Optimizing Your Comfort with a Dehumidifier or Humidifier

Though humidity is often associated with moist outdoor air during the summer, it can actually be a problem all year round inside and outside your home. When the air indoors feels too damp, your humidity levels may be too high - and when the air feels too dry, your humidity levels may be too low. Both of these situations are not only uncomfortable, but also damaging to your health and your home.

How Do Humidity Levels Affect You?

By adjusting your humidity levels to about 30-50% in the summer and 30-40% in the winter, you can significantly improve your health and make sure your furnishings last longer.

Usually, high humidity levels cause the most damage to your health, and justifiably so, since the effects of high humidity are much harder to get rid of than those of low humidity. When the air indoors is too humid, it is common to have constant allergic reactions because humid air provides the perfect temperature for mold and mildew growth. Additionally, you might find some stains on your walls or ceilings, which may become permanent. These signs all point to the fact that you need to get a dehumidifier.

Dehumidifiers are usually small- to medium-sized appliances that are great for reducing excess humidity from your home. There are actually different types of dehumidifiers for various types of rooms and settings. For smaller rooms, a unit like the Eva-Dry EDV-1100 might be just what you need. However, if your humidity levels are more than 10% higher than you'd like them to be, you might want to try a slightly bigger unit like the NewAir AD-250. For medium to larger rooms, the NewAir AD-400 is more preferable. These last two NewAir models use compressor technology, which make them a little loud but extremely effective and energy efficient.

On the Other Hand...

Low humidity levels also cause quite a few problems. When the humidity levels are too low, you may experience dry skin and lips, scratchy throat and nose, or other serious respiratory problems. Additionally, furniture and paint may start peeling around the house. For situations like these, you'll need a humidifier.

Humidifiers are the opposite of dehumidifiers - they increase the humidity levels of your home. Most people use humidifiers mostly during the winter, because that's when the air becomes unbearably cold and dry. A humidifier emits mist or water vapor into the air to increase the amount of moisture in the room. There are two types of humidifiers: cool mist humidifiers, which make more noise but cost less and are safer around children, and warm mist humidifiers, which use steam and make considerably less noise. The Air King 9929 is a popular cool mist humidifier that works perfectly for larger areas, while the Vornado Ultrasonic is a great cool and warm mist humidifier that covers about half the 9929's size.

Even though the air may be drier during the winter months, there are still high chances of mold growth. Usually during the winter, mold and mildew are found as a result of leaky roofs, plumbing leaks, or excessive flooding. So, it's still smart to keep a dehumidifier on hand during the wintertime as well.

How to Determine Your Humidity Levels

How do you know if your home has the conditions for mold growth? It's easy to find out exactly what your humidity levels are if you have a humidistat. Many dehumidifiers and humidifiers actually come with a humidistat built in the unit so that you don't have to purchase a separate one. However, it may be beneficial to actually have a separate humidistat because some, like the Extech 445815, actually alert you when mold may be growing in your home and tell you where you might find it as well!