What is the ideal indoor humidity?

What is the ideal indoor humidity?

Healthy indoor air quality is a valuable facet of any home. After all, who doesn’t love relaxing in the comfortable environment of your home with family and friends? However, dry or excessively moist indoor air can put an end to this pretty picture. That’s why it is important for homeowners to ask themselves, what is the ideal indoor humidity?

Striking the balance

When it comes to managing your indoor humidity, it is important to strike the right balance. As a general rule of thumb, for a comfortable atmosphere, a level between 30% and 50% relative humidity is perfect. By maintaining a relative humidity below 50% you will be preventing the infestation of dust mites and other such pollutants. Moreover, for a closer understanding of the ideal indoor humidity, it is important to take the climate into account. For instance, in winter weather it is important to consider the condensation of windows which may result from high humidity levels. Thus, the ideal relative humidity is between 30% and 40%.

Why is it important?

Households with high or low humidity levels can suffer from a range of issues such as poor concentration, headaches, fatigue and more. Here are some common problems associated with unbalanced humidity levels:

Low humidity:

• Low indoor humidity can lead to a dry atmosphere around your home.
• A humidity level below 25% can lead to damage to wooden furniture as well as floorboards.
• Aside from damaging the contents of your home, low humidity can also have a negative impact on the health of your family. Such environments can lead to dry throats and eyes as well as skin irritation.

High humidity:

• High indoor humidity within your house can lead to mould and mildew.
• Consequently, this can also be disadvantageous to your health and wellbeing especially for allergy and asthma suffers.
• Due to the excessive moisture in the air, the atmosphere within the home can feel unpleasant while stains may appear on walls and ceilings.

Need a helping hand?

Balancing indoor humidity and achieving the perfect air quality can be a difficult task. So if you find yourself struggling and need a helping hand, contact your local heating and airconditioning specialist to test the humidity of your home and devise a suitable solution. In most cases, indoor air quality systems such as a humidifier or dehumidifier can be used.

Humidifiers:

• Humidifiers are available in a range of options such as evaporators, steam vaporizers, central, impeller and ultrasonic humidifiers.
• They are effective in eliminating the feeling of dampness within the home as well as preventing dry throats, lungs, nose and eyes.
• Humidifiers need to be regularly maintained for optimal use. Be sure to refill the humidifier on a frequent basis to achieve best results.
• Whole house ducted humidifiers work the best as you don’t need to refill them and they can do the entire house not just a room.

Dehumidifiers:

• Dehumidifiers commonly employ two methods of decreasing indoor humidity levels. This includes refrigeration and absorption.
• Dehumidifiers can successfully remove any musty odours which may have been caused by high indoor humidity.
• Like humidifiers, dehumidifiers also need regular care to work efficiently. It is vital to thoroughly clean the unit regularly to insure it is working correctly.

If you are suffering from poor indoor air quality, contact H&H Heating and Air Conditioning and speak to one of our certified technicians to see what you can do next.

What to do when your Air conditioner is leaking water?

Although household issues can be a real downer, they are unfortunately inevitable. One such common problem often bothering homeowners is if the air conditioner is leaking water. If you find yourself in such a situation and are at a loss for what to do next, here is all the information about some common reasons for your air conditioning leakage and how you can fix them.

Drainage problems:

One likely reason behind the leakage may be due to a blockage in the drain hole of your unit. The blockage may be a result of a build-up of algae, dirt or debris that is causing the water to backflow into your home. If you fancy yourself a DIY job, your can opt to clean out the build-up on your own with a wet dry vacuum. However, if you lack the equipment or wish to get a professional to have a look, contact your local HVAC services company to give it a good clean.

Installation issues:

Leakage issues may arise if the air conditioning unit is installed incorrectly. Similarly, water can also leak from your air conditioner if there are problems with the duct work. Non-insulated or poorly insulated ductwork can leak water. In both cases, solving the issue yourself may be difficult and it would be best to contact your air conditioning service and repair company to get your machine back to working order in no time.

Clogged Filters:

Dirty and clogged filters are another reason for your unit leaking water. Dust build up on filters can result in the evaporator coils freezing up, in turn leading to water leakage. If this is the case, a quick replacement of filters will set your machine right in no time.

Weather woes:

A common reason behind your air conditioner leaking comes from the temperature outside. Has the weather been on the chilly side lately? A spike in the temperature outside can have an impact on your air conditioning unit. In colder weather, the cooling coil may frost up, or there may be an excess of water within the unit due to it not evaporating.

Low Refrigerant:

Another culprit behind your unit leakage is your refrigerant running low. If your refrigerant is low, this is an indication that there is a refrigerant leak. To confirm that there is a leak and subsequently device a solution to stop and fix the issue before it deteriorates, contact your air conditioning contractor to organise a leak test.

Why call H&H?

If you’re facing any of the above issues and want reliable service you can trust, here is why you should choose H&H:

• At H&H, you can rest easy knowing that we provide air conditioning repairs 24/7.
• Highly qualified, trained and drug tested technicians to make sure that the comfort of your home is in the best hands.
• 100% money-back guarantee if you’re not satisfied.

Want trustworthy heating and repair service at affordable prices? Contact H&H Heating and Air Conditioning today and speak to one of the experienced technicians on how you can fix your air conditioning problems.