What you should know
Humidity affects your health and your
home in the following ways
Excessive humidity indoors promotes the growth
of undesirable organisms. The maintenance of
humidity in the range between 30% and 50%
indoors contributes to preventing the growth of
mould, mildew, and mites.
Staying in rooms infested with mould can harm
the human immune system, weakens resistance
to respiratory allergies, and has been linked to
infections.
Excessively dry air indoors can dry out the skin,
irritates the throat and paranasal sinuses, and
contributes to the easier infection of these areas. In
a dry climate or in winter, when the air indoors has
been made dry by heating, the relative humidity
can be increased with the help of a humidifier.
Indoor air that is excessively dry can cause wood
to contract and split, particularly thin wood
such as that used in the making of guitars and
violins. During extreme dryness over a long
period of time, the splitting of solid wooden
beams or plaster is also possible. Active heating
and ventilating can contribute to creating a
comfortable and healthy living climate.
Hygrometer WS 1700/1701
39