Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air - whether you are indoors or outdoors. Higher humidity can make you feel hot and sticky, while lower humidity can make your skin, lips, and eyes feel dry.
The American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) sets indoor humidity standards and guidelines. They say that things start getting icky and sticky above 60% and is considered high indoor humidity.
Optimal humidity levels for homes:
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends indoor humidity levels between 30-50% for optimal comfort. Between 30-45% in the winter should keep you warm and comfortable while between 40-50% in the summer should provide a comfortable home. Quincy’s Heating & AC recommends pairing a communicating system with its partner communicating thermostat; they are ideal to finding your perfect comfort humidity level and keeping it there!
Humidity impacts Indoor Air Quailty:
Humidity levels that are outside the optimal range can potentially negatively impact your home, your health, and your indoor air quality (IAQ). High humidity can provide an environment for mold, mildew, fleas, and dust mites to thrive. This can exacerbate allergies and make it harder for people with asthma to breathe.
By contrast, low humidity can allow bacteria, viruses, and other pollutants to move more freely in the air. Keeping the indoor humidity levels between 40-50% can help prevent respiratory infections caused by bacteria and viruses.
How to control indoor humidity (including remotely!):
The best way to achieve the ideal indoor humidity at home is by investing in a communicating HVAC system with a communicating thermostat. Adding a whole-house humidifier or dehumidifier, can also be beneficial or even a necessity depending on the issues you are experiencing. Communicating systems and thermostats; as well as humidifiers and dehumidifiers; work behind the scenes to keep your home at optimal humidity levels, so you don't have to think about your home's humidity.
You can measure and monitor their indoor humidity levels with a digital humidity meter (hygrometer) which you can find at most hardware stores.
However, having a communicating thermostat is the easiest way to monitor your indoor humidity levels. The communicating thermostat also allows you to monitor the humidity remotely! They are essential in the humid summer weather that Panama City Beach, FL always showcases. As our local ac repair and service customers know…living on the emerald coast of Florida, where the beaches bring beautiful waves and calming sounds of the ocean, also brings humid salt air! Needless to say, knowing where your indoor humidity levels are on a daily basis are quite important living on the beaches here in Bay county, Florida.
