Many people talk about humidity and say “It’s not the heat that bothers me, it is the humidity,” But what is humidity and can it affect your health? We thought we would share with you some information about humidity, what it is? what effects on air quality it has and whether heaters and air conditioners change humidity levels.

What is humidity?

Humidity is classified by the amount of water vapour present in the air. Relative humidity describes how much humidity there is in the air, compared to how much there could be. The ideal relative humidity levels in your home and office is recommended between 30% and 50%.

When the humidity is low, this can lead to dry air and an increase in airborne viruses such as the flu. Excessive dry air can also dry out your skin and lips, and irritate your throat and your sinuses. Although if the humidity in your home or office is high and there is a lot of moisture in the air, this can increase the growth of moulds, mildew and dust mites and can create problems for allergy and asthma sufferers especially.

How can you test humidity levels?

If you want to know the relative humidity in your home or office, then you can purchase a tool called a Hygrometer. The Hygrometer reads the moisture content in the air and is suitable for both indoor and outdoor readings.

How do you increase humidity

If your indoor humidity levels are low, you can increase them by purchasing indoor plants. Most plants naturally increase humidity by the leaves and stems releasing moisture, but you need to water them regularly. Many people also use humidifiers. A humidifier is an appliance that puts moisture back into the air, but should not be set above a relative humidity of 50%. Humidifiers work best with distilled water and must be cleaned regularly. Hanging wet clothes inside will also add moisture into the air and save dryer costs.

How can I decrease humidity?

If you have a problem with damp areas in your home, then you can purchase a dehumidifier. A dehumidifier decreases humidity by extracting moisture from the air, then blowing it back into the room. Other ways to reducing humidity are by turning on your heater, closing the bathroom door when showering and always using bathroom and kitchen fans to absorb any moisture in the air.

Heating, Cooling and Humidity Levels.

Heaters reduce the relative humidity levels in your home as they heat up the cold air in the room, whereas air conditioners cool homes by removing heat and moisture from the air. Some air conditioning units have features that make them into a humidifier which is a great option to maintain your home and office humidity. Technology has improved so much and you can also purchase units that clean the filters every few minutes while also capturing any dust particles and spores. Some brands such as Daikin’s split system air conditioners also carry the blue butterfly symbol by the National Asthma Council Australia’s Sensitive Choice® program, meaning they are recommended for asthma sufferers, as they have air purifying features to help keep the air clean and fresh.

Our team at MakoAir can help you choose the right air conditioning and heating system for your home or office. If you are concerned about humidity levels, then please call us 0490 333 461 and we can discuss with you what the best product is to suit your needs.