Home Humidity?

Humidity is the amount of moisture in the air. Humidity, or the levels of water molecules in the air effects a lot of different things in our daily lives. Here in Southern California, we know that during fire season if the level of humidity goes down, we have the potential of dealing with a larger fire. But how does humidity levels affect the inside of your home?

It's actually pretty important. Humidity is what makes you feel warm in the summer and also what makes you feel like you can't quite breathe during the winter. Too much water in the air, and the heat is unbearable, too little and the air feels very thin. In your home, you want to have the optimum levels of humidity. Why? Well, for a couple of reasons. First, it's the most comfortable. You're nice and cool in the summer and nice and warm in the winter. Second, humidity (too much AND too little) can cause damage in your home. If there is too much humidity in your home, you may notice little condensation droplets on windows, or near the refrigerator. These droplets, if left for long enough can cause water damage and mold. If there is not enough humidity in your home, there may be an excess of dust, which causes allergies.

So, how do you keep your home at the levels of humidity you want? There are a couple of different ways to do this. First, there are some thermostats that allow you to control the humidity levels in your home. Every unit has some type of humidity controlling element, but if you want added protection (if someone suffers from allergies or uses certain types of medicines) you can always add a humidifier. Some units will have an external humidifier that you can plug into a unit, and other times you will need an entirely separate humidifier. In my opinion, it is much easier to run the humidity control through the heating and air system. That way it's on an automatic thermostat control, and each room of your home is adjusted equally. In the summer, if there is high humidity outside, your air conditioning unit works harder to cool your space. Likewise, in the winter your furnace (winter - I know it doesn't feel like it - but it's right around the corner) works harder to warm your house if there is low humidity. So installing a humidifier isn't such a bad idea...

Home Humidity

Older homes are prone to poor sealing, insufficient insulation which can lead to a decrease in the home's moisture. Newer homes, especially those energy star (R) rated are sealed very tightly, which can cause an excess of moisture in the home. The important thing to remember here is that too much moisture and your home is prone to mold and staining. Too little moisture in the air, and paint may crack and allergies flare up. Neither one of these extremes is good for the home - or the occupants. The trick is regardless of the age of your home, to keep the humidity levels at the optimum point. Source article: Associated Press. "Wrong Humidity Turns Your Home into a Hassle." USA TODAY. Posted 2/1/04. http://www.usatoday.com/weather/resources/basics/2004-02-01-home-humidity_x.htm. last access 6/4/09. What to do about too much (or too little moisture)? There are several options to help your home stay at the right moisture level. Depending on how bad the problem is, it may be as simple as buying a room humidifier. For those looking to make their whole home more comfortable, it may be installing a whole house humidifier or simply installing a new air system (newer air conditioners and heaters have built in humidity control options). During the winter, make sure that windows and doors are sealed (weather striping options are cheap at local hardware stores). This will help eliminate the air from the outside that is getting in and removing moisture from the air. During the summer make sure that you avoid activities that produce extra moisture at the peak of the day. This means cooking, taking showers or doing laundry in the cooler hours (of the morning or evening). If you can, try taking cooler showers. Humidity is the moisture in the air. For most people, this is the 'hot' during the summer that is so unbearable. For your home to stay comfortable, make sure you have humidity levels under control.

Dehumidification

A large part of how cool you feel in an air conditioned space during summer is how much humidity has been taken out of the air.

If there is moisture in the air of a room, the room may feel cooler than outside, but it can feel damp or claustrophobic. This is part of the reason that swamp coolers do better in different areas of the country. Newer air conditioning units allow more humidification during the summer to ensure that your home stays comfortable and cool, without making the air feel too "heavy."

If there is a respiratory problem in the home, additional specialty units can be used in conjunction with the original home heating and cooling system. These include, air cleaners, humidifiers and even ventilators. These specialty units allow for a higher circulation of air, even in a tightly sealed home.
Likewise, homeowners in some areas of the country (with high humidity) might consider an additional add on to their unit. A dehumidifying heat pipe is a fairly new development that will take humidity out of the air, before it enters the cooling phase, making your home considerably cooler during the hot summer.

Source: US Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy "Energy Savers" page, regarding the home. http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/space_heating_cooling/index.cfm/mytopic=12740

A dehumidifying heat pipe resembles two heat exchangers, located on either side of the air conditioner's evaporator coil. Several tubes connect the two sections. A refrigerant (usually an HCFC) inside the tubes pre-cools the incoming supply air by absorbing the heat from it. This causes the refrigerant in the tube to evaporate. The air conditioner evaporator cools it further, extracting up to 91% more water vapor than a conventional evaporator would. After the refrigerant in the tubes changes into a vapor, it flows to the condensing section at the other end of the system. There, it releases its heat into the air stream and returns to its liquid state again. Gravity then causes the refrigerant to flow to the evaporator end of the pipe to begin the cycle again.

Most models of heat pumps and central air conditioners can be retrofitted with dehumidifying heat pipes. You can choose either a replacement cooling coil that incorporates the heat pipe, or add-on heat pipes for the unit's ventilation system. You may also want to consider a complete air-conditioner unit that incorporates the heat pipe.

Although the heat pipes don't use any electricity directly, they cause the conditioned air to leave the system slightly warmer than it would have in the absence of the heat pipe, so it takes more energy to cool your home. The system also consumes more fan power to blow air past the heat pipe. However, the manufacturer claims that your thermostat can be set higher with the low humidity air, allowing a net energy savings.

If humidity is an issue in your home, there are several different things you can try to resolve the problem. Using extra fans to push air around the rooms will help to alleviate some of the humidity. Running them in conjunction wiht an air conditioner may also be helpful. Avoid cooking or hot showers that may add to the amount of moisture in your home during peak heat hours. Finally, consider upgrading your air conditioning unit and possibly adding on a humidifying or ventilating option. If that still fails, a dehumidifying heat pipe may be the answer. Although in Southern California, this issue shouldn't be that difficult to fix.

Is a Humidifier or Humidifier Option Right For You?

With all of the increases in Heating and Air technology, there are a plethora of add-on items available for purchase outside the regular furnace and AC model. Many companies are now adding allergen free lights to kill bacteria in the air or filtration systems that can be added to bring in outside air and then clean it. Another possible add-on is a humidifier. A humidifier can be a good option if you experience coughing, itching or bothersome eyes during the 'heating' season. How this works: cold air, by nature holds less water than warmer air (that's why in the summer humidity can kill). When cold air is heated, the cold air looses even more humidity. So, those sensitive to moisture (or the lack of) in the air, can have problems. Consumer reports (www.consumerreports.org) tested a battery of portable humidifiers (an alternative to installing one with your central heating system) but found many of them did not meet their manufacturer's claims. While others, provided too much moisture, which led to condensation on the windows. Another pro for installing with a central system is the need for cleaning. With the portable models, the filter needs to be cleaned before each use and deep cleaned if it has been in water for as little as 48 hours. The central humidifiers do not need to be cleaned in this same way, usually the filter is removed or itself cleaned less frequently. Humidifiers may be a good option for those looking to breathe a bit easier in the winter months. *picture from the article on consumer reports. To see the article, please click the title of this post.