leaks can raise humidity
levels in the home.