Our comfort accessories team gets asked about dehumidification a lot, especially in the summer. Many people are familiar with how removing moisture from the air has a cooling effect, but we wanted to take a moment to talk about the other side of coin: humidification.
Humidity is a measure of the amount of moisture in the air at a given time. High humidity levels can leave you feeling sticky, or damp while low humidity levels can make it tough to breathe, or dry out skin and sinuses. Striking a balance between the two extremes is the key to year-round comfort.
While a humidifier doesn’t necessarily add heat directly to your home, the effect of proper moisture levels can make it feel warmer. The easiest way to explain this is thinking about two climate types: swamp and desert. 80 degrees in a humid swamp feels a lot warmer than the same 80 degrees in a desert. The only difference between the two is the humidity level in either location. Having more moisture in the air gives you a greater feeling of warmth.
You bet! Many people find humidifiers to be helpful with breathing problems, especially during the winter. In fact, many doctors recommend and even prescribe, humidifiers for patients with respiratory infections. The increase in the air’s moisture content helps soothe dry sinus and lung tissue, easing labored breathing and helping to improve lung function.
Contact one of our comfort accessories experts and they will walk you through all your options.