When it comes to creating a comfortable Berks County home, it’s not all about temperature. Humidity actually plays a large role in you and your family’s comfort. There are many ways humidity can affect both the people in your home and your home furnishings. It is important to keep your home at an appropriate humidity level, somewhere between 35 and 60 percent. This way you can keep your family healthy and your home in good condition.
Both high and low humidity can affect your wallet. When your home humidity levels are too high or low, you can end up paying for doctor bills, having to repair your home, or replacing furniture. Knowing how humidity affects your home and family can help you avoid problems. Below you will find information on things to watch out for and solutions to keep your home comfortable.
Your Family
Your main concern with humidity should be your family’s health. There are a variety of ways humidity affects your body.
Lack of Humidity
When the air is dry, it steals moisture from your skin, leaving it dry and maybe a bit itchy. You may also notice chapped lips and static in your hair. While you can continually apply beauty and care products to help reverse these issues, it is more convenient to get a humidifier. If you need help choosing the right model for your home, talk to a knowledgeable technician from B&L Ott.
Dry air can also cause cracked sinuses, lead to bloody noses and a sore or scratchy throat. This also makes it easier to catch a cold as sticky membranes in your nose lose some of their ability to filter out germs and virus. This explains why people tend to get colds more often in the winter when the air is dry.
Too Much Humidity
Summers in Berks County are more humid and cause different comfort issues. High humidity makes the air feel hotter than it actually is. The air feels sticky or clammy, you will sweat more and your hair can get frizzy.
High humidity can also make your breath heavier and causes faster respiration. With the excess sweating, you lose fluids, salt, and electrolytes more quickly so it is important to stay hydrated and properly nourished. This is especially true when exercising. Too much activity in high humidity without hydration can lead to heat exhaustion or a heat stroke. High humidity can also lead to higher levels of dust mites, mold, and fungi. If anyone in your family has asthma or allergies, having B&L Ott install a dehumidifier may benefit them.
Your Furniture
You should also be concerned about your furniture when it comes to humidity levels. Levels that are too high or too low can damage your furniture, walls, floors and other possessions.
Lack of Humidity
Most B&L Ott customers have wood in their homes. They have wood floors, cabinets, tables, beds, chairs, and more. Wood is susceptible to low humidity. Dry air steals the moisture from the wood and can cause it to contract and shrink.
Low humidity can also dry out and cause cracks in leather, wallpaper, and paintings. Other than that, it can make books and stamps dry and brittle, turn wine into swill, warp instruments until they are out of tune, and create static electricity that can ruin your electronic appliances.
Too Much Humidity
On the other hand, high humidity can cause mold and mildew to grow, especially in places with poor ventilation or high moisture. Pay close attention to areas such as your basement, attic, and bathroom. Mold can be difficult and expensive to get rid of.
Wood is also sensitive to high humidity. Too much moisture in the air can cause your wooden floorboards to buckle, swell, creek, strain, or even break.
Solutions
There are various ways you can help avoid the various issues listed above. This includes,
- Making sure home is properly ventilated.
- Making sure you have the right size HVAC system.
- Making sure your system receives proper maintenance.
- Look into humidifiers, dehumidifiers and other humidity products from B&L Ott.
If you need additional help solving the humidity issues in your home, contact B&L Ott for a consultation. We can help you find the best solutions for your Reading area home. You can contact us through our website or by calling, 610-927-5133.