When the humidity in your home is ideal, it will be something that you don’t even notice. Unfortunately, when the level is extremely high or remarkably low, you’ll find yourself sweating or dealing with cracked skin. Managing the humidity levels in your house can keep you comfortable through every season of the year. What are the benefits of controlling humidity in your home?
Avoid Mold Growth
Mold is a serious problem for homeowners, as it can lead to illness, a foul odor, and damage to materials inside your house. Elevated humidity levels provide mold with the moisture that it needs to take root and flourish throughout your house. When you maintain a consistent humidity level in the summer and winter, you can avoid any mildew or mold accumulation in your house.
Protect Your Flooring
Wood is susceptible to shrinking and expanding as humidity levels change, and the wood used in your hardwood flooring is no different. Over the years, this can lead to permanent damage to your floorboards. Boards will begin to warp and crack, which leads to an uneven floor and gapping between boards. By controlling humidity levels effectively, you will protect the investment you made in your flooring.
Feel Cooler Without Running the AC
Air that has higher humidity feels warmer than air that is the same temperature with a lower humidity percentage. As a result, you’ll feel cooler at higher temperatures. A properly-working air conditioning system helps reduce humidity in your home, which means that you can leave your thermostat set to a lower temperature without sacrificing your comfort. This is great news for homeowners looking to save on energy bills.
Reduce Allergy Symptoms
Mold and mildew are common irritants for people who deal with indoor allergies. When you have lower humidity levels that don’t spike during the spring and summer, you may notice less congestion and an easier time breathing. Additionally, lower levels of humidity decrease the likelihood of dander, pollen, and other allergens and irritants staying in your home for an extended period.
Better Skin, Nails, and Hair
Air with low humidity will naturally pull more moisture from our skin, nails, and hair. This can leave you with dry and itchy skin, splitting nails, and hair that feels brittle and dry. Stable humidity levels will prevent you from the discomfort and pain that come with nails and skin that are cracking or brittle. During periods of extremely low humidity, like in the winter, that might mean using a humidifier to add moisture back into the air.
Keep Pets Comfortable
Just like humans, your pets also have fur or hair, skin, and nails. Low humidity leads to dry skin, and it isn’t as easy to put lotion on your puppy as it is yourself. When your dogs and cats have dry skin, dander production can increase and also irritate your allergies. If you have exotic pets, like birds, stable humidity will also help mimic the natural environment that they prefer to live in. Speak with your veterinarian about any specific accommodations you should make to keep pets comfortable.
Avoid Damage to Your Belongings
Many different materials can be damaged in high or low humidity, not just wood. Leather, for example, has pores that can allow moisture to seep in. These same pores can shrink during extended periods of low humidity, which makes the leather less soft and supple. Do you enjoy playing musical instruments like the guitar or violin? Fluctuations in humidity will make the instruments get out of tune and warp. Monitoring your humidity does not just protect your health and your home—it also helps keep all of your belongings in great condition.
Worried about the humidity in your home? Let Hoot help! Contact us today 410-658-6564 to learn about the best options for your home.
