The health of its inhabitants largely depends on how much water vapor is contained in the air of a home. For good health, it is important that the humidity level in the apartment corresponds to standard indicators. However, if enough attention is paid to the temperature regime, then the saturation of the atmosphere with moisture is often forgotten, isn’t it?
We suggest you figure out what the standard air humidity in an apartment is, what its significance is for different rooms, and how to correctly measure this indicator. Having determined the degree of humidity, measures should be taken to reduce or increase the water content in the room atmosphere. Effective methods for normalizing the microclimate are described in the article.
What is the humidity standard?
There is always water vapor in the atmosphere of our planet. To measure them, the concept of absolute humidity is used. It denotes the mass fraction of water content in one cubic meter of gas mixture. At an ambient temperature of 0ºС this value corresponds to 5 g/m3.
As the air temperature rises, water will evaporate faster, causing the percentage of moisture entering the atmosphere to increase.
The degree of air humidity is influenced by various factors. This time of year, regional climate, weather conditions, location of the apartment, construction and finishing materials used
The term relative humidity refers to the amount of moisture in the air at a certain temperature compared to the maximum amount of water vapor that could saturate the atmosphere at that same temperature.
When talking about the norm of humidity in a living space, we mean precisely this relative value, expressed as a percentage.
The effect of humidity on well-being
It has long been noted that people are extremely sensitive to the content of water vapor in their homes. With low or high moisture content in the air, apartment dwellers feel uncomfortable. The most pronounced symptoms are weakness, fatigue, headache, decreased immunity.
When humidity is low, dust accumulates in the air. It creates conditions for the proliferation of tiny dust mites, which contribute to the development of allergies.
A dry microclimate promotes the accumulation of static electricity, which causes tiny dust particles to accumulate in the air. This is an excellent environment for bacteria and microscopic organisms that cause various diseases to thrive.
In such rooms, people often experience dry skin, which leads to dermatitis, brittle hair, and the appearance of early wrinkles. Drying of the mucous membranes contributes to the development of frequent colds, as well as eye diseases.
Due to the slowdown in blood circulation, the load on the heart increases, which can lead to increased blood pressure and ailments of the cardiovascular system.
A humid microclimate in the house is no less dangerous. In this case, favorable conditions are formed for the flourishing of bacteria, the appearance of black mold, and fungi, which form colonies on wet walls.
The harmful substances released by these single-celled creatures can lead not only to the development of allergies, but also to acute poisoning. Its first symptoms are weakness and dizziness.
High humidity negatively affects people’s health, as well as the condition of furniture and household appliances, which quickly break down
A long stay in a damp room threatens the development of all kinds of diseases - from common acute respiratory infections to rheumatism and tuberculosis. With high humidity in living spaces, there is a lack of oxygen, which increases the load on the heart and leads to diseases of this important organ.
It is especially dangerous if the increased level of water vapor is combined with high air temperature, which can trigger heatstroke or even a heart attack.
Humidity in the children's room
Infants have an accelerated metabolism, which determines the optimal temperature regime - rapid metabolism leads to the fact that the baby quickly becomes hot, so the total air temperature should not exceed 20 degrees.
The relative humidity should be maintained in the range from 30 to 70%. These numbers are considered optimal from a medical point of view. A deviation in one direction or another can cause many problems, in particular with immunity: excessively dry air reduces it by drying out the body’s mucous membranes.
It is important to maintain a balance between temperature and humidity, because temperatures above 20 degrees Celsius combined with a relative humidity of more than 60% can be even more harmful than dryness: it promotes the rapid growth and reproduction of bacteria and infections.
Recommended standards for an apartment
Since air humidity is an extremely important criterion for a comfortable living environment, there are special regulatory documents that regulate its importance.
GOST 30494-96 indicates indicators of seasonal moisture content in the housing stock: for summer, the limits of optimal air humidity are determined in the range of 30-60%, for winter - 30-45%.
The presented table indicates the recommended ratio of the level of moisture content and air temperature in a variety of residential and office premises
There is also a corresponding SNiP, according to which the norm of 40-60% applies for any time of the year. For humid areas, 65% is allowed, and for very humid areas - 75%.
It should be noted that the standards are designed for construction organizations; most people define air with 30 percent humidity as dry.
Here are specific recommendations for water vapor content:
- in the bedroom;
- in the nursery;
- in the living room;
- in the office;
- in the kitchen and bathroom.
The bedroom is of great importance, since healthy sleep largely determines a person’s condition and helps maintain immunity. The ideal humidity level for this room is 40-55%.
Experts recommend keeping the window in the bedroom always half open, which promotes natural regulation of humidity and hardening. An alternative option is to install a window ventilator.
In case of colds, it is advisable to increase the moisture level in the children's room to 70%, which will help moisturize the mucous membranes and speed up recovery.
Children's room . Here, the normal level of water vapor content is of paramount importance, since a fragile body is more sensitive to heat and cold, and is also more susceptible to infections. The optimal figure is 50-60%.
Insufficiently humid air dries out the nasopharynx, opening the way for colds, and is also harmful to the skin, causing peeling and even dermatitis. It should be borne in mind that the temperature in the nursery should not exceed 24ºС.
Living room . As a rule, the most spacious room in the apartment is allocated for this room, where the family spends several hours every day. The most comfortable humidity level here can be considered 40-50%.
This standard ensures the well-being of people, while at the same time guaranteeing the excellent condition of electronic devices and expensive furniture, which is often installed in the living room.
Study/library . Here a lower moisture level of 30-40% is acceptable. This is due to the fact that books and documents are usually stored in these rooms, as well as office equipment, which can be damaged by an excessive amount of water vapor in the atmosphere.
Current humidity standards are designed only for residential premises. Their effect does not apply to kitchens, corridors, bathrooms and other office spaces
Kitchen and bath .
The premises are characterized by increased temperature and humidity conditions, which negatively affects people’s health, the condition of equipment and furniture. It is important not to forget about these zones - to increase the degree of water vapor content to 45-50%, exhaust fans are used.
Signs of a “failure” of the humidity regime
By being observant, it is easy to conclude what microclimate is typical for the room.
The following features indicate dry air:
- the soil in pots with indoor flowers quickly dries out and becomes covered with cracks;
- things and objects in the room are quickly electrified by static electricity;
- wet laundry dries in a couple of hours, but it is difficult to iron;
- Even with constant cleaning, the smell of dust can be felt in the air.
One of the first signs of dry air is the drying out of the edges of the leaves of indoor flowers and their wilting.
Many factors indicate an increased proportion of water vapor in the room. Such rooms smell musty, and clothes and bedding are constantly damp.
The water in the flower trays usually stagnates, and the soil in the pots becomes covered with a moldy white coating.
One of the first signs of increased humidity is drops of water appearing on windows, mirrors, and metal.
It is worth paying attention to the quickly getting wet salt in the open salt shaker, swollen and poorly closing doors.
A lot of trouble can be caused by wallpaper coming off the walls, mold and mildew stains that appear on horizontal and vertical surfaces.
How to increase air humidity using folk remedies
Air humidity in a dry room can be increased using traditional methods:
- regular wet cleaning;
- frequent ventilation (not in sub-zero temperatures), especially after rain;
- installation of a mini fountain, aquarium or other water containers;
- growing flowers and watering them regularly;
- reducing the intensity of heating radiators using wet towels;
- using a spray bottle.
Folk remedies to increase the humidity in the room
To increase the humidity in the room, you can dry clothes directly indoors, rather than on the balcony or street. When cooking food, water vapor from boiling pots also enters the air.
Methods for determining humidity
In order to determine the microclimate of the room, you can use special devices or improvised means. Let's look at a few common methods
Method No. 1 - natural materials
An ordinary fir cone can be a faithful assistant. It should be brought into the room and placed away from heat sources.
If the scales open, the room has a dry microclimate. If the content of water vapor in the air is high, the bud will remain tightly compressed.
All humidity measuring devices should be placed away from heat sources and drafts. Only in this case the readings will be correct
A more complex method is a homemade device made from a spruce branch, which allows you to monitor the dynamics of water vapor content in the room.
A peeled spruce stick 21-30 cm long is fixed to the board from the cut side, while the other end remains free. As the moisture level increases, it will drop down, which can be checked by recording the readings with a pencil.
Method number 2 - glass of water
It is enough to do a simple experiment: cool a glass glass of water in the refrigerator to a temperature of 3-5ºC.
After removing the container from the refrigerator, you should observe it for 5-10 minutes:
- if condensation flows down in large droplets, there is excessive humidity in the room;
- glass walls dry out instantly - there is a lack of water vapor in the air;
- the container remains foggy - the humidity is close to ideal.
As in the previous case, this method is quite approximate. However, it allows you to determine not only increased and decreased levels of water vapor, but also comfortable humidity.
The easiest way to determine humidity without instruments is a glass of water. Just put it in the refrigerator for a while and then determine the result
Method No. 3 - Assmann psychrometer
This method requires a special device consisting of two alcohol thermometers: one regular, and the other moistened with damp cambric tape.
Readings should be taken from two devices, which will differ due to the influence of the environment, primarily the moisture content in the atmosphere.
Using a table compiled by the German meteorologist Assmann, you can quite accurately determine the degree of air humidity after carrying out simple manipulations
From the first value, you need to subtract the second, after which in the Assmann table, find the dry device indicator in the vertical column, and the temperature difference in the horizontal column. The number at the intersection of the lines indicates the desired moisture level in the room.
At home, you can get by with one room thermometer. To do this, you first need to record the temperature in normal mode, and then wrap the device head with a damp cloth or swab.
After 5-10 minutes, you can take the result, then calculate the difference between the readings and insert the data into the table.
Method No. 3 - accurate hygrometer readings
The most convenient way to determine the humidity of the atmosphere is with a hygrometer - a special device designed for this purpose.
There are many varieties of such devices operating on different principles: weight, film, hair, condensation, electrolytic, ceramic.
In everyday life, combined devices are often used that allow one to simultaneously measure air humidity, its temperature, and sometimes atmospheric pressure.
Electronic hygrometers have become especially widespread, the functioning of which can be based on different methods of taking readings.
Among them, we note the following categories of devices:
- optoelectronic – with measurement using a cooled mirror;
- resistive using the effect of changing the conductivity of certain types of salts/polymers;
- capacitive, where the change in capacitance of the capacitor is taken into account;
- devices based on determining air conductivity.
Hygrometer models can be stationary or mobile. Devices from the last category can be moved from one room to another.
For more information on different humidity meters and tips for using them, see this article.
How to increase air humidity with household appliances
The most affordable and popular device for increasing humidity in the air is a household humidifier. It can be used all year round, but it will be especially useful in winter, when indoor humidity of 20 percent causes discomfort.
The following types of humidifiers are available:
- Classic. The operating principle of such devices is based on the evaporation of cold water without preheating. Water flows from a special container onto the evaporator - disk, filter or cartridge. Due to the fact that such devices take air from the room and release it after cleaning with a filter, additional removal of dust and allergens occurs.
- Humidifiers with air purification function. These are full-fledged climate control devices that simultaneously increase the level of humidity and purify the air by equipping them with special replaceable filters. They are also called air washers.
- Steam models. The operating principle of such devices is similar to the operation of an electric kettle. Heating elements with a ceramic plate or coil release steam after preheating the water. It is optimal to use both in summer and to maintain humidity levels in the apartment in winter.
- Ultrasonic. The most expensive and effective. The liquid poured into the reservoir flows onto a plate that vibrates under the influence of ultrasound. The water breaks up into tiny droplets, which enter the room through a cooler inside the case.
Humidifier with cleaning function (air washing) Steam humidifier Ultrasonic humidifier
Tips for normalizing the microclimate
To maintain the proper microclimate in the apartment, you can use the recommendations of specialists.
So, to combat excessively dry air, the following are used:
- traditional methods;
- special devices.
A decorative fountain, a spacious aquarium with colorful fish or flowerpots with house flowers are not only spectacular interior decorations, but also an effective way to maintain normal humidity in the atmosphere of a living space, for example, a living room.
An elementary effective way to increase the content of water vapor is regular wet cleaning and ventilation of the room. They guarantee the maintenance of an optimal indoor microclimate
A simple but quite effective remedy is to place containers of water near heating appliances or on radiators. Liquid must be added to the vessels as it evaporates.
Alternatively, wet towels, napkins or other pieces of fabric are thrown over the batteries. You can also hang washed clothes in the room to dry.
An alternative to a complex device can be a simple device made from a plastic bottle and a bandage (+)
Special humidifying devices, the operation of which is based on various methods, will help to radically solve the problem with the level of humidity:
- mechanical humidifier with a fan, quite noisy, but not very effective - 50-61%;
- steam humidifier , functioning similarly to an electric kettle. It is capable of increasing the vapor content rate by 60%;
- ultrasonic humidifier , the method of operation of which is based on spraying water droplets using a piezoelectric emitter. The device, which quickly increases humidity to 100%, is characterized by silent and safe operation.
The first two options are distinguished by their affordable cost and the ability to use tap water, while the more expensive ultrasonic device requires distilled liquid to operate.
To reduce the degree of air humidity, you can also use either traditional methods or resort to the help of modern devices.
In a damp room, care should be taken to let in as much sunlight as possible. There is no need to shade the windows with curtains, because the rays of the sun perfectly dry the air. Housing should be regularly ventilated to bring in fresh air.
There are various models of dehumidifiers. These household appliances are capable of removing from 12 to 50 liters of moisture daily
Forced exhaust ventilation can be installed in all rooms, and in the kitchen it is better to cook with a powerful hood on. If an air conditioner is installed in the apartment, it is important to choose the optimal operating mode.
If the air temperature is insufficient, you should think about using additional heating devices. When carrying out construction and finishing work, it is advisable to prefer natural materials that absorb moisture well.
The best results can be achieved using special devices.
Two categories of devices are most often used:
- plastic containers filled with adsorbents - substances that actively absorb water vapor; it is important not to forget to change the filler as it gets wet;
- household dehumidifiers , the operation of which is usually based on the principle of condensation of atmospheric water vapor on a plate whose temperature is below the dew point.
To normalize the indoor microclimate, it is important to pay attention to windows and window treatments. It is best to install modern double-glazed windows made using new technologies that guarantee air circulation.
