Finding the Ideal Humidity Level For Your Home

Are you aware that high levels of humidity in the summer will make the heat even more unbearable? The inverse applies to winter, where lower levels of humidity combined with cooler temperatures can cause discomfort, even in your home. Finding that right amount of house humidity in winter can help you and your family experience a more comfortable indoor season.

During Michigan winters, you find that when it gets colder; the air is dryer. Colder air cannot hold much moisture, meaning there is much less water in its vapor state. When cold air from the outside gets indoors, it also brings that lower level of humidity, causing your home to feel more dry.

Adding a humidifier to certain rooms in your home can be beneficial to both your health and your comfort. For the winter, an indoor humidity level around 30-40 percent is recommended. A general rule, however, is that you want to keep the indoor relative humidity low enough to prevent visible and invisible moisture problems, but also high enough to prevent excess static electricity and dry skin.

A really efficient home, or a very well-insulated home may not need a humidifier. If you have efficiency issues, you will want to inspect potential leaks and air seal problem spots. When air gets out of your home, the humidity will too. 

When the seasons transition from cold to warm, the outdoor humidity levels will also increase. When high levels of humidity cause discomfort, having a dehumidifier in your home will also help make your day-to-day life more comfortable. As an added benefit, a dehumidifier in the worst parts of your home, like the basement, will even prevent mold problems.

Finding the best level of humidity for your home could just be a personal preference, but for the best possible comfort, you will want more humidity during the winter and less humidity in the summer. For more information on your home and humidity, call the professionals at Sunrise Heating and Plumbing today at (616) 293-9326. We pride ourselves in providing nothing but exceptional customer service.