There is no doubt that it is staying in a house or apartment we want to feel the best in it. However, hardly anyone realizes that humidity has a massive impact on the well-being and health of household members. Unfortunately, we rarely pay attention to the correct range of indoor humidity, and this can contribute to smaller or larger complications - not just health.
WHAT IS AIR HUMIDITY?
Air humidity can be characterized in several ways. Most often, relative humidity is used for measurements, i.e. the percentage ratio of the number of water particles in the air to its maximum amount. The maximum content of water vapour in the air depends on its temperature. The higher the air temperature, the more water vapour it can contain. So it is not difficult to guess that the humidity in the house can be controlled by the temperature and ventilation of the rooms.
HOW TO MEASURE AIR HUMIDITY?
The device suitable for measuring air humidity is a hygrometer. It can be purchased as an independent instrument, although most often it is part of the home weather stations, which in addition to air humidity give such parameters as temperature or atmospheric pressure. Accurate assessment of moisture without appropriate instruments is quite difficult. First of all, because of the feelings that can be confusing. For example, during intense air movement, it seems dry, and the air with a higher temperature we perceive as more humid.
WHAT HUMIDITY AND TEMPERATURE IS THE BEST AT HOME?
While in the case of temperature, it can be said that everything depends on the preferences of the household members, in the case of humidity, it is best to stick to a specific range. Although both with very low and very high humidity, the person does not feel significant discomfort, being in such conditions for a long time can negatively affect health and well-being. It is recommended to keep the humidity in the middle range, i.e. 40-60%. Why is that so? We will explain it below. Because moisture mainly depends on the air temperature, in warmer conditions, it should oscillate in the lower limits, i.e. 45-55%, and similarly for colder places 55-65%.
Comfortable air temperature quite often takes into account the individual preferences of the household members. Most often during the winter, the room temperature is kept at 18-21 °C, with older people and children prefer slightly higher temperatures. In the bedroom, the temperature should fluctuate around 18 °C, and in the bathroom just over 21 °C.
TOO LOW AIR HUMIDITY
We talk about dry air when the relative humidity of the airdrops below 40%. Dry air at home certainly does not have a positive effect on our body. Some people in these conditions may have difficulty breathing and be susceptible to infection. Too dry air also adversely affects our skin; it can appear inflammation, itching and allergies. It should also be taken into account that the low humidity of the air in the house means that there is more dust in the rooms and with it microbes. This is a very uncomfortable situation for allergy sufferers.
Dry air - which may not seem obvious - also affects home furnishings. This applies in particular to materials made of wood, such as furniture and floor panels. Low humidity causes the wood to lose its colour, begin to tarnish and spread. In extreme situations, this can even cause furniture to crack, and gaps appear between the floor panels.
TOO high AIR HUMIDITY
If the relative humidity of the air exceeds 60%, then similar to dry air, this is an unfavourable situation. Fortunately, the problem with moisture at home is much easier to identify. First of all, excess water molecules in the air begin to settle on the surfaces, e.g. in the form of water vapour on the glass. Similarly, mould or other fungi may indicate excessive moisture of the room.
This state of affairs - as in the case of too dry air - affects the well-being. Household members may experience omnipresent coldness, shortness of breath and fatigue. Respiratory infections also appear more often. The greatest threat is mould, which develops in wet conditions. It extremely adversely affects the respiratory system and contributes to, among others muscle and joint pain, sinusitis and general breathing problems. It is crucial to get rid of the source of moisture before removing mould. Otherwise, the persistent problem will recur quickly.
HOW DOES EXCESSIVE MOISTURE AT HOME?
There can be quite a lot of sources. First of all, steam is generated during everyday activities such as cooking, washing, or drying the laundry. The household members also contribute a little to the increase in humidity by breathing. Unfortunately, sometimes it happens that the moisture in the house comes from outside. High levels of groundwater, flooding or lack of drainage can contribute to huge problems with moisture. Ad hoc activities will not help then, and it will be necessary to secure the source of moisture problems properly.
AIR HUMIDITY CONTROL AT HOME
Maintaining a relative humidity of 40-60% will undoubtedly limit the development of mould, allergens will affect our well-being and the lifetime of home furnishings. In the case of low humidity, the easiest way is to open the window wide for a few minutes and thus ventilate the room every day. In winter, spreading wet clothes and towels on radiators will help. Buying a humidifier that draws a small amount of electricity and can raise the humidity to a decent level will also work. The purchase and use of a humidifier are especially recommended in the colder seasons, when heating your home additionally dehumidifies the air it contains.
It is slightly worse to cope with excess moisture in the rooms. First of all, proper ventilation should be ensured in particularly wet areas, e.g. in the bathroom. The frequent airing of the house will also help, although it depends on the weather conditions outside. It is best to invest in an air conditioner that effectively cools and dries the air. Unfortunately, the cost of installing and operating the air conditioner may be too high. Therefore, buying a dehumidifier will be much better at home. These devices are small and can be placed anywhere.
AIR DEHUMIDIFIER TROTEC TTK 105 S
This dehumidifier available in our offer is light, efficient and durable. It works perfectly at home and effectively eliminates moisture from the air - also in larger rooms. The easy-to-use control panel allows you to enter the desired humidity value. The device can be set to permanent drying or only for a limited time. Dehumidifier operation is easy and safe. The device has built-in protection against overfilling the tank and an easily accessible reusable filter. The equipment can operate in a relative humidity range of 30-100% and a temperature of 5 - 35 °C.
DEHUMIDIFIER TROTEC REMKO ASF 100
It is a very efficient device, and thanks to the airflow of 150 m³/h, it will cope with dehumidification of air in larger rooms. The adsorption rotor used makes the machine efficient even at a temperature of 5 °C. The weight of 6.5 kg and the small design of the dryer allow for convenient transport, and the built-in ion generator and active air filter additionally affect the air quality.
SUMMARY
Air humidity is a factor that hardly anyone pays attention to. However, as it turns out, it has a massive impact on our well-being and more. Therefore, it is worth taking care of proper humidity in the house, which, as we have presented, is not particularly difficult. The key to maintaining stable air humidity is undoubtedly a regular airing of the rooms. This applies in particular to bathrooms and kitchens where water vapour accumulation is most significant. An efficient ventilation system is mandatory.
It is most challenging to maintain optimal air humidity in autumn and winter. Constant heating of the house and the lack of frequent ventilation make the air dry, which in turn promotes illness. It is worth hanging up wet towels in these situations that will moisten the air to some extent. For larger rooms, it is advisable to purchase appropriate devices for dehumidifying or humidifying the air. The cost of such equipment is not high, and indeed, the decision to buy them will significantly improve the mood and health of the household.
