It is no secret that each apartment has a special microclimate. This concept includes temperature conditions, illumination, humidity and many other parameters. All of them have a direct impact on the quality of life of people. If any indicators are too high or, conversely, lowered, both your own health and the decoration of the apartment may suffer. Therefore, it is imperative to monitor your housing and avoid such situations. Let's find out how the level of humidity in the apartment affects our lives and why it is so important that it be within the normal range.
How does high and low humidity affect a person?
Both high and low humidity most directly affect the life and health of the inhabitants of the apartment.
high humidity
Consider the situation when the humidity in the apartment is increased.
- If the air is too humid, the temperature is perceived differently by the body. The process of heat transfer is disturbed, at high temperatures the body overheats, at low temperatures it becomes supercooled.
- This phenomenon, combined with high room temperature, is especially dangerous for people suffering from hypertension and cardiovascular diseases: it leads to dehydration and chemical imbalance, blood clotting, high blood pressure and exacerbation of chronic diseases of the heart and blood vessels.
- High humidity adversely affects the physical and mental activity of even a completely healthy person, since fatigue in such conditions occurs much faster.
- If a person is in a room or apartment with high humidity, he is more susceptible to infectious diseases and colds. A long stay in such conditions can contribute to the development of more serious diseases: rheumatism, tuberculosis, etc.
- The increased moisture content in the air is dangerous for allergy sufferers. Moist environments are very favorable for the appearance mold and fungus - powerful allergens that can lead to really adverse effects on the body, not to mention the fact that they spoil the appearance and decoration of the apartment.
In addition to fungus and mold, high humidity contributes to the development of various pathogenic microorganisms and insects. Furniture deteriorates from it, an unpleasant musty smell appears.
Reduced humidity in the apartment has the following consequences:
- Too dry air dehydrates the body, dries out the mucous membranes. Dryness of the nasal mucosa is the cause of frequent colds.
- The skin becomes dry, inelastic, metabolism is disturbed.
- People feel constant nasal congestion, difficulty breathing, which lead to sleep disturbance, anxiety and irritability.
- Dry air in the apartment contributes to the spread of dust, in which various microorganisms, as well as dust mites, can multiply.
- The leaves of indoor plants dry and fall off.
- Wooden furniture, parquet dry out, become covered with cracks. The same applies to musical instruments made of wood: they are constantly out of tune, gradually falling into disrepair.
What is the optimum air humidity?
Both excess and lack of moisture in the air is a danger to the health and condition of the apartment. What should ideally be the humidity in a residential area?
- To make it comfortable for a person to be in a room, the humidity of the air should be from 30 to 60%.
- Comfortable air humidity in the apartment during the cold period is about 30-45%.
In the warm season, this level is not at all difficult to maintain. However, in winter, when batteries and other heating devices are running, this can be very difficult.At this time of the year, the percentage of water content in the air sometimes drops to 20%, and sometimes even to 15%, which is completely unacceptable.
Normal humidity in the apartment is of great importance not only for people, but also for various objects. For example, for indoor flowers, furniture and books, the optimal figure is 40-60%, for household appliances - 45-60%.
How to measure the level of humidity in the apartment?
There are several ways to help determine the level of humidity in a room.
Hygrometer
A hygrometer is a special device with which you can easily determine the exact percentage of air humidity. There are devices called weather stations, which, in addition to a hygrometer, include a thermometer, barometer, clock, calendar, and other useful additions. The instrument can be kept in the room at all times to track changes in humidity.
Glass of water
This is a less reliable, but often used method at home. If you do not want to purchase a special device, then you can measure the level of air humidity using a container of water.
Pour into a glass of water and put it in the refrigerator for several hours. During this time, the water temperature should drop to 3-5 ° C. Then put the glass in the room away from the heaters. At first, the walls of the container will be foggy, but you need to observe what happens to them after 5 minutes.
- If they dry out, then the air in the room is dry.
- If the glass remains foggy, the humidity in the room is at an optimal level.
- The streams flowing down the walls of the glass will help you find out about the high humidity in the room.
This method does not require special equipment, but it will not allow you to know the exact value of the water content in the air.
What to do if the humidity is too high?
So, we have learned to determine the degree of humidity in the premises. Suppose you get a result indicating that it is too high in your room. What will help in this case?
- Air Dryer. This device will allow you to get rid of humidity in the apartment as soon as possible. The dehumidifier can be portable or stationary.
- Moisture absorber. It usually takes the form of a tablet made from a special absorbent.
- Hood. Unventilated rooms where moisture constantly accumulates are best equipped with exhaust devices: a ventilation duct, recuperator. With a poorly functioning hood in the apartment, it is recommended to install a forced ventilation system.
- Air conditioner. It will help eliminate excess moisture and maintain its optimal level in the room.
- Frequent ventilation. The influx of fresh air also helps to reduce the water content in the air.
How to increase humidity if the apartment is too dry?
If the air in your apartment is too dry, the situation can be corrected in the following ways.
Humidifier
The easiest way to increase the humidity is to put a humidifier in the room. This device is capable of influencing the air in rooms up to 150 square meters in size. m. The principle of its operation is simple - it is necessary to pour water into a container specially designed for this, which the device will evaporate, saturating dry air with water vapor. There are three types of humidifiers:
- Traditional (cold type). They have a simple design with moisturizing cartridges and a fan that drives air through them. Such a device can restore normal air humidity (up to 60%), its disadvantages include noise.
- Steam. They operate on the principle of an electric kettle: they boil water and bring it out in the form of steam. Advantages: high performance, no consumables, the ability to work with ordinary tap water.Disadvantages: a fairly high level of noise and power, steam that can burn you (up to 60 degrees).
- Ultrasonic. Considered the most modern, their work is based on the oscillation of a membrane that turns water into cold steam. They work almost silently, allow you to adjust the level of humidity. Some models heat water, killing germs and bacteria. The disadvantage is the exactingness in care, the use of cartridges that need to be replaced regularly, or distilled water.
Water containers
This method has been used for many years. One or more water containers are placed on batteries. The water gradually evaporates, moistening the dry air.
Installing an aquarium or decorative fountain
Such items help to moisten the air a little, but will not solve the problem dramatically.
Breeding indoor plants
This will also help increase the moisture content of the air as the plants give off moisture and also require constant watering.
Maintaining a comfortable level of humidity in your apartment, you can not only help your body and maintain health, but also extend the life of many things.
