How To Increase Humidity In Your Home

Humidity is all around us in the form of moisture in the air we breathe. Too little or too much humidity can be harmful to both us and our homes. In this article, we will focus on several simple ways regarding how to increase the humidity in your home.

What Is A Safe Humidity Level?

We have indicated that too much or too little humidity is harmful. But how much is right?

The most comfortable conditions are when the humidity level rests somewhere between 30% and 50% Relative Humidity (RH). When it falls out of this range, it is not good for us or our home.

What Happens When The Humidity Is Too High Or Too Low?

When humidity is below 30% it creates dry conditions. These conditions can result in cracked skin, itchy eyes, sore throats, and other skin and respiratory issues. It can also trigger allergic reactions. As for your home, dry conditions can cause wood to crack, warp, or split.

When humidity is above 50% it results in damp conditions that can be identified by condensation on windows and walls. Wallpaper may peel and wood swells. Mold and mildew form and spread. As for human health, damp conditions can make breathing difficult, and cause other irritations.

How To Measure Humidity Levels

A hygrometer is an instrument that is very effective in measuring RH. This portable device comes in various styles and designs. Essentially, a hygrometer reads the moisture content in the air and displays it in a percentage figure. Read more about the different types of hygrometers here.

8 Tips On How To Increase Humidity

Here are a few ways to increase humidity in your home:

Install A Humidifier

This is the easiest way to increase humidity. Humidifiers are available in many different sizes; however, to control the moisture content in your home, the best option is to have a professional install what is known as a whole-home or furnace humidifier.

As the name suggests, it is designed to create the correct humidity conditions within your entire home and is usually installed as part of your HVAC system. A whole-home humidifier is an efficient solution to low humidity.

Take More Hot Showers

The steam created from a hot shower can do a lot more than just fog up windows and mirrors. That is because steam contains water vapor. The same thing happens when you have a hot bath.

Instead of turning on the bathroom exhaust fan to remove the steam, open the bathroom door. This will push the steam into your home which will raise humidity levels elsewhere in your home. Running the hot shower with the door open will also help to increase humidity in your home.

Leave Bathwater Alone For A While

Speaking of steam from a hot bath, remember that as long as that water stays warm, it is adding moisture to the air. This means that once you hop out of the tub, resist pulling the plug. If you leave the entire tub of warm water to cool, it will release a great deal of moisture into the air. All you need to do is open the bathroom door and let the warm water do its work. Once the tub of water has cooled, then you can drain it as it will have worked to create humidity.

Hang Laundry On Drying Racks

Instead of either filling your dryer with clothes fresh out of the washing machine or hanging them to dry outdoors, choose to dry clothes on racks indoors. All the moisture in the freshly washed clothing will evaporate into the air which will increase humidity levels in your home.

There is also a bonus to drying clothes this way – it cuts down on your energy use by reducing the number of times you use your electric dryer, which also reduces your utility bill.

Add A Few Houseplants To Your Home

Houseplants add a little something to your home. Not only do they add a pleasing visual to the look of a home, but indoor plants also purify the air and create humidity. Houseplants that are properly watered release vapor from their leaves and stems into the air.

Additionally, the soil in the pots that the plants are in holds water that evaporates over time adding moisture into a room. Choose plants that have large leaves as they will help to raise humidity.

Use The Stovetop More Often

Boiling water and cooking on the stovetop generates a lot of steam. As you know, steam adds moisture to the air and is how to raise humidity in the kitchen. By relying on the stovetop more than the microwave oven, you can produce more steam which equates to more humidity.

You can also do this when you are not cooking just by placing pots and pans of water on the stovetop to boil. Watch that they don’t boil dry, but this will add humidity to your home.

Leave Open Containers Of Water Near Heat Sources

One of the oldest tricks in the book involves containers of various sizes filled with water sitting on heating vents, radiators, and in sunny windows. As the water heats, it evaporates, releasing moisture into the air.

You can do this throughout your home or restrict it to just a single room. Either way, you can use your heating system or Mother Nature to help create humidity inside your living space. Top up the water when needed to maintain humidity levels.

Eliminate Air Leaks

Probably one of the most efficient ways to keep the humidity levels normal within your home is to remove any possible way the air can escape from your home. This is of particular importance in cooler climates.

You can do this by sealing around windows and doors with weatherstripping. Weatherstripping is an affordable way to keep the inside of your home comfortable when it is cold and dry outside.

In Conclusion

If you know how to increase humidity in a room as well as in your whole home, you will be able to eliminate low humidity and the dry conditions that accompany that. You will find that your skin is not dry, your throat and eyes are not irritated, and that the wood in your home, such as in furniture or the structure of your home, will not be brittle and crack, split, or warp.