• Virginia Air

Why Your Home’s Humidity Level Matters in the Winter Months

Having the right amount of humidity in your home, especially in the months of December and January, are important now that we are home working and attending school virtually. The days are shorter, the weather is colder, and people are stuck at home for longer periods of time.

Cold winter air contains less water, and running your furnace tends to strip whatever moisture is left in your home, so the humidity levels will naturally be lower during the winter months.

What’s the right level of humidity for your home? The American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) recommends nothing higher than 65% while the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) suggest maintaining humidity levels between 30-50% to protect your home and your health.

Using a humidifier during the dry months of the year in Virginia helps improve your life and your home. Humidity typically drops during the winter months to levels below the ideal 30 to 40 percent. By installing a central humidifier, it will add moisture to keep your home beautiful and breathe easy.

Wellness Benefits of Maintaining Humidity:

Everyone knows that bacteria and viruses thrive in moisture; however studies show that some viruses, like influenza, spread faster in extremely dry conditions. By keeping your indoor humidity between 30% and 50%, you’re helping prevent the spread of illness by not giving contaminants an environment in which to grow.

Not only that but maintaining ideal indoor humidity in your home also help those with sinusitis, bronchitis, and asthma. It turns out that a little moisture is good for our lungs and nasal cavities as our airways are lined with fluids. We don’t have to tell you that the average adult human body contains up to 60% water! When the air is too dry, our airways dry up and become irritated.

Maintaining ideal indoor humidity in your home also reduces the risk for pests. Most people are aware of allergies from pollen and other outdoor elements. However, dust mites and cockroaches are also the cause for many allergies. Microscopic particles made up of dried-up body parts and feces from bugs, even dead bugs, can wreak havoc on our respiratory system and cause sneezing or itching. Humidity keeps those pests at bay.

Improving Indoor Air Quality by maintaining indoor humidity in your Healthy Home helps your health in other ways too. For one, without being sick or agitated by allergies from pests, you’re more likely to get better sleep. Additionally, with better sleep and better overall health comes a lower level of stress, which is something from which we can all benefit. Maintain a happy, healthy home by improving your indoor air quality. Aim for humidity between 30% and 50% all year long to help:

• Reduce Illness

• Eliminate Pests

• Alleviate Allergies

• Improve Sleep

• Lower Stress Levels



Preserving Wood If you have wood in your house — be it floors, baseboards, or furniture — moisture is the key ingredient to its beauty. If the air gets too dry, the wood starts to crack and loses its luster. Providing a bit of moisture through a humidifier helps keep wood looking its finest.

Ageless Skin

With a humidifier, the human skin retains more moisture, leading to less cracking and a more youthful appearance. In addition, your eyes stay wet, reducing redness, and your lips stay moist, which prevents chapping and peeling.

Energy Savings

If health and beauty don’t convince you, maybe costs will. Humidity holds heat. This means you may not need to raise your thermostat temperature to feel warm creating energy savings and less cost on your utility bills