Many states during this time of the year commonly have to deal with the dipping of humidity levels, leading to dry indoor air. However, there are many hidden things that can worsen the atmosphere of the house. Problems such as poor insulation or issues with the house’s central humidifier are also common causes of dry air in the house.
Besides, dry indoor air can also cause some damage to the house if you don’t prevent it correctly. Therefore, take a look at some of these problems and discover if your house is facing dry air issues!
Damages On Window and Door Frames
When exposed to dry air, window and door frames can occasionally shrink, making them harder to open and causing cracks, gaps, or other visual damage. These gaps and cracks can eventually let in more dry air, further worsening this problem.
In order to avoid these damages, a recommended advice is for placing houseplants close to your windows or doors. Naturally, plants have moisture that evaporates into the air, adding the moisture it needs. However, it’s important to water the plants as they need, not only for keeping the moisture in the air but obviously to also keep them alive and healthy.
Creaky Wood Floors
While some people don’t mind, most homeowners usually don’t enjoy creaky floors because it reflects an old and traditional house. Dry air generally damages materials easily, especially wood, since it may cause shrinking or increase gaps between the boards, which eventually causes noisy walking.
The best solution you will find is to install a good humidifier to avoid dry indoor air. Plus, if you have wood floors in the whole house, you might want to opt for a whole house humidifier.
Off-key Instruments
If you have any instrument at home, that‘s another concern to think about. Dry indoor air is capable of untuning some wooden instruments, such as violin, piano, and guitar. These types of instruments are generally vulnerable to this kind of issue.
Bent Wood Furniture
As previously said, dry indoor air easily damages materials. However, that doesn’t include only floors or walls, furniture is also in danger in this case. It can cause your tables, chairs, and shelves to bend, and cracks can quickly appear on solid wood.
Damaged Leather
Even though leather is a durable and strong material, it isn’t immune to everything. Unfortunately, dry indoor air is capable of damaging leather by stiffening or cracking it. Therefore, during the driest times, be careful with the leather furniture and clothing in your house. Using leather conditioner is highly advisable in this case!
Wine Bottles
Even wine bottles can get damaged due to dry air. Low humidity levels at the extreme can cause the cork to slowly chip away, letting air get into the bottle and ruining the flavor of the wine. The usual advice can be used in this situation, such as using a humidifier or keeping some house plants close.
Be aware that the right percent of humidity in the air for the best keeping of wine is 60%, therefore it is recommended for you to try and maintain this level. On the other hand, if you plan on drinking the wine within one or two weeks, you won’t need to worry about that.
Static Electricity
Static electricity is an imbalance of electrical charges in or on the surface of a material. Dry air tends to improve the risk of static electricity buildup, leading to an electrostatic discharge event. This event can easily harm your electronics, making the devices malfunction.
Cracks On Wallpaper
As the wallpaper gets in touch with dry air, it can eventually start to peel or create bubbles, making the wall look neglected and less attractive. The most practical way of preventing this type of damage is to have a humidifier at home, especially in the bedroom and the living room.
Wrinkled Books
Isn’t it sad when your favorite books somehow get damaged? If you have a shelf full of books, you’ll probably want to protect them from the damage that dry air cases. Dry indoor air indeed is capable of wrinkling or brittling the pages and cover.
In order to avoid that, keep the books away from heating registers and vents, while also keeping them a safe distance from the house’s humidifier.
Health Issues
Unfortunately, dry air can not only affect your house but also your health. It’s already proven that dry air may cause your airways to narrow and close up. And it worsens those with respiratory conditions, especially asthma. Some other symptoms the dry air may cause are coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness.
Besides affecting the respiratory system, dry air can also cause some skin problems. Without enough moisture in the air, your skin will probably start itching or chapping. Plus, your hair can get damaged too, causing dehydration and making it more prone to breakage.
This way, the best advice you can opt to use in order to avoid all these health issues is to run a humidifier in your bedroom and office.
How To Manage Dry Air In Your Home
The best way to avoid it is by installing a whole-house humidifier. The benefits are incredible, and the investment not only improves your quality of life but also boosts your home’s value. Using the trick of placing plants nearby to prevent dry air can also be useful in certain situations.
Other advice that works well in the kitchen is to make more use of the stovetop for cooking, since it adds moisture to the air, and to avoid using the oven.
Want to check if your house needs a central humidifier? Request a free quote today and solve all your doubts with a pro!
MORE FROM HOMEYOU
10 Ways You're Wasting Water (and Money) At Home
Your Ultimate Guide To The Perfect Bathroom Vanity Lighting
10 Quick Tips To Create The Perfect Home Office