It’s not just about comfort; maintaining the right humidity level in your home also means maintaining health, structural integrity, and well-being. Most homeowners ignore humility as a critical factor in their indoor environment. However, when humidity levels are too low, many problems will be triggered, from health issues to damage to your house and belongings. In this blog, we’ll explore the effects of low humidity on your health and home and provide practical tips for addressing this issue.
Understanding Humidity Levels
Before discussing the harmful effects of low humidity, let’s clarify what constitutes low humidity. Humidity is the air’s moisture, typically relative humidity (RH).
Ideal indoor humidity levels: 30-50%
Low indoor humidity levels: Below 30%
During colder months, indoor humidity tends to drop due to heating systems that dry out the air. Even in warmer seasons, areas with arid climates may struggle to maintain adequate indoor moisture levels.
Signs Your Home Has Low Humidity
Is low humidity a problem in your home? Here are some signs to look for:
- Static shocks are frequent when touching metal or fabrics.
- Wooden furniture or floors have visible cracks.
- Houseplants are parched or limp even though you water them regularly.
- You or your loved ones have dry skin, itchy eyes, or respiratory issues more often.
The Health Effects of Low Humidity
Low humidity doesn’t just make your home feel dry—it can seriously affect your health. Here are some of the ways it can affect you and your family:
Respiratory Problems
Dry air may irritate the respiratory system. Your nasal passages and throat mucous membranes get drier at very low humidity, so their effectiveness at trapping bacteria, viruses, and allergens is impaired. This raises the likelihood of:
- Colds and flu
- Sinus infections
- Asthma or allergy worsening
Dry Skin and Eyes
Skin is our biggest organ; it needs a lot of moisture to be healthy. At low humidity, the results are as follows:
- Cracked or flaky or itchy skin
- Worsening conditions like eczema or psoriasis
- Dry eyes lead to discomfort, as well as blurred vision
Dehydration Risks
Low humidity can cause you to lose water through your skin and when you breathe. While it doesn’t usually make you feel thirsty, it still affects your body’s water levels. Continued over months will result in dehydration, sometimes with tired or lightheaded states.
Increased Susceptibility to Infection
Dry air allows viruses to thrive and spread more easily. Studies have shown that flu viruses survive longer in low-humidity environments, increasing the chances of outbreaks during winter.
The Effects Of Low Humidity On Your Home
It’s not just your health that suffers when humidity levels drop—your home and belongings can be adversely affected, too. Here’s how:
Damage to Wooden Furniture and Floors
Wood is a natural commodity that expands and contracts to changes in moisture levels. The shrinking of wood because of low humidity brings about:
- Cracked or Warped Hardwood Floors
- Splitting in Wooden Furniture
- Loose Joints of Cabinetry and Doors
Build-Up of Static Electricity
It is well known that static electricity increases with dry air. Although static shocks may not be fatal, they can knock out sensitive electronics in an ordinary household.
Cracking in Walls and Paint
Low humidity causes drywall and paint to crack. Over time, this may lead to unsightly damage that requires costlier repairs.
Degradation of Music Instruments
Those who own a guitar, piano, or violin must maintain a suitable humidity level. Low humidity can cause these instruments to be out of tune, warp, or even crack.
Increased Power Costs
Dry air feels cooler than wet air. This means you may feel inclined to crank up the heat when it’s cold outside, which means paying more for energy. Correcting low humidity could help you feel warmer without increasing your thermostat setting.
How Low Humidity Affects Comfort
Low humidity in your home can cause discomfort, from disrupted sleep to dry, brittle hair. Understanding how it impacts your daily life is key to creating a more comfortable environment.
Poor Sleep Quality
Dry air can cause snoring, congestion, and discomfort at night. It can also cause you to wake up less refreshed and dehydrated because it dries your throat and mouth. This can affect the quality of your rest, resulting in daytime fatigue and reduced focus. Your overall productivity and mood are further affected.
Dry and Brittle Hair
Low humidity removes all-natural oils from hair, making it dry and brittle, with a tendency to break easily. Over time, this will weaken the hair strand, making it take longer to maintain its health shine. People with curly or textured hair are usually at a higher risk due to their hair type, which tends to rely heavily on moisture.
Uncomfortable Living Environment
When the humidity is too low, you will experience frequent dry coughs, chapped lips, and general discomfort, making your home less inviting. In addition, static electricity becomes more pronounced and causes fabrics to cling, with minor but annoying shocks when you touch objects. Such small discomforts can add up, making your living space less enjoyable and stressful.
How To Combat Low Humidity In Your Home
The good news is that low humidity can be corrected, thereby making the indoor environment a healthy and comfortable living space. Here’s how you can do it:
Get yourself a Humidifier
Humidifiers are very effective at boosting indoor humidity levels. They come in many types:
Central humidifiers: These are installed directly in the HVAC system to control moisture levels throughout the home.
Ultrasonic humidifiers: Quiet and efficient, good for a bedroom or an office.
Evaporative humidifiers are inexpensive and widely available. They add moisture by blowing air through a wet filter using a fan.
When selecting a humidifier, consider how large your space is and how much control you need. Some humidifiers include built-in hygrometers and adjustable settings for added convenience.
Use Indoor Plants
Similar to peace lilies, ferns, and spider plants, some houseplants emit water vapor into the air by transpiration. Placing several of these in your home can help naturally increase humidity levels and clean the air. Clustering a few together will be more effective in places where the air seems very dry, like windows or heating vents.
Seal Drafts and Insulate Your Home
In the winter, cold air penetrating through openings and cracks makes humidity issues even worse. To prevent moisture and heat loss, apply weather stripping, caulking, or insulation to windows, doors, or any possible cracks. Keeping all moisture and heat within can achieve a better, more balanced, and energy-friendly climate.
Dry clothes indoors
Hanging clothes to dry indoors can add moisture to the air. It’s an easy, eco-friendly way to increase humidity levels, especially during colder months when indoor air is driest. This method also reduces energy consumption from using a dryer.
Adjust Your Thermostat
Avoid heating the home too much as dry air is worsened. Add moderate temperatures and emphasize the evaporation of moisture into the air using other means. Heating dehydrates the air without making any sense of spending such extra energy.
Boiling water or cooking on a stovetop
Boiling water or simmering soups releases steam and can temporarily raise the humidity in a home. Leave the pots’ lids off to let more moisture into the air. To enhance the experience, boil water with citrus peels or spices like cinnamon to make it fragrant and humidifying.
Monitor Humidity Levels
Using a hygrometer, you can monitor indoor humidity levels to stay within the ideal 30-50% range. Such devices are affordable and available in most markets, making monitoring your home’s environment easy. If levels consistently drop below 30%, it’s time to take action using one or more of the abovementioned methods.
Final Thoughts
Low humidity can be so subtle that you won’t feel it as much, especially with a leaky roof or peeling paint. However, its influence can be just as substantial. Ignoring low humidity may cause more significant problems later on-from health issues to structural damage. Fortunately, using the proper strategies, you will regain control over your home environment and return to a healthy, comfortable living space.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to Prevent Mold in House After Flood?
Act fast to prevent mold following a flood. Use a dehumidifier to lower the humidity, maintain proper ventilation, and employ rapid drying techniques. Clean non-porous surfaces with disinfectants and treat porous surfaces with mold prevention solutions.
Does Waterproofing Stop Mold?
Yes, waterproofing stops mold by providing moisture barrier solutions. Its effectiveness in mold prevention is proven, as it blocks water intrusion. Investing in waterproofing guarantees your home stays dry, reducing conditions that allow mold to thrive.