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Humidity is often overlooked as a
major factor that contributes to or detracts from the comfort of
your home. However, humidity above or below the optimal range can
have significant impact on your comfort and health; in the fall and
winter months, low humidity levels outside contribute to dry,
uncomfortable air inside.
Well, here’s the breakdown:
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Effects of Low Humidity
Scratchy nose and throat Dry eyes and skin Aggravated asthma and allergies Nosebleeds Static electricity Cooler-feeling air Unhealthy houseplants Dry hardwood floors
Damaged musical instruments |
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Benefits of Optimal Humidity Levels
Lower utility bills Warmer-feeling air
Plus, you won't experience any of the discomforts listed on the left:
no more scratchy nose and throat, no more dry eyes and
skin, lessened or eliminated static electricity and
healthier house plants! |
And, if you want to get a little more technical about it ...
People tend to feel most comfortable
at a relative humidity of about 45%, although for maximum comfort
that doesn’t encourage bacteria growth, the optimal range is between
25% and 55%. With proper humidification, in the winter time, you can
set your thermostat at 69° F if you have 55% RH and it will provide
you and your family comfort as if you set your thermostat at 72 ° F
with 30% RH. Or, in the summertime, operation at 78°F and 30%
RH provides the same level of comfort as does 74°F and 70% RH. But,
the lower humidity level provides lower utility bills and less risk
of the above health issues.
If
you’re concerned about low humidity issues in your home, let us
help you solve them with the best equipment to meet you and your
family’s needs (download a pdf
brochure
here)! We can even schedule an
Indoor Air Quality test
from Air Advice - an independent laboratory - to check the
humidity, temperature and airborne particulate levels in your
home and provide you with a customized report of the findings in
order to best meet your humidity requirements.
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