I want to take a few moments to explain how the humidity in our home effects our comfort.
PRELUDE First, I would like to state, Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning field is very scientific. The information that I will be relating here, and in future Blogs, are not my opinions or myths. They are scientific facts. A large portion of the facts that I will be using are directly from the books pictured in the header. These were the books that were approved as resources to be used during the Ohio HVAC Contractors License exam when I obtained my license some years ago. Ok, so now i am going to tell you something that you already know: Humidity levels affect our comfort We all say it in the summer, "It's not the heat, it's the humidity.' Most of us know that our bodies cool themselves partly by respiration (breathing, panting) and perspiration. when the air is warmer, and can hold more moisture, it's relative humidity is already high and there is less capacity for it to evaporate the sweat from our skin to cool us. In essence, higher temperatures and high humidity make our bodies cooling system less efficient. In the winter the air is cooler. Cooler air cannot hold as much moisture as warmer air. Here's the fact: 30 degrees Fahrenheit air at 100% relative humidity holds 24 grams of moisture. If this air is heated to 75 degrees Fahrenheit and no moisture is added, the relative humidity is now 18%. The Sahara Desert has an average relative humidity of 23%. At these conditions, our body becomes very efficient at cooling itself. Any perspiration is readily accepted by the relatively drier air. this makes us feel cooler. The usual temperature and relative humidity range, in which most people are comfortable, is 72-67 degrees Fahrenheit. at 20%-30% relative humidity. If the humidity is raised to 30%-40%, the comfortable temperature is 70-67 degrees Fahrenheit. This is because the rise in relative humidity slows the evaporating cooling effect of our perspiration, slowing our body's cooling process. This allows us to retain and feel warmer at a lower air temperature. By the way, low humidity levels also cause our skin and membranes in our nose to dry out. By maintaining the humidity levels in our home during the winter, as well as the summer, we can allow our body to regulate it's temperature and feel more comfortable all year long. Thank you for taking the time to read my blog. There is a ot more information that I would like to share. I just wanted to keep this as brief as possible. I could go on forever. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or more information.
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AuthorBob was born and raised in East Central Ohio. He is a family man with more than 20 years of experience in the HVAC field. Archives
May 2019
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