During the winter months as the outside temperature drops, so does the relative humidity indoors. This dry, thirsty air begins to absorb moisture from everything it touches including woodwork, furniture, paintings, books, and even YOU.
As this moisture is pulled from materials, damage to those materials can result. The paper of rare books will become brittle and yellow. The leather bindings will crack. Cracks will appear in wood floors and the finish will become dull. Furniture will warp and become loose at the joints. Rare paintings can be destroyed in a few years as the paint cracks and flakes from the canvas. Expensive carpets don't seem to last, doors no longer fit their jams, and household plants lose their heartiness. And you will suffer from uncomfortable dry nose and throat and the dreaded "door knob static electricity shock" (great for your personal computer also).
The dust count will increase along with a legion of airborne opportunists such as mites, bacteria and viruses playing havoc with any allergies. The following graph shows how these little nasties are influenced by relative humidity. |
What the chart shows is that most of these nasties are least effective at making you miserable if you keep your indoor humidity in the range of 40 to 60 %. Additionally, when the relative humidity is kept above 35% most static electricity problems disappear. Most homes can reach humidity levels as low as 7% in the winter. This compares to the Sahara Desert which averages around 12% relative humidity! In new homes this dry air can also cause increased out-gassing of solvents from carpets, wood paneling and other materials, increasing the Aldehydes in the air you breathe.
Bottom line: humidify your home to 40 to 45% and stop worrying about your furniture, artwork, books, paintings and plants. Wake up in the morning without feeling you need to drink a lake. Stop being afraid to touch a door knob for fear of being shocked. CAREL USA can provide humidification to safeguard any home, from 1,000 square feet to 100,000 square feet.
The compactSteam Humidifier |
