We all know winter in Oswego, Yorkville, Naperville, Aurora and Plainfield (IL): The cold rolls in, the air begins to bite and the furnace revs up in full flame.
We’re certainly familiar with the seasonal pattern. What we might not always be thinking about is what winter does to our relative humidity and how it can affect us.
Proper humidity is important to our comfort and even our health. With the temperatures dropping and the icy winds picking up, now’s a good time to review the matter of air moisture at home.
What Is Relative Humidity?
Relative humidity is a measure of how much water vapor is in the air compared to the maximum amount of water vapor the air can hold at a specific temperature. Expressed as a percentage, it indicates how “humid” or “dry” the air feels.
Relative humidity is calculated as follows:
Relative Humidity (RH) = Actual Water Vapor Content [÷]
Max. Water Vapor Capacity at
Same TemperatureX 100 Actual Water Vapor Content: The amount of water vapor currently in the air
Maximum Water Vapor Capacity: The most water vapor the air can hold before condensation occurs, depending on the air temperature
As an example, at 100% RH, the air is entirely saturated. It cannot hold any more moisture, so it will often create condensation such as dew or fog.
At 50% RH, the air holds half of the moisture it could at the current temperature.
This factors into our comfort at home because high relative humidity can make the air feel sticky and warm, while low relative humidity can make it feel cool and dry.
What’s Our Relative Humidity in Winter?
In Midwestern locations such as Oswego, Yorkville, Naperville, Aurora and Plainfield, winter humidity tends to be low (i.e. below 30%). That’s because cold air holds less moisture than warm air, leading to lower RH both indoors and outdoors.
This makes the air drier as well. Cold, dry air will absorb moisture from everything, including from us and things in our home. We can detect this from our own chapped lips, dry or cracked skin, and static shocks. The air can cause health complications as well, such as a cold or the flu, respiratory irritation or a sinus infection.
Within the house, the air can dry and damage items such as furniture, cabinets and wood flooring. It also can contribute to cracking, flaking paint on walls.
The situation can become further magnified by our heating system, which reduces the air’s moisture content even more. For this reason, many homeowners install a home humidifier to balance the relative humidity indoors in winter.
What’s a Home Humidifier?
A home humidifier increases your living space’s humidity level in winter by adding moisture to the air. A home humidifier can contribute to:
greater comfort by helping to alleviate conditions such dry skin, chapped lips and irritated nasal passages
enhanced personal health by relieving allergies, reducing the risk of respiratory issues and easing cold or flu symptoms
preservation of valuable items by protecting wood flooring and furniture as well as musical instruments from cracking or warping because of low humidity
better energy efficiency by making your home feel warmer with proper humidity, which can allow you to lower the thermostat
What Are the Types of Home Humidifiers?
Different kinds of home humidifiers can include:
Cool Mist Humidifiers, which use a fan to blow air through a wet wick or filter. Ultrasonic cool mist humidifiers produce high-frequency vibrations to create a fine mist.
Warm Mist Humidifiers, which boil water to release steam into the air. They are often quieter but may use more energy.
Portable Room Humidifiers, which are compact units that can be used for different rooms.
Whole-House Humidifiers, which are installed on the existing HVAC system to humidify the entire home.
When you are choosing a humidifier, you’ll want to consider the size of the space, the level of noise, the ease of maintenance and potentially other features such as a humidistat or antimicrobial properties.
The best location for the humidifier is on or right next to the furnace. This lets the humidifier work with the furnace to evenly distribute humidity throughout your home.
What Should My Humidifier Be Set To in Winter?
The ideal setting for a home humidifier in Chicagoland is between 40% and 60% relative humidity. This helps maintain moisture in the air without promoting issues such as mold growth and extra condensation.
When the weather is particularly frigid outside, indoor humidity can sometimes drop below 20%, which can make the air especially dry. The 40%–60% range brings the moisture back to a level that is more healthy and comfortable.
Personal preferences can factor in as well. Some people might find 50% RH ideal, while others may prefer slightly drier air closer to 40%.
If you have a humidifier already, you might know what your proper level is. If you don’t have a humidifier and choose to install one, you can experiment with different humidity levels within the 40%–60% range until you sense the perfect setting for you.
If someone in your home has asthma or allergies, you’ll typically want to lean toward greater caution by keeping the humidity level on the lower end, as too much moisture can aggravate these conditions.
Air Dynamics: Professional Humidifier Installation
Air Dynamics installs state-of-the-art, fully automatic Aprilaire whole-house humidifiers for Oswego, Yorkville, Naperville, Aurora and Plainfield.
Having a whole-home humidifier added to your HVAC system provides 24-hour, perfectly humidified air for every room in your home.
Installed on your HVAC system, your whole-home humidifier achieves your desired air moisture throughout the house. You don’t have to rely on portable in-room humidifiers that limit control over humidity levels in single rooms and frequently need to be refilled with water.
Because the whole-house system has its own water supply, it does not depend on you to keep it filled. System maintenance also is extremely low.
The Right Humidifier for Your Home: Contact Us Today
As a dedicated HVAC community resource, Air Dynamics cares about your air comfort and quality in winter, which also supports personal health. To further discuss indoor humidity or find out more about installing a whole-house humidifier for your home in Oswego, Yorkville, Naperville, Aurora or Plainfield (IL), give us a call at (630) 731-1550!
