Is Too Much Humidity Hurting Your Health?

You may have read recent research that suggests raising indoor humidity levels may help to deactivate coronavirus particles. During the winter months when our spaces are closed up and heated, humidity levels can drop to extremely gloomy levels ( vitamin a depleted as 20 percentage ). unfortunately, the COVID-19 virus has been shown to thrive and remain viable for longer periods in these low-humidity conditions. ( Controlling humidity is just one way HVAC can help in the contend to prevent COVID. Get our scout to HVAC Strategies for COVID to learn more. )

however, excessively much indoor humidity can besides cause health problems. For exercise, viruses are known to spread more easily in humidity levels higher than 60 percentage. So what is considered gamey humidity and what are safe indoor humidity levels ? And most importantly, how do indoor humidity levels affect your body and your health ?

We ’ ll share some facts about the adverse effects of excessively much humidity beyond personal discomfort, equally well as common causes of high humidity indoors. Let ’ s start with the optimum humidity levels and how a lot is damaging to your health and wellbeing .

How much is too much humidity?

Experts by and large agree that the ideal indoor humidity levels for comfort and for avoiding health effects are between 35 and 60 percentage. When you ’ re spending time in a home or workplace with humidity levels in excess of 60 percentage, it ’ south increasingly likely that you will experience certain health issues. Let ’ s look at the conduct effects on the body from excessively much humidity. however, it ’ mho even more likely that you ’ ll experience the indirect effects ; so we ’ ll besides explain how humidity alters your environment, and how those effects can be damaging to your health .

Humidity and health: the direct effects can be deadly

Whether it ’ s indoors or outdoors, besides much humidity combined with high temperatures can cause our bodies to overheat. When that happens, the consequences can be dangerous. Do you ever wonder why hot, gluey, humid tune feels indeed much more uncomfortable than hot, dry publicize ? It ’ s because humidity impedes your body ’ second ability to regulate body temperature and cool polish. Too a lot humidity can actually cause your body temperature to rise. here ’ s how it works in a nutshell. When temperatures get excessively hot, your body has defense mechanisms that kick in to keep your internal temperature steadily. These include :

• sweating
• increased respiration
• altered blood circulation

Sweating is an authoritative one, and is greatly impeded by besides a lot humidity in the vent. Sweating cools the torso when the moisture evaporates from the clamber. however, when the air is already saturated with urine vapor ( as it is when humidity levels rise to 70 percentage and higher ), perspiration can ’ t evaporate. so alternatively of cooling down, you good feel hot and stickier. At that point, the body is forced to resort to early means to try to cool off. That ’ randomness why you may notice yourself breathing more quickly as you get increasingly hot. Your heart pumps more blood to your extremities, and less to your internal organs and your brain. That ’ south why you feel sluggish and bleary. You may begin feeling airheaded or even faint. You may besides feel brawn cramps, specially in your legs. With the loss of fluids, salt and electrolytes, the body overheats. finally, if your body can ’ triiodothyronine wield temperature, you can develop inflame exhaustion or heat stroke, which can be fatal .

What are the indirect effects of too much humidity on your health?

While the mastermind effects of excessively much humidity & inflame can be dangerous, in most cases you will know you ’ re in danger and find a room to cool off. however, the indirect effects of high humidity can be more insidious. humidity can cause changes in your indoor environment that can cause you to become ailment. associate article : summer Humidity is Scarier Than You Think

Bacteria and viruses take hold in humid conditions

spend meter in an environment with excessively much humidity can actually make you vomit, particularly from respiratory infections. The bacteria and viruses that cause illness thrive and grow in publicize that ’ s above 60 percentage relative humidity. What ’ s more, humid air besides makes those contaminants stay airborne for a longer period of time before settling onto surfaces. so when you ’ re in a humid office and people are sneezing and coughing all around you, those nasty germs are sticking around and multiplying. And it ’ second more likely that you will breathe them in. Allergens kick into high gear
According to a report in Environmental Health Perspectives, published by the National Institute of Health, besides much humidity leads to higher levels of dust mites and fungi, two of the worst culprits for indoor allergy sufferers. Asthma sufferers beware
Mold and fungi are known to exacerbate respiratory conditions such as asthma. tied people who don ’ thymine normally have allergies or asthma can experience hypersensitivity reactions from fungus that grow in conditions with excessively much humidity. Most of these microorganisms grow like crazy in proportional humidity levels in excess of 75 %. evening if you don ’ thymine see them, they can be present in bathrooms, kitchens, carpets and furnishings, and the ceiling tiles in your agency. They might even be growing in your air conditioning ductwork. Humidity increases airborne chemical contaminants
Organic contaminants like bacteria, mold and dust mites aren ’ t the only things that get worse in air with besides much humidity. airborne chemicals that cause adverse physical effects besides increase as the humidity goes up. everyday construction materials like carpet and wood products handout chemicals such as formaldehyde into the air. This is called “ off gassing. ” When there ’ s besides much humidity in the air, the concentration of these noxious chemicals rises due to the chemical reaction of the chemicals with urine vapor. even low-level vulnerability to those chemicals can make people experience skin, eye and throat annoyance american samoa well as respiratory symptoms. This trouble is increasing with the construction of more energy-efficient buildings that may have low fresh air ventilation rates. That ’ randomness why it ’ s so important for mod buildings to maintain proper humidity levels for good indoor air out quality .

3 common causes of too much humidity in your space

now that you know the facts about humidity and health problems, here ’ s what you need to know about the causes of besides much humidity. then you ’ ll be equipped to deal with the trouble and feel good in your quad. 1. Inadequate ventilation
A lack of fresh atmosphere can increase the levels of both chemical and organic pathogens that cause illness a good as discomfort from humidity. Changes to the HVAC invention by a qualify professional, such as adding makeup breeze or re-routing ductwork, can make a boastfully remainder in humidity levels. relate article : 4 Reasons You Need HVAC Design for Your Air Conditioning Install 2. An oversized air conditioner
It ’ s a more common situation than you might imagine. build contractors frequently make the mistake of installing vent conditioners that are excessively herculean for the outer space. As a consequence, the whole turns on an off frequently, never running long enough to remove humidity from the breeze. Believe it or not, you might need to downgrade your HVAC equipment to control humidity in your space. refer article : New York HVAC Systems : 8 Reasons Bigger is not Always Better 3. Neglected AC maintenance
When your equipment has been neglected and no longer works efficiently, you can end up with excessively much humidity in your space. Getting a tune up and a dear clean can restore it to proper working condition. humidity is only one of many problems caused by poor alimony of your AC equipment. And those problems are costing you in ways you probably don ’ t even know about. Learn more from this instructive template to Calculating the Hidden Costs of Poor HVAC Maintenance.

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Category : Healthy