Humidifiers and dehumidifiers are used to control moisture in the air. Regions with very cold winters and hot muggy summers are especially susceptible to large fluctuations in humidity. Though not as common as air conditioners, humidifiers and dehumidifiers are important components of home comfort. To determine the humidity levels that are right for your home, take a look at this humidity table.
Keeping the right amount of moisture in the air benefits your house and furniture, as well as your health. Low humidity can cause you to have a sore throat and increased allergy and asthma problems. It also contributes to static buildup, and over the long term, low humidity can crack and warp your wood furniture. A common misconception is that various daily activities such as showering, cooking and doing laundry produce enough moisture to keep your air from becoming too dry. This is not true. Many people also think that heat increases humidity. The opposite is true — your home becomes drier when your furnace is working.
Making sure that you have the right amount of moisture in your home involves both increasing humidity when you need it and reducing humidity when you have too much. Dehumidifiers remove moisture from the air, which can prevent mold and mildew problems in your home. Homes with too much moisture can smell musty and feel sticky. Dust mites and their waste are common triggers of allergies and asthma, and they thrive in environments with 50 percent humidity or more. Dehumidifiers can prevent dust mite infestations entirely.
Correct household humidity is necessary for any home, and the benefits can be seen immediately. At Marsh Heating & Air Conditioning, we can answer your questions about humidification and dehumidification and help you select the systems that are right for your home. We proudly serve residents of the Twin Cities area.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about household humidity and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Marsh Heating and Air Conditioning services Minnesota’s Twin Cities. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!