No matter the time of year, the humidity level in your home is always relevant. The correct humidity level can help keep your home warm in the winter and cool in the summer. But did you know that maintaining a proper humidity level can also have an effect on the health of you and your family? We found this great article that will help to explain how proper humidity levels can help to prevent sickness.
Controlling your home’s relative humidity levels has significant more benefits than a reduced heating bill.
Airborne moist directly influences how comfortable you feel and inappropriate humidity can wreck your house as well as cause serious illnesses.
Did you know…. that improper humidity can make you feel cold, clammy or itchy and even depressed?
No wonder relative humidity, a factor of air quality that should not be underestimated, has gotten more and more attention the past years.
Considering home is the place we spend most of our time, maintaining ideal indoor humidity levels is an essential element of living consciously.
On average people spend about 90% of their time indoors and 65% of that time we are at home.
As you read you’ll discover:
- How improper humidity levels can wreck your health and home
- Health hazards such as viruses and toxins that thrive on humidity
- Causes of excess moist in the home
- What exactly is relative humidity?
- Which indoor relative humidity levels are ideal?
- How to measure home humidity
- How to improve relative humidity levels
What you may not know about poor humidity levels and your health
When it’s humid outside we notice the air is thick and we tend to sweat easily. In case of excessive indoor humidity, we react differently. It often results in respiratory infections and allergies which lead to sneezing, coughing, and itch.
In fact, many illnesses are either caused or aggravated by poor indoor air quality. Some of the symptoms of poor humidity levels include upper respiratory congestion, wheezing, fatigue, dizziness, and watery eyes.
More severe health effects due to poor indoor air quality include rashes, nausea, rapid heartbeat, asthma attacks, heat stroke, muscle pain, and frequent headaches.
This is what happens when excess indoor humidity gets a hold of you
a short real-life example:
My niece has a permanent runny nose, is the only one in her family that suffers from allergies, and once in a while feels dizzy for no directly assignable reason. One time she was confined to bed because of a really nasty balance disorder. Another time she suffered from a truly horrible itch that last for days and felt almost unbearable.
When I visited her at her house a while ago I noticed a moist scent. At a following visit it smelled damp again. I asked her about it and she told me she realizes she doesn’t ventilate sufficiently. Also the presence of silverfish indicate excess humidity in her home.
Just a week ago her doctor urged her to take action upon the home humidity situation after she recently had to brake off a trip abroad because of feeling weak, wiggly and dizzy. The cause? A virus according to the MD but seemingly, considering his recommendation, related to indoor moist.
Note: I do not want to claim that all my niece her complaints are a direct result of excess humidity. However, all of these are generally linked to improper humidity levels or subsequent mold or mite allergies.
The link between improper humidity and feeling depressed
We all agree that peeling wallpaper, a damp scent, moist spots, mold and mildew, or rotting frames do not create the most appealing atmosphere. But are you aware that humidity levels directly impact your mood? Even far before such telltale signs are visible.
A study by Persinger (1975) shows that there are “significant negative relationships between relative humidity and “mood scores,” which represent a measure of happiness.”
Another study found that physical strength, feeling healthy, happiness, and social affection are specific aspects of our emotional well-being that were influenced by relative humidity.
For the rest of this article, go to www.criticalcactus.com. If you have a whole home humidifier that you think is not working properly or you are interested in finding out more information be sure to contact us.
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