As winter arrives, many of us face the challenge of keeping our homes comfortable and humid. It’s important to keep your home’s humidity levels balanced throughout the year for optimal health and comfort. Fortunately, there are a few simple tips you can use to increase humidity in your home during the cold winter months without spending too much money or time on it. In this blog post, Big Easy HVAC will explore 8 tips for increasing humidity in the winter so that you can enjoy an ideal indoor climate all season long!
1. Use a Humidifier
A humidifier adds moisture to the air by releasing water vapor into the atmosphere. It helps reduce static electricity, improves air quality, prevents respiratory illnesses like colds and flu, and makes it easier for people with allergies or asthma to breathe more easily. Additionally, using a humidifier will help protect wood furniture from cracking due to dryness as well as prevent the wallpaper from peeling off walls due to lack of moisture in the air.
2. Place Houseplants Around Your Home
Houseplants naturally release moisture into the air through their leaves which helps increase indoor humidity levels without having to use any additional equipment or energy sources such as electric fans or heating systems. Not only do houseplants add beauty and life indoors but they also improve air quality by removing toxins from the environment while adding oxygen back into it at night when photosynthesis stops occurring during daylight hours.
3. Boil Water on the Stove
Boiling water on your stovetop releases steam which increases humidity levels in your home without having any negative effects on health or safety since no chemicals are being released into the atmosphere like those found in aerosol sprays used for room freshening purposes.
This method is especially useful if you have an open kitchen area where steam can travel throughout other rooms of your house quickly instead of just staying near its source point such as when boiling water inside a closed pot over an electric burner located away from living areas within your residence.
4. Hang Wet Towels or Clothes
Hanging wet towels or clothes around various parts of your home not only provides visual appeal but also serves a practical purpose by increasing indoor humidity levels naturally without needing any special equipment or energy sources beyond what would normally be required for laundry day activities.
Simply hang damp items up wherever possible – bathrooms tend to work best since these areas already contain higher amounts of moisture than other places within one’s dwelling – then let them drip-dry until completely dried out before taking them down again afterward so that this process may be repeated whenever necessary throughout winter months (or anytime else when lower relative humidities occur).
5. Open Windows During Rainy Days
Opening windows during rainy days allows fresh moist outdoor air to enter inside while allowing stale stuffy indoor air to escape outside; this exchange results in increased relative humidities indoors thereby making interior environments much more comfortable overall! Furthermore doing so requires minimal effort yet yields maximum benefits both aesthetically (by providing natural light) & practically (by improving breathing conditions) – all without costing anything extra money-wise either!
6. Upgrade Doors, Windows, and Weatherstripping
Upgrading doors, windows, and weatherstripping not only reduces drafts and cold spots but also increases relative humidities significantly since these components form tight seals against exterior elements thus preventing excessive amounts of moisture from escaping through cracks and crevices between building materials themselves – resulting in less need to utilize artificial means to raise RH values further afterward too.
Moreover, doing so saves homeowners a considerable amount of money in the long run via reduced utility bills associated with lower temperatures maintained indoors year round thanks to improved insulation provided by upgraded fixtures installed in place of older worn-out ones removed earlier time periods prior to installation date itself had occurred initially anyways.
7. Use the Steam from Your Shower
Using steam-generated showers is another great way to boost RH values inside homes in an efficient manner; simply turn on the hot shower at full blast and let the heat fill the entire bathroom creating a dense foggy mist that permeates the rest of the residence shortly thereafter, filling each corner and every nook and cranny with refreshingly moist particles perfect for keeping everyone feeling refreshed and relaxed at all times regardless of what external climatic conditions might be happening outdoors meanwhile simultaneously too.
Plus, there’s an added bonus of being able to save some cash on utility bills come month end because you’re less likely to require turning your furnace up high in order to keep comfortable enough to sleep soundly at night during chillier times of year ahead – a win-win situation right there indeed.
8. Don’t Immediately Empty the Bathwater
When it comes to saving energy and money, there are a few simple steps you can take that don’t require any major investments. One of these is not immediately emptying the bathwater after each use. This may seem like an odd suggestion, but it can actually help save energy and reduce your utility bills in the long run.
If you empty out the tub right away, then all of that heat has been wasted and your water heater needs to work harder to reheat new water for your next shower or bath. By keeping some of the warm water in the tub after each use, you’re allowing it to cool down slowly while still providing warmth for future uses.
Benefits of Increasing Your Home’s Humidity
Humidity is an important factor in your home’s environment. It can affect the air quality, comfort level, and energy efficiency of your living space. Increasing the humidity levels in your home has many benefits that will improve both your health and lifestyle.
Health Benefits
High humidity levels reduce allergens like dust mites, mold spores, bacteria, and viruses from spreading through the air. This makes it easier to breathe for those with allergies or asthma as well as reduces colds and other illnesses caused by airborne pathogens. Additionally, dry skin conditions such as eczema are alleviated when humidity levels are increased because moisture helps keep skin hydrated and healthy looking.
Comfort Level
When indoor air is too dry it can cause discomfort due to chapped lips, irritated eyes, or a sore throat which can be avoided by increasing the humidity inside your home. Dry air also causes static electricity which leads to shocks when you touch metal objects or furniture upholstery which increases with lower humidities so increasing it reduces this effect significantly.
Energy Efficiency
Increasing indoor relative humidity decreases evaporation from surfaces like walls and floors making them cooler during hot weather, thus decreasing cooling costs since less energy is needed to cool down a room with higher relative humidities compared to drier rooms at the same temperature setting on the thermostat. In winter months, higher humidities help warm up rooms faster than drier ones so heating costs are reduced while maintaining comfortable temperatures indoors without having to raise thermostat settings too high; resulting in additional savings on utility bills over time.
Maintenance Costs
Higher humidities also protect wood furniture, flooring, cabinetry, etc. from cracking due to low moisture content in wood thus preventing costly repairs or replacements while keeping these items looking good for longer periods of time.
Humidity is an important factor in your home’s comfort level. When the humidity levels are too low, it can cause a variety of problems that range from dry skin and sinuses to damage to furniture and electronics. Fortunately, there are several ways you can increase the humidity in your home.
Make Your Winter Season Warm and Relaxing with These Tips
Increasing the humidity in your home during the winter months can be beneficial for both you and your family. Not only will it help to reduce dry skin, sinus problems, and static electricity, but it can also help keep furniture from drying out or cracking due to low moisture levels. By following these 8 tips for increasing humidity in the winter, you’ll be able to create a more comfortable environment while protecting your home from potential damage caused by dry air.
Are you looking for ways to increase humidity in your home during the winter? Don’t suffer through dry, uncomfortable air any longer. Big Easy HVAC is here to help! Our experienced team of heating, air conditioning, and ventilation contractors have the expertise and knowledge needed to recommend effective solutions that will keep your indoor environment comfortable all season long. Contact us today for a free consultation on how we can make sure your home has just the right amount of moisture this winter!
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