Most of the time, a dehumidifier is the preferred method to keep your home dry and humidity levels in check.
However, at different times of the year, it may be a better option to use a humidifier to add some moisture to dry, stale air.
If and when should you consider using a humidifier to keep your home comfortable?
Balancing Home Humidity Levels
In Santa Rosa, summer temperatures and humidity can soar well up into the uncomfortable zone. Keeping the humidity levels inside balanced can be tricky.
After all, you need some humidity to keep air moist because dry air can be uncomfortable and make some health issues worse.
In most cases, humidifiers are used to add moisture to air in the cooler months when the house is closed up and the furnace is running. Running the furnace keeps your home toasty, but also dries out the air inside. If humidity levels fall below 30%, you should run a humidifier to increase those humidity levels.
In the spring and summer months, you’ll typically find a dehumidifier more helpful. A dehumidifier removes moisture – or humidity – from the air.
Keeping humidity levels under 50% is ideal for helping to tame spring and summer allergies and preventing stale air from circulating throughout your home. Dehumidifiers help control musty smells and prevent dampness from getting into your clothes, furniture, and ward off that overall clammy feel.
To determine your humidity level, an inexpensive hygrometer available for purchase at any hardware or home improvement store gives you an accurate humidity level reading.
Which is Better for Health and Home?
Humidity levels definitely affect both your health and home. Both a humidifier and dehumidifier can help with health issues and keep your home comfortable, just in different ways.
Humidifier
A humidifier helps relieve upper respiratory tightness, difficulty breathing, and other cold-like symptoms like a stuffy nose or painful sinuses.
If you experience things like dry skin, itchy eyes, chapped skin, or a bloody nose from dry nasal membranes, you should reach for a humidifier to ramp up moisture levels in the air.
Cracks in leather, wood furniture or plaster may also indicate the air is too dry.
Dehumidifier
A dehumidifier also helps alleviate symptoms of seasonal allergies and asthma attacks brought on by highly humid air. Another indicator of breathing in too much humid air is if your head and nose constantly feel stuffy.
In the home, you may notice stains forming on ceilings and walls from high humidity levels.
Another important issue with too much humidity is the potential for mold, which will also show up on walls and ceilings. A dehumidifier is definitely recommended to eliminate the humidity levels that cause mold.
High humidity also attracts those moisture-loving pests like termites and carpenter ants.
Conclusion
As you can see, maintaining just the right humidity levels in your home can be challenging.
For help and to create the healthiest environment in your home, contact the HVAC experts at Dale RCS in Santa Rosa.