TEN THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT HUMIDIFICATION

1.TO FOSTER HEALTHY INDOOR LIVING THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF HEATING REFRIGERATION AND AIR CONDITIONING ENGINEERS (ASHRAE) RECOMMENDS KEEPING INDOOR HUMIDITY LEVELS BETWEEN 40 AND 60 % RELATIVE HUMIDITY (RH).

2. HUMIDITY LEVELS THAT ARE TOO LOW CAN AGGRAVATE SYMPTOMS OF ASTHMA RHINITIS, AND RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS.

3. PROPER LEVELS OF HUMIDITY CONTROL CAN IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND COMFORT OF PEOPLE LIVING IN THE HOME.

4. PROPER HUMIDITY LEVELS DECREASE STATIC ELECTRICITY, ELIMINATING STATIC SHOCK AND PROTECT VALUABLE ELECTRONICS.

5. BACTERIA, VIRUSES, MITES AND FUNGI ARE VIRTUALLY ELIMINATED WHEN A BUILDING OR HOME MAINTAINS HEALTHY INDOOR RH.

6. MOLD GROWTH IS A SERIOUS ISSUE FOR HOMES AND BUILDINGS THESE DAYS. MOLDS ARE INCAPABLE OF OBTAINING MOISTURE DIRECTLY FROM THE AIR. MOLDS THRIVE INDOORS WHEN THE RH. RANGE IS CONSISTENTLY FROM 60 TO 99 PERCENT AT SURFACE SUBSTRATES.  THIS IS WHY PROPERLY INSULATED WALLS AND SURFACES ARE CRUCIAL TO PREVENTING HIGH TEMPERATURE DIFFERENTIALS BETWEEN INDOOR AIR AND OUTDOOR AIR. THE TEMPERATURE OF A SURFACE AT OR BELOW IT'S DEW-POINT CAN CAUSE WATER CONDENSATION ON A GIVEN SURFACE, ALLOWING GERMINATION AND MOLD GROWTH REGARDLESS OF AMBIENT HUMIDITY.

7. PROPER HUMIDITY CONTROL CAN BE SIGNIFICANT TO REDUCING ENERGY CONSUMPTION.

8. PROPER HUMIDIFICATION WILL MAKE PEOPLE FEEL WARMER AND MORE COMFORTABLE. PROPERLY CONTROLLING HUMIDITY RESULTS IN A DECREASE OF THE RATE OF EVAPORATION OF MOISTURE FROM THE HUMAN BODY, LEAVING ONE TO FEEL WARMER AT LOWER TEMPERATURE SETTINGS, THUS SAVING ENERGY COSTS.

9. HUMIDITY LEVELS THAT ARE TOO LOW WILL CAUSE THE AIR TO BECOME "THIRSTY". THIS EXTREMELY DRY AIR CAN WARP FURNITURE AND DOOR FRAMES. WOODWORK, PAINTINGS, PAPER AND OTHER VALUABLES CAN BE VULNERABLE TO A LOW INDOOR MOISTURE LEVEL AS WELL, SOMETIMES CAUSING IRREPARABLE DAMAGE.

10. CARPETING CAN ALSO DETERIORATE QUICKLY IN A LOW HUMIDITY ENVIRONMENT.

SOLUTIONS FOR HUMIDITY CONTROL

BY STABILIZING THE HUMIDITY LEVEL INDOORS, MATERIALS THAT ABSORB MOISTURE, WOODWORK, FURNITURE, PAINTINGS AND OTHER VALUABLES- WILL NOT ABSORB OR GIVE OFF MOISTURE, PROTECTING THEM FROM IRREPARABLE DAMAGE.   ONE SOLUTION IS A WHOLE BUILDING OR HOME  HUMIDIFIER WHICH CONNECT DIRECTLY TO A FURNACE OR OTHER HEATER WHICH WORKS WITH THE AIR DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM TO SPREAD MOISTURE  THROUGHOUT THE INDOOR SPACE. SOME SYSTEMS USE STEAM INJECTED DIRECTLY INTO THE SPACE OR SYSTEM DUCTWORK WITH SPECIALLY DESIGNED NOZZLES THAT ALLOWS THE MOISTURE TO BE EFFICIENTLY ABSORBED AT TEMPERATURE AS LOW AS 70 DEGREES F. THIS TYPE OF HUMIDIFIER IS NOT DEPENDENT ON THE HEATING APPLIANCE TO DELIVER HUMIDITY, BUT ONLY NEEDS AIRFLOW TO DO THE JOB.

MOST PEOPLE MISUNDERSTAND STEAM TYPE HUMIDIFIERS, THE COMMON MISCONCEPTION IS THAT STEAM HUMIDIFIERS PUT WATER DROPLETS INTO THE AIR DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM AND CAUSE UNWANTED POOLS OF STAGNANT WATER AND DAMAGE. THIS IS NOT TRUE.

ACTUALLY STEAM HUMIDIFIERS THAT USE MODERN TECHNOLOGY ARE DESIGNED TO TO INJECT PURE, STERILE STEAM VAPOR INTO THE AIRSTREAM, WHERE IT IS DESIGNED TO BE COMPLETELY ABSORBED QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY. HUMIDITY CONTROL CAN BE CHALLENGING ESPECIALLY DURING THE WINTER MONTHS, BUT WE HERE AT DENMARK HEATING AND COOLING TAKE PRIDE IN SOLVING THESE PROBLEMS. CALL US NOW AN LET US SHOW YOU HOW.