How Dry Air Affects Your Home

There are many key factors that affect the quality and feel of your indoor living space, including temperature, indoor air quality, and relative humidity. Too much or too little humidity can cause several concerns to your health and your home, so it’s crucial that levels are monitored and adjusted as needed.

This problem is typically amplified during the winter when heating equipment and colder weather can cause humidity to drop well below acceptable levels, but exactly how does that affect your home?

6 Ways Dry Air Affects Your Home

The ideal relative humidity level for maximum comfort and health is between 40% and 50%, and anything below 30% is considered too dry. Humidity levels naturally drop along with outdoor temperatures as cold air can’t hold the same amount of moisture as warm air.

Common effects of dry air include:

1. Increased risk of illness: Dry air is the perfect breeding ground for viruses, as the membranes that line the nose and throat lose the moisture they require to trap bacteria and viruses before they can travel through the upper respiratory system and into the lungs. With adequate humidity, airborne particles carrying these types of diseases are lower to the ground, weighted down by drops of moisture, but in a dry climate, they float freely.
2. Irritated nasal passages: Low humidity levels rob the inside lining of your nose of much-needed moisture, allowing it to become dry and irritated, and potentially leading to nosebleeds.
3. Dry, itchy skin: Dry air hastens the evaporation of moisture on the surface of the skin, which is over 60% water. In the absence of adequate humidity, skin begins to dry out and may crack, itch, or flake while exacerbating pre-existing conditions such as acne, chapped lips, or eczema.
4. Structural damage: Dry air zaps the moisture from everything in its path, including structural wood components of your home, such as framing, wooden windows, hardwood floors, and wooden doors. Just as wood swells when saturated, it shrinks when it’s too dry, which can lead to gaps, air leakage, creaking, and squeaks.
5. Static electricity: If you receive a shock each time you touch metal or fabrics are clinging to one another, that may mean your indoor air is too dry.
6. Damage to your belongings: Organic materials such as wood and paper can become damaged when the air is too dry. They can become brittle and possibly crack, break, or warp.

Dry Air Solutions

A whole-house humidifier is the perfect solution, seamlessly integrating with your existing HVAC system and supplying much-needed moisture to every room in your home. Once your thermostat is set to the desired temperature, a whole-house humidifier does the rest, adding the perfect amount of moisture quickly and efficiently.

On the flip side is a whole-house dehumidifier, which helps remove the excess moisture from the air in your home and can make your home more comfortable. It also reduces the risk of mold and mildew growth and makes your home less attractive to pests.

That’s why we believe whole-house dehumidifiers are great for the spring and summer while whole-house humidifiers are great for fall and winter. 

Whole-House Humidifier & Dehumidifier Installation in the Raleigh–Durham Area

Choose Air Experts for your whole-house humidifier installation and experience the benefits of healthier air. Our highly skilled technicians are chosen for their expertise, integrity, and knowledge, so you can rest easy knowing you’re receiving the best possible service, at the best possible price.

Our Super 7 Guarantees are the cornerstone of our business, and with over 30 years of service in the Raleigh–Durham area we’ve built a solid reputation among homeowners as one of the most trusted HVAC contractors in the area.

Contact us today for whole-house humidifier installation in Raleigh or Durham.