We all want to be comfortable in our homes, but too often we overlook the important role indoor air quality plays in creating a healthier and more comfortable environment. Healthy air is not only good for us, but for our homes as well. And a significant boon to maintaining good air quality is keeping humidity levels in check.
Air that’s either excessively humid or dry can adversely affect the overall well-being of a home and all its inhabitants. So taking steps to balance humidity levels within your home will yield a number of benefits that can affect your skin, your breathing, your furniture and floors, and even your wallet.
Benefits of Humidifiers
In the colder months, the air in the greater Nashville area can become quite dry, both outdoors and in. Utilizing a humidifier acts as a corrective inside of your home can bring the balance back where it should be.
How does it work? Your humidifier contains water, which is absorbed by a filter. From there, the water can readily evaporate and be blown by your unit’s fan into the air in the form of water vapor. Increasing the level of water vapor in the dry air of your home or business is beneficial in many ways, including the following:
Indoor air quality improvements. Used properly, a humidifier will make dry winter air easier to breathe. It can also reduce skin irritation, boosting the ability to rest comfortably in your space. Proper humidity makes the air better for all the inhabitants of your home – even your plants will thank you!- Help prevent home damage. Dry air tries to pull moisture from wherever it can get it. This can cause various components of your home – think window frames, furniture, and floors – to shrink and crack. A humidifier can help prevent this damage.
- Prevents static. Flipping a light switch or tapping someone’s shoulder shouldn’t be a shocking event. Low levels of humidity increase static electricity in the air, so running a humidifier can help reduce static. Because static in the air can be damaging to electronics, humidifiers can also improve performance and longevity of electronic devices.
- Reduce sore throat, cough, itchy skin, and dry eyes. Air that’s too dry can be irritating to your throat and skin, and can trigger respiratory problems. For those who already struggle with respiratory issues such as allergies and asthma, dry air can be an exacerbating factor.
Benefits of Dehumidifiers
In the spring and summer, dry air is replaced by high levels of humidity. There are a number of tell-tale signs that can indicate that your interior space is too humid, such as peeling paint or wallpaper, musty odors, warping or rotting woodwork, condensation on surfaces such as pipes and windows, mildew growth, or water stains on ceilings. Generally, your air and surfaces may feel moist, and you might notice an uptick in respiratory issues or energy bills.
Dehumidifiers work by drawing in surrounding air, chilling it so moisture condenses, trapping that moisture, then warming the dehumidified air to release it back into your living space. When humidity is high, pulling moisture out of the air in your home or business offers many advantages:
Indoor air quality improvements. For as irritating and uncomfortable as dry air can be, air with too much moisture can be just as hard to deal with. While humidifiers and dehumidifiers are not air purifying units, keeping humidity within a healthy range will positively affect indoor air quality.- Prevent illness and improve allergy symptoms. Damp air encourages the growth of mold and mildew, and mold spores in the air can trigger many adverse symptoms such as headaches, coughing, itching, and breathing issues. Add to this the fact that many viruses and bacteria thrive in high humidity, and you can see why dehumidification can be significantly beneficial to human and pet health.
- Reduce mold growth. One of the reasons dehumidifying air can improve health is because it makes the environment much less friendly to mold. Mold thrives in damp environments, and can cause damage to your home and health.
- Improve HVAC efficiency and reduce energy costs. A dehumidifier is a helpful teammate to other components of your HVAC system. When humidity is high, your air conditioning unit will have to work harder and longer to do its job. A dehumidifier used in conjunction with your AC unit can decrease wear and tear on your entire system – and can decrease your energy bills while reducing strain on your system.
- Help prevent bad odors. Air filtrations systems can remove unattractive odors, and while dehumidifiers aren’t designed to do this, they can certainly play a part in preventing them from the get-go. Excessive moisture can cause damp, stale, mildewy odors, so dehumidifying air can keep these smells from forming.
- Help prevent home damage. Moisture is damaging to many materials. Metal can rust, woodwork can swell and deteriorate, artwork and furniture can warp, and paper can be damaged. Most of the major surfaces in your home – including walls, ceilings, and flooring – can be damaged by too much exposure to water. As mentioned earlier, mold growth is also a significant health and home value concern.
We’re Here to Help With Humidity Issues
At Airbusters, we’re committed to the comfort, health, and peace of mind of our clients, which is why we strive to implement solutions that promote them. When it comes to heating, cooling, and air quality, we’ve invested ourselves in protecting that invisible, but vital, element of home atmosphere – the air that surrounds you day and night.
If you have an installation, service, repair, or diagnostic need – or a question about how you can improve the air in your home – don’t hesitate to reach out. Call us at 615-845-4648 or reach out online today.
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