Is There Too Much Humidity? Dangers Of High Indoor Humidity

 

What is Humidity?

Did you ever think? 

Why does hot, sticky, and humid air make you feel so much more uncomfortable than hot or dry air? 

The reason is that humidity slows down your body to regulate the body temperature. When the humidity increases, the body temperature rises too. That’s why we have heard people saying, “It’s not the heat, it’s the humidity.”

In the broader term humidity is basically the amount of water vapor or moisture in the air. Humidity is a very important thing to understand because it affects weather and changes global climate. Humidity also affects indoor environments that help you to understand the best place to store books, clothes, and important things in the house.

Thus, to bring comfort in the home we need to control humidity levels. This way things will be easier whilst letting you save energy and reduce maintenance. The ideal humidity levels are between 30-50% when the room is in a comfortable situation. This means that we will face health problems when humidity is too much or too little. To overcome this problem we need to understand how to control humidity in the house.

How Much Humidity Level In The Room Is Not Too Much Or Too Little?

Let’s discuss the factors that can make room temperature more favorable. There will be different levels of humidity when it is too low or too high.  We need to understand what is considered low or high humidity and what safe indoor humidity levels for a healthy room environment are. It is important to know the ideal humidity levels and how much is harmful to your well-being.

 

When Humidity is too low what problems will you face?

-the temperature will drop as low as 10%.

-the dry indoor air can take a toll on your family members.

-the health issues arise such as dry skin, chapped lips, rough hair, scratchy nose & throat, respiratory illness.

-problem with woodwork and furniture will arise, you will see shrinkage, hardwood floor separation, wallpapers loosen off the wall, molding starts to appear in the dark places.

 

When Humidity is too high what problems will you face?

-the ideal humidity level is between 35%-65%; more than 65% is high humidity level.

-reason is that when the temperature outside the house will warm up; you will experience too much humidity in the house.

-high humidity will cause rot and structural damage in your house.

-Pests and bugs will increase in the house.

-cause condensation on the windows, wet stained walls & ceiling, moldy bathrooms, musty room odor, dust mites can grow under the carpet.

-higher the humidity levels higher the risk of heat stroke, health problems, allergy reactions, and dust mite problems.

 

What Are The Dangers Of High Indoor Humidity?

 

There is a direct and indirect effect of humidity on the body when you stay indoors for longer time. The humidity alters your environment affecting the health of the person staying indoors with humidity levels more than 65%. The higher levels of humidity will have adverse affects on your health and body.

 

Why Direct Effects of High Humidity is Dangerous: leads to heat stroke

The direct effects on the body are very deadly. The humidity when combined with high temperature whether it’s indoors or outdoors will overheat the body temperature resulting in deadly health issues. When temperature gets too high your body tends to use defense mechanisms to keep the internal body normal. These mechanisms are sweating, increased respiration, altered blood circulation.

The sweating helps to cool your body when the moisture evaporates from the skin. However, it will make you feel hotter and stickier when the body temperature rises to 70% or more. At this level you start to look for other means to cool off your body. 

This will further bother you since your breathing will increase rapidly and you will get increasingly hotter. Then your heart will pump more blood to extremities than to your internal organs and brain.

 You will feel sluggish, foggy, light-headed or you even faint. Other symptoms are you will feel cramps in your legs, loss of fluids will overheat your body. If your body loses fluids, electrolytes and still cannot keep up temperature; this will lead to heat stroke or heat exhaustion.

To maintain a comfortable temperature in the room, install a dehumidifier. This works well when the levels of humidity are high.

Now you know the direct effects of high humidity while indirect effects are more insidious. That will make you feel sick with respiratory infections, bacteria and viruses will multiply. Other nasty germs will stick around not allowing you to breathe properly. 

Therefore, install a humidifier to keep up the ideal humidity level when humidity is too low.