Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) refers to the air quality within a household and how it connects to you and your loved one’s health and comfort. At Upper Arlington Heating & Air, we’d like to take some time to inform you more about handling the humidity levels in your home, so you can be better prepared for the diverse weather/temperatures we undergo here in Ohio! It’s honestly mind-blowing how much your indoor air quality can influence your solace, health, and home!
Humidifiers and Dehumidifiers: How do they differ?
First, let’s focus on clarifying what humidifiers and dehumidifiers are; then, we can reason when to apply what we’ve learned. Humidifiers deliver moisture into your home’s atmosphere when it is too dry. Typically, we use humidifiers in the wintertime to battle the dryness that comes along with winter weather. On the other hand, dehumidifiers pull moisture from the air when the humidity is high in your home. Dehumidifiers are most often used in the spring and summer to eliminate the sticky and stuffy sensation we typically experience with elevated humidity levels.
The target humidity level in a home is within 30% and 50%. Accordingly, a dehumidifier is essential if your home is above 50% humidity. Similarly, a humidifier is necessary if humidity levels are below 30%. Amazing facts to know, but how do we specify the humidity levels in our home? Some individuals are sensitive to their environment and can get a sense of where these levels currently lie. Yet, if you are like me and are unsure where your home’s humidity resides, our friendly and knowledgeable team at Upper Arlington Heating & Air will gladly help you figure it all out!
What Are the Household Advantages of a Humidifier?
We use humidifiers to enhance our indoor air quality by equalizing the damaging effects of dry air. Humidity can assist in halting your home’s wallpaper from splintering, putting an end to excess static electricity, and is ideal for preserving wood floors and furniture in your home. Plus, your water-favoring houseplants will thank you! Moreover, a humidifier in your home can help cut down your monthly utility bills, especially in the winter. This is because when there is moisture in the air, your home will seem warmer. Plus, let’s face it, we can all benefit from more affordable utility bills!
What Are the Health Advantages of a Humidifier?
Not only are there benefits for using a humidifier in regards to our home, but for our health also! Dry air can cause moisture to escape our skin and cause unpleasant respiratory symptoms. Humidifiers help those who struggle with dry skin, eye irritation, dry throat/airways, allergies, regular coughing, nosebleeds, sinus headaches, and chapped/cracked lips. Furthermore, studies have confirmed a high likelihood for the more rapid destruction of virus particles in the air when a humidifier is in one’s home; what promising news for us as we continue to push through this pandemic!
What Are the Household Advantages of a Dehumidifier?
If moisture is abundant in your home, mold and mildew exposure is highly probable and can potentially multiply at an alarming speed. No one wants fungus flourishing in their safe space! Many of us have dealt with flooding and water leaks in our households. I wish somebody would have recommended using a dehumidifier to help extract leftover water. This method provides a more efficient drying process, thus halting mold and mildew growth in its tracks! Moist conditions can also create a musky smell for your home. A dehumidifier will fight these odors, constructing a more attractive home environment for yourself and others. Termites and other nuisances thrive in moist surroundings, so if your home has high humidity levels, your home is in danger of infestation, which is far from ideal for you and your home!
What Are the Health Advantages of a Dehumidifier?
Mold and mildew are smelly, unsightly, and bug-enticing, but it’s also a concern for your health! The health problems coupled with exposure include congestion, wheezing, irritation, and much more! It can also be tedious to liberate your home of mold and mildew once it begins developing. Therefore it is vital to decrease extra moisture in your house. By terminating the excess water from the atmosphere, dehumidifiers can help halt mold and mildew growth and improve your home’s indoor air quality. Unfortunately, mold and mildew can also result in allergy symptoms, including sneezing, stuffy/runny nose, nose/throat irritation, dryness, watery/itchy eyes, and congestion. In addition, as if living with seasonal allergies isn’t already an inconvenience, too much moisture in the air can make it tricky for us to breathe. Reducing the humidity inside our homes with a dehumidifier encourages a more breathable environment, significantly if you or your loved ones have asthma!
If your air conditioner isn’t allowing you to maintain humidity levels as well as it used to, it would be in your best interest to reach out to our team at Upper Arlington Heating & Air. Our talented staff is excited to hear from you! As the temperature gets increasingly warm, you’ll be pleased to have a properly functioning air conditioner to help you beat the heat and humidity. But, don’t wait for mildew, mold, and bugs to run rampant in your home. Instead, contact our professionals at Upper Arlington Heating & Air today at (614) 490-7507, or schedule an appointment now by clicking here! Now, let’s enhance your home’s indoor air quality!
