In a home with balanced humidity, the air always feels comfortable, never dry or damp. With Northeast Ohio’s muggy summers and crisp winters, though, comfortable indoor relative humidity levels and good air quality take some effort to maintain. If you don’t take steps to ensure balanced humidity in your home, you’ll experience issues such as:
Problems with high humidity:
- A hot, sticky feeling in summer
- Mold and mildew growth
- Worsened asthma and allergies
- Peeling wallpaper and paint
- Condensation on windows
Problems with low humidity:
- A chilly feeling in winter
- Dry skin, nose, and eyes
- Cracks in wood flooring and furniture
- Cracked paint
- Static electricity
Balanced humidity prevents these problems and keeps your energy expenses down, too. With optimal humidity, you won’t have to run your air conditioning or furnace as much to stay comfortable.
The healthiest indoor humidity level ranges from 30 and 60 percent, depending on the season. According to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) experts, the ideal is less than 60 percent in summer and between 25 to 40 percent in the winter.
You can test your home’s humidity with a hygrometer (humidity sensor). If you find relative humidity is too high or low, an upgrade to your HVAC system can solve the problem.
Dehumidifier – Your air conditioner removes some humidity, but it can’t handle all humidity issues. If you find your home is often muggy or damp, consider installing a dehumidifier. While a portable unit can manage dampness in your basement, bathroom or another small area, a whole-house dehumidifier is designed to reduce humidity in all your rooms. Whole-house units usually (but not always) connect to your HVAC system and operate automatically.
Humidifier – On the coldest winter days, your indoor humidity can drop to 15 percent or even lower. A humidifier adds moisture to your indoor air and keeps dry winter air from making you chilly and miserable. These appliances are also available as portable and whole-house units.
Damp or dry air isn’t something you should just put up with. The solution is often as simple as installing a dehumidifier, humidifier or ventilation upgrade, or upgrading to a newer and better A/C or heating system. If you’re looking for a cost-effective way to manage your indoor humidity, contact us at Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning. We provide quality HVAC services to Lorain, Erie and Cuyahoga counties.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Lorain, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about balancing indoor humidity and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning
1 (440) 246-5440
Serving the Lorain, OH Area