The Effect of Relative Humidity Levels on Health

The best inside relative humidity level is either 35% to 45% or 40% to 50% depending on who you ask.  Thankfully, the human body is very flexible and you do not have to aim at an exact figure.  The important thing is to avoid extremes.  Living inside is not very natural.  The artificial environment we create for ourselves can sometimes cause extremes of humidity to occur.  For short periods of time this is nothing to worry about, but the longer term effect can be quite nasty.

If the humidity level regularly exceeds 50% you may experience a rapidly increasing dust mite population, which will affect allergy sufferers.  Permanently damp rooms tend to have a musty smell.  The damp air is a perfect breeding ground for mold, mildew and fungus, which can cause serious health problems.  Where ever possible the cause of such conditions should be removed, but it is not always that simple and a dehumidifier may be required.  A modern dehumidifier with built in humidistat can be programmed to maintain a humidity level below 50%.  There are many available, so it is important to find the correct type for your situation.  A practical guide to dehumidifiers can be found at Dehumidifier Tips.com

Consistently low humidity levels are also bad.  This tends to occur when the weather is cold outside and we turn up the heat in our homes.  The most noticeable effects are a sore throat and sinus pain, symptoms that are common in modern society at certain times of year.  You can also get dry skin and itchy eyes.  The solution is to buy a humidifier that will put moisture back into the air.  Like dehumidifiers, these can be programmed to operate automatically, and there is a huge range available that make the most of a variety of different humidification techniques.  You can find out more at the humidifier web site.

If any of these symptoms sound familiar, maybe you should buy a hygrometer (humidity meter) and take some readings to find out if humidity is the cause.  With modern technology at your disposal there is no need for your health to suffer.

Learn more about optimum relative humidity levels at HumidifierInformation.com