Monday, September 27, 2010

Lack of Humidity ...and Respiratory Ailments

Lack of humidity in a home may be a major of various respiratory ailments. Fortunately, there is a method to improve the humidity levels within your home that will help reduce ailments related to dry respiratory membranes.
It is recommended that a home's humidity level should be between 30 and 50 percent. However, during extremely cold weather, a home loses humidity to the outside and the level can drop to as low as 10 percent. When humidity levels fall, it is ideal to have a humidifier on hand to make sure that the correct level of moisture is present in the air.
Controlling the amount of moisture in the air is needed for your family's health. when you don't have enough dampness in the air, it can cause dryness in the membranes of the nose, throat and bronchial tubes and may become the source of various health-related problems. Respiratory infections and repetitious attacks of winter colds could be the result of not enough humidity during the cold winter months. Relative humidity also has a tremendous effect on controlling the occurrence of airborne infections.
In addition to the health benefits, you need a humidifier to keep room environments comfortable. Whole-house humidifiers work like old-fashioned room humidifiers. They put moisture into the air, making harsh, dry air easier to breathe. Water mist instead of hot steam is used, keeping the entire home at the comfortable humidity level. A humidifier uses from 1.5 to 12 gallons of water per day, which is just enough to elevate the humidity to the comfort level but not enough to make a difference on your water bill. Because a humidifier is installed in the duct work, there's no need to tote one from room to room.
Many factors should be considered when selecting a humidifier. Size is important. A humidifier's capacity, the amount of moisture it can dispense, should match your family's needs. The capacity is measured in gallons per day of operation. Consider not only the purchase price of the unit, but also the operating and maintenance costs. Several models are less efficient than others, so choosing a model that is right for your home and budget is extremely important. Remember, regular maintenance is needed to keep your humidifier in top working condition.
Installing a humidifier is an easy job when also replacing a furnace. But a humidifier can also be fitted to a current system with minimal labor since it is installed in the duct work.

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