Your body consists of roughly 75% water. Although in much lower proportions, the air around you also holds water in the form of water vapor. Considering it has a direct impact on human health, many people don’t give humidity as much thought as they should.
Humidity During Wintertime
What comes to mind when you think of humidity? Common responses include frizzy hair and brutally hot summer days. Few people blame humidity as a culprit for dry skin or chapped lips.
Wintertime’s lack of humidity is, in fact, to blame for these annoying conditions. Low-humidity environments can also cause dry eyes, worse vision, and cracked skin. High-humidity environments, on the other hand, are known to make coughs more productive. In simple terms, persistent coughs don’t last as long with high humidity. As such, low-humidity environments can make lagging coughs lag around even longer than usual.
While out and about, you have no choice but to face winter and its low humidity levels head-on. However, you’re in full control of the humidity inside your home.
The Relationship Between Heaters and Humidity
Like much of the Southeast, Northern Georgia has cold winters. It’s safe to assume that every Athens-area home with a central heating system uses it all winter long. Unless you enjoy freezing, you’re used to leaving your heater on throughout winter.
Although they keep you warm, heaters remove humidity from indoor air. Just like during summer, humidity makes you feel warmer during winter. Using humidity to your advantage can make you feel warmer, in turn reducing your utility bills.
Now that you understand the importance of humidity, it’s time to cover several ways to promote in-home humidity during wintertime.
Don’t Be Silly — Use a Humidifier!
Believe it or not, the domestic humidifier market is a multi-hundred-million-dollar industry. Millions of American households rely on humidifiers to regulate indoor humidity.
If you can afford it, buy a whole-home humidifier. You should also use a hygrometer to monitor your home’s relative humidity levels. You can find entry-level humidifiers for less than $20 and hygrometers for well under $10.
Like all things, humidifiers have limitations. Whether you’re hoping to save money, limit electricity consumption, or simply don’t want to buy a humidifier, try out these tips to humidify your home this winter.
Turn to Houseplants
It’s common for people to avoid gardening because they think they aren’t botanically gifted. Even if you’ve had bad experiences with plant care in the past, it’s time to get a few houseplants.
The Athens area has dozens of places to buy potted plants. As a beginner botanist, look for low-maintenance varieties that respond well to most environments.
For optimal humidity benefits, water your plants every day. Place your houseplants in high-sunlight areas such as southern-facing windows. This combination of moist soil and sunlight will release water vapor into your home, in turn raising the humidity.
Don’t Use Those Exhaust Fans
When used properly, exhaust fans can prevent mold growth and water damage. These fans pull air out of your home, which gets replaced with air from outside. Since winter typically has low humidity levels, exhaust fans usually lower indoor humidity.
After showering, leave your bathroom door wide open. Also, don’t use your bathroom’s exhaust fan. If you’re worried about mold, hang up bath mats or floor towels immediately after showering.
After Bathing, Try This Trick
If you take baths, you’ll notice that your bathwater is still somewhat warm after bathing. Rather than draining this water immediately after bathing, let it cool down first. This will release water vapor into your home and raise the humidity.
Have a Spray Bottle?
Fill a basic spray bottle with water and spray your curtains. Although you shouldn’t get them too wet, damp curtains will slowly release water vapor into your home.
You can also spray intermittently throughout your home. This will also boost your home’s relative humidity levels.
Let Us Help You
Maintaining an ideal indoor humidity level can be difficult. With so many humidifiers to choose from, finding a model that’s worth your money often seems impossible. If these feelings resonate with you, we’re here to help. Clockwork Heating and Air Conditioning is one of Athens’ most well-regarded HVAC companies. In addition to our full lineup of humidifiers and dehumidifiers, we offer numerous indoor air quality products and services. We can assist you with all your heating and cooling installations, repairs, and tune-ups. To get help with your home’s humidity, reach out to us today!
