There are certain times within a year that the air in your household will get so dry that it can affect your health and your home. Something as simple as a humidifier will do wonders for improving the air in your home. The cold winter months are prime examples of when the cold air outside can make the inside of your home dry.
There are several benefits to having a humidifier in your home for those dry times of the year. A humidifier will increase the moisture in a room, which will decrease the amount of dryness that can build up within your home.
Your home can suffer from dry air, but obviously in a different manner than for you. In the cold months, you are using the heater to warm your household.
Some people think that raising the thermostat temperature will help clear up some of the dryness in the air. Although there is some moisture coming from your system while heating, this is not enough to completely rid your home of the dry air.
As the heat travels through your system, it spins out dry air to warm your home. This dry air can also create some problems in your household. Using a humidifier will improve, prevent, or eliminate the following:
17. Heating costs. A dramatic drop in moisture levels can actually make your living area feel cooler than your thermostat reading. And you will probably think by increasing your temperature (which will ultimately affect your utility bill) is the answer.
18. Cracked wood furnishings. Over time dry air can warp your furniture.
19. Dry and wilting house plants. Most plants need humid air to thrive. A humidifier will do wonders for your plants.
20. Failing glue joints and cracks in wooden musical instruments. A humidifier can help combat some of these issues.
21. Electric shocks. A humidifier can make the air a bit less dry, and thus lower the possibility of you getting shocks at home. Generally, you want to keep it above 30% relative humidity, though 40% or 50% would be even better.
22. Static electricity. The right system can curb major static electricity build up, especially in winter. Raising the humidity level can lessen the potential for static electricity.
23. Wrinkled book binders and brittle pages. Add a humidifier in your room and see if you notice a difference.
There are even more benefits to using a humidifier in your home. As with wood furnishings, wooden floors can also be affected by dry air. Not all anomalies can be blamed on the age of a house. Dry air can cause the gaps in the flooring and also those areas in wood floors you feel are not as flat as they should be.
Certain wall paintings can crack and become brittle if exposed to low humidity where they are stored. Oil paintings are especially susceptible to this exposure.
Many works of art in galleries, museums, and private showings are stored in a temperature controlled atmosphere to ensure their quality. Having a humidifier in your home will protect your paintings, photos, and even your stamp collection from brittleness, discoloration, flaking, and more.
Typically known for its health advantages, a humidifier in your household has many other perks. Some you may not think can be affected by low humidity, including:
Electronics can also be included because static electricity can cause some internal damage from low humidity.
Increasing your humidity levels can have positive benefits in your health and your household.
Do you use a humidifier and can you add any other benefits we might have missed?
photo credit: improve your health
