What is the Ideal Humidity for my home?

Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air around you. Humidity in your home is a very important things to manage properly. You can have issues if your humidity is too high and also if it is too low. Everyone’s comfort levels are different, but there are things to take into consideration when choosing the humidity level for your home. Your humidity levels can affect your HVAC equipment’s performance. You basically want your home to feel cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Humidity has a lot to do with that. Keeping your home between 40-50% humidity is typically a good idea especially to manage health. If you have low humidity it can affect your families breathing and you will get shocked a lot in a dry house. Having too much or too little humidity can also damage your home inside and out. One example is wood can be warped or crack. Paint can also be affected in the dry conditions causing it to chip. Dry skin also becomes an issue when it is dry in your home. Humidity changes throughout the year depending on temperature. Hot air typically holds more moisture and cold air holds less. You tend to get a more dry home in the winter.  Too much humidity and it can encourage mold and mildew growth which you do not want. You don’t want to use a humidifier in the summertime. Your air conditioner works to pull moisture out of your home during the summer to a comfortable level. You can also use exhaust fans to help control the humidity in the summer. In the winter we recommend getting a whole house humidifier, a portable humidifier if you prefer, and house plants also help put moisture into the air. Another benefit of having a good amount of moisture in your home is that germs can’t live very well in it. Your family will stay healthier. If you are considering a humidifier installation in your home please call Bartlett Heating and Air today!