While it might be easy to warm yourself up by layering more clothing or turning up your heater, it can be challenging to avoid the dry air that accompanies cold weather. When the air is too dry in your home, it can make you feel sick, giving you symptoms like a sore throat and dry, aching sinuses. It can also lead to other uncomfortable problems like itchy skin, chapped lips, and nosebleeds.
To keep comfortable while avoiding mold issues, your home’s relative indoor humidity level should be between 30 percent and 50 percent–but how do you add moisture to your home when the air is already so dry? We’ve tackled this question with some simple solutions below.
Use Humidifiers
There are several types of humidifiers available, many of which are made for use in a single room. However, you would need several to humidify a house. Alternatively, you can get a whole-house humidity control system to humidify your entire home. This type of system is also capable of controlling air that gets too humid so that you can prevent mold and pest control issues.
Leave the Shower Door Open
Hot showers release a lot of steam–why not make use of it? After showering, leave the door or curtain open and leave your bathroom door open as well so that the steam can spread farther into your home. If you like to take baths, let the water cool before draining the bathtub so that the residual heat will moisturize the air.
Invest in Houseplants
Not only are they beautiful, but houseplants can also increase a home’s humidity through a process called transpiration. As transpiration occurs, plants release moisture into the atmosphere. Additionally, plants can remove volatile organic compounds (like formaldehyde) from your indoor air, making it healthier to breathe. Areca palms, bamboo palms, and calathea plants are excellent natural air filters and are also non-toxic to cats and dogs.
Airdry Clothes in the Home
Instead of drying your clothes in the dryer, airdry them on a rack inside your home. The evaporated moisture from the clothes will make the indoor air more humid. Not only that, but you will also save electricity by not using an appliance. Indoor air-drying is a method that’s better for your wallet and the environment: that’s a win-win!
Let us help you breathe easier! Call Dial One Sonshine at (714) 613-1016 to learn more about our indoor air quality services in Orange County.