Indoor Humidity
Indoor humidity can play a big role in your comfort. In fact, it sometimes may even play a bigger role than air temperature. Humidity is the concentration of moisture in the air. When humidity is high, it affects the way the air feels to us. But humidity in your home can do more than cause discomfort—it can cause mold and add to intensity of allergies.
First let’s discuss comfort. As an HVAC company, this is often at the top of our priority list. A home’s level of humidity can have both beneficial and adverse effects on comfort. Just because a house is cool during the summer months when it’s hot outside doesn’t mean that house is comfortable. If the air is quite humid then the humidity and the cold together create a clammy atmosphere that can be uncomfortable.
Mold
Mold thrives in moist atmospheres. In order for mold to grow at all, there needs to be moisture. When your home is excessively humid, it creates an environment that encourages the growth of mold. Mold is especially fruitful when it is in an enclosed, dark, damp space. Mold is a nuisance and can have negative health effects on those around it.
Allergies
Finally, let’s talk about allergies. Generally speaking, this is kind of an offshoot from the mold discussion, but it’s still worth noting. A lot of people are allergic to mold and when your home has excessive moisture or humidity that encourages mold growth, you may experience a proliferation of allergies. Humidity and mold affect the respiratory system, so they can also make symptoms of asthma worse.
Indoor Humidity – Your Comfort Can be Affected
There are a lot of factors that could be causing excessive humidity in your home. One of the most common reasons we find excess humidity is the size of someone’s air conditioner relative to their home. A/C units that are too big for your home will cool the entire house and then shut off before it removes the moisture from the air. Make sure when buying an air conditioning unit for your home that you get the right size for your homes needs! Contact us 773-777-5700 to learn more!
