It's recommended to maintain indoor air quality as a part of a healthy and comfortable home. Knowing the appropriate temperature, healthy indoor humidity levels, and recognizing what’s going on outdoors can help. Following is an overview of steps you can take to maintain comfortable and healthy indoor conditions, as well as solutions for easy home environment monitoring for healthier, safer indoor air quality. In this article, we are also discussing the best indoor temperature and humidity levels in the houses for different seasons.

The effects of high/low indoor air humidity

Humidity is the amount of moisture or water vapour in the air. Relative humidity tells how much water there is in the air relative to how much it can actually contain.

Humid air (high humidity) or dry air (low humidity) can have adverse effects on our bodies.

Some signs of too humid indoor air include: 

•  feeling sweaty or hot
•  fatigue
•  frizzy hair
•  sleep interruptions
•  respiratory problems; and
•  asthma and other allergy problems

Dry indoor air may cause:

•  irritated skin
•  dry eyes
•  chapped lips
•  bloody nose
•  itchy throat; and
•  asthma and other allergy problems

You might experience these signs soon after the exposure to air pollutants, or years later. The immediate effects are usually short term and treatable.

Dry Indoor Air

It's common during winter that indoor air is almost always rather dry. When the temperature drops significantly under zero, the relative humidity can decrease down to 20%. Proper relative indoor humidity during winter time is between 20% and 40%. On the other hand, high indoor temperature increases the dryness of the air. High room temperature is sometimes the reason behind dry indoor air. It’s recommended to keep the room temperature under 22°C (72°F). The relative humidity increases when the indoor temperature is decreased.

Humidity readings over 45% during winter are typically caused by human action (cooking, laundry, etc) and improper ventilation. In that case, the humidity starts to condense to windows and other cold surfaces. In a worst-case scenario, the humidity starts to condense to the structure of the building. This will most likely cause some health concerns later on.

Humid Indoor Air

During summer, the indoor air relative humidity follows the outdoor humidity and typically ranges between 50% - 70%. The ideal range for indoor humidity during summertime is about 30% - 50%. Indoor relative humidity must be kept under a level where it starts to form microbes in the building or on surfaces. The humidity should not be over 60% constantly.

The relative humidity decreases as temperature rises. It’s doesn’t make sense to increase the temperature inside the house during summer. But, you might apply higher temperatures in garages or storage rooms to decrease the humidity.

How to control the temperature and humidity levels

An efficient air-conditioning system will help remove undesirable moisture from home. Your equipment and ductwork must, however, be properly sized and installed to do so. Appropriately installed systems have enough capacity, long run times, and ample airflow to pull excess moisture out of your home. A custom-designed and installed HVAC system keep you more comfortable at your home. In the process, it can save you money too. If dehumidifying your home a little more in the summer allows you to set the temperature on your thermostat a few degrees higher, you should notice a difference in your energy bills. Winter may pose the opposite problem for you, as the humidity level of your home may become too low. This often causes irritation of the skin, sinuses dried out, damage to hardwood floors and furniture, and general discomfort. Whether you have a heat pump or gas, oil or electric furnace, a house-wide humidification system can be a good solution to help you manage your family home humidity.

Early detection through fam Snag It

We at fäm Snag It monitor IAQ because we spend approximately 90% of our time breathing “indoor air”. Unlike outdoor air, indoor air is recycled continuously causing it to trap and build up pollutants. IAQ characteristics include the concentrations of pollutants such as carbon dioxide (CO2) and carbon monoxide (CO) in indoor air, as well as air temperature and humidity. Therefore, the fäm inspector uses a thermal camera that especially can detect any poorly insulated wall that allows external heat to transmit inside the room, or vice versa, resulting in condensation when high-temperature mix with the cold temperature from the AC which can also lead to the poor indoor air humidity level.

If you are concerned about managing home humidity levels in your home, consult with trusted, professional heating and cooling inspectors to ensure that your systems will keep your home environment healthy and comfortable.

Hire our professional home snagging engineers to execute this inspection for you, connect with us: info@inspect-my-property.com or call us: 04-3691718