Humidity can greatly affect how comfortable your Galveston, TX home feels. However, beyond mere household comfort, it also has a direct effect on your home’s indoor air quality. Use this guide to explore these connections and the options for controlling your home’s humidity.
Ideal Humidity Levels
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the ideal indoor humidity level is 30% to 50% relative. When humidity is either higher or lower than this, it can negatively affect indoor air quality. Maintaining this humidity may mean adding humidity over the dryer winter months while reducing humidity over the muggier summer months.
Increased Particulate Matter
Ineffective humidity control can increase the amount of particulate matter in the air. When the humidity is very high, there is the potential for more particles to be held in the air. Further, materials around your home may be affected, such as wood and leather products. By maintaining sufficient humidity levels, these contaminants will drop from the air and collect as dust around your home, so they can be cleaned away.
New Chemical Pollutants
Chemicals are one of the major pollutants that concern many homeowners. This is part of why there’s a surge in interest in natural cleaning and home care products.
However, what most homeowners don’t know is that the humidity in their homes can increase the prevalence of volatile organic compounds. While this process starts with humidity levels around 30%, it becomes more problematic at levels above 50% relative. The humidity in the air also interacts with chemicals already in the air to form new irritants that can affect the skin or respiratory system. For instance, when sulfur dioxide interacts with moisture, it can form sulfuric aerosols, salts and acids. Sulfur dioxide comes from gas-burning appliances like water heaters, stoves, furnaces, gas dryers, fireplaces and wood stoves.
VOC Emissions
VOC stands for volatile organic compound and is a group of chemicals that can vaporize into the air. In your home, this can include compounds like formaldehyde, benzene, ethylene glycol, methylene chloride and tetrachloroethylene, just to name a few. VOCs are contained in products around your home, including paint, construction glue, linens, carpet, furniture, personal care products and cleaning products.
Humidity increases the concentration of these compounds in two ways. First, higher humidity usually accompanies higher temperatures. Higher temperatures increase molecular movement, making it easier to separate and aerosolize. Second, humidity activates some compounds in materials, like nitrogen, which then release VOCs.
Additional Biological Pollutants
Biological contaminants include everything from mold, mildew and pollen to pet dander and rodent feces. Humidity has a direct effect on many of these contaminants. For instance, mold and mildew need moisture and warmth to grow and proliferate. The EPA suggests that household humidity above 50% creates an ideal environment for these contaminants to grow. As they do, they release additional spores into the air. The longer the humidity remains in this danger zone, the more concentration cascades and the more problems you’ll see around your home.
Ways to Control Humidity
There’s no single way to control the humidity around your home throughout the year, especially since some seasons require adding moisture while others require dehumidifying. Rather, it’s a matter of finding the right method for the season and situation.
The first and easiest method of adjusting the humidity in your home is to open your windows. Humidity equalizes across unrestricted space, so moisture will flow where the air is dryer. If the air outside is closer to what you need in your home, simply opening the windows will help regulate what’s happening inside.
When it comes to removing humidity created within your home, using your bathroom and range vent fans is critical. Additionally, installing mechanical ventilation fans can help with this process, especially energy recovery ventilators.
Finally, you may need more direct help through devices that specifically control humidity, such as humidifiers or dehumidifiers. Depending on the severity of your problem, the right option for your home may be a room-level model, or you may need a whole-house option. Our experienced indoor air quality experts can help you evaluate your home and develop a specific recommendation for your situation.
For 25 years, people around Galveston have trusted George’s Air Conditioning to keep their homes comfortable. Our expert technicians provide indoor air quality solutions, including humidity management options and duct cleaning, along with heating and AC installation, maintenance and repair. Call to schedule a consultation with one of our experienced indoor air quality experts today.
