What’s the Best Humidity Level for My Home?

A home’s comfort is heavily dependent upon the humidity. A home that is too humid will feel sticky and uncomfortable and also be the perfect environment for various types of mold to grow, which will pollute the air. On the other end of the spectrum, a home with air that is too dry can result in physical problems such as excessively dry skin, nosebleeds, and other ailments.

In both extremes, it can cause skyrocketing utility bills as your HVAC unit struggles to keep your home feeling comfortable. Knowing the optimal humidity settings can help you maximize your comfort and keep your bills reasonable year-round.

What’s the Best Humidity Level at Home?

Experts generally recommend keeping a home’s relative humidity settings between 40% and 50%. When the humidity falls within this range, your home will be comfortable, and your HVAC system will not have to work too hard to keep countering the extremes in air moisture.

These settings will even help keep homes comfortable in the humid North Carolina summers. Some will find that in the winter, the humidity will need to be kept just below 40% to prevent condensation from forming on the windows.

When humidity levels rise above 50% during the humid summers, many people will find themselves facing a more prevalent mold problem. This can cause air pollution, irritate those with asthma and allergies, and place those within the home at greater risk for developing a range of health problems.

Air that is too humid also feels stickier and more uncomfortable, which means many people turn up their air conditioners. The humidity and demands upon the units cause the system to have to work harder, increasing utility bills at the same time.

How To Keep Your Home’s Humidity at Optimum Levels

Dehumidifiers

Especially for those who live in humid environments, like in North Carolina, a dehumidifier can be the perfect addition to your home’s HVAC system. The dehumidifier helps control the humidity levels, even through the thick heat of summer. With less moisture in the air, the rest of the HVAC system will not have to work as hard keeping the air cool. This can help lower utility bills, keep away mold, and keep the house comfortable.

Humidifiers

If your home has dry air, it’s worth considering adding a whole-home humidifier to your HVAC system. Adding humidity to a dry home can help improve sleep quality, keep airborne viruses at bay, and preserve your wooden furniture and flooring. 

Keeping a house comfortable involves more than just blowing in cool air. It also helps to remove some of the moisture from the air. A dehumidifier in the HVAC system can make an enormous difference in both cost and comfort.

Reach out to Blanton’s Heating and Air to learn more about maximizing the HVAC system in your Fayetteville- or Raleigh-area home.