In winter, many houses have the heating on all day. This ensures a pleasant temperature, but it also has disadvantages. Not only energy consumption and the environment, but also your own health and the health of pets can suffer. The humidity is low, which can cause dry skin, coughing, headaches and concentration problems. Fortunately, there are several ways to prevent this and fix the problems.
How does the air get so dry?
Water vapor is always dissolved in the air. Warm air can contain more water than cold air. In winter the temperature is a lot colder than in summer, so there is less water vapor in the air. The air is drier. In the house, the air is heated by the heating, but no extra moisture is added. Despite the warmer temperatures, the air in the house is also very dry.
How do I know if it is too dry?
The air in the house is usually too dry in winter. Relative humidity is about 30%, while 50 to 60 percent is ideal. When you experience a dry cough, dry eyes, headache or the other symptoms, it is likely that the humidity is too low. To be sure, a hygrometer can be used, it measures the humidity. A hygrometer should not be placed on an outside wall or near a window, as the humidity is higher here. That would give a distorted picture.
What’s the problem?
Well, the air may be a bit too dry, but what is the problem? The biggest problem is in the lungs. When too dry air is inhaled, the lungs can also absorb less oxygen. So less oxygen is available to the body. In addition, water quickly evaporates in dry air, including in the throat and lungs. This causes the throat to dry out, causing a dry cough or sore throat. In combination with dust, the problems can be aggravated.
What are the symptoms?
Complaints about too dry air usually do not occur overnight. Only after days or weeks do the complaints start to appear, they are usually written off as ?? winter ailments ?? and nothing else is done with it. That while it is easy to prevent as soon as the cause is clear.
- Dry throat
- Stinging cough
- Dry skin (flaky)
- Chapped lips
- Dry eyes, burning sensation in the eyes
- Irritated airways
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Difficulty concentrating
- Cold feeling, while it is not cold
- Lowered immune system
Pets in the dry air
Pets also suffer from dry air. Coughing or coughing is often seen in dogs or cats, as well as dander or more hair loss than usual. Birds often linger longer in moulting, causing feathers to fall out and their plumage less well. In the long term, dry air is not only bad for your own health, but also for that of your pets.
Dry air and products
Musical instruments, wooden furniture and plants can suffer from dry air just like humans and animals. Wood that has dried out changes its structure. It will never take its original form again. A violin, piano or harp will never sound the same again if it has been exposed to dry air for too long.
Moisturize the air with home remedies
There are various items for sale to humidify the air. These are usually not necessary, with a few simple tips the humidity can be increased without high costs or much time being required.
Water for heating
By hanging some water bowls on the heating or placing them above the heating, a lot of water evaporates. This increases the humidity quickly and easily.
Bathroom door ajar
Just finished your shower? The bathroom door does not have to be closed! By leaving it open, the water vapor enters the house, so the humidity rises.
Placing plants
Plants evaporate water into the air. By placing plants, preferably green plants with large leaves, and watering them sufficiently, the humidity is increased. Placing succulents makes little sense, as they evaporate little moisture.
Do not overheat
A temperature of maximum 21 degrees Celsius is suitable for good humidity. When the temperature is higher, more water must be evaporated in it to notice an effect.
Airing
Make sure there is enough fresh air in the house. This may not increase the humidity, but it does help to limit the effects. More oxygen is released into the air, so even if the lungs work a little less efficiently, enough can still be absorbed.
Remove dust
Dust aggravated the complaints. Regular wiping and cleaning can reduce the problems.
Humidifiers
The aforementioned solutions are often sufficient to increase the humidity. However, it is not always enough. There are different types of humidifiers for sale. These have the additional advantage that the humidity can be better regulated. There are three different types of systems for sale.
Steam
In a humidifier that works on steam, water is heated to steam. The steam leaves the device through a hole in the humidifier, causing more moisture to enter the air. This system has the advantage that it is cheap to purchase and the air can be quickly humidified in a short time. The disadvantage is that the system has a high energy consumption.
Ultrasonic
An ultrasonic system works with inaudible vibrations in the water. A fine mist is spread, which increases the humidity. The mist is cold when dispersed, so the energy consumption is lower. This is compensated for because the heating has to work longer, because you want to keep the temperature in the house at the same level.
Evaporate
The third system blows the air through a moist filter. The water in the filter evaporates, humidifying the air. The system produces little moisture, but also extracts odors and dust from the air. It also requires little power.