How can low humidity affect your home?

Humidity can sound like a really difficult aspect to broach in your home. Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air. The relative humidity (RH), which is expressed as a percentage, is the amount of water vapor the air contains compared to the maximum possible at that temperature and pressure.

Most regions can achieve between 30–60% relative humidity which is deemed "Optimal" by the EPA. Not only is this range beneficial for your body but also for keeping bacteria and mold at bay in your house.

Effects of low humidity on your home

• It's not just your body that does better with regulated humidity. Your home's walls and floors are also happier between 30–60%!
• Low humidity can affect our bodies and our home, it can lead to dry skin and hair, increased susceptibility to colds and respiratory illness, and can allow viruses and germs to thrive.
• Wood floors, furniture, and millwork begin to split and crack, paint can chip, and electronics can be damaged due to static electricity generated by an absence of humidity.

What can you do to mitigate humidity issues in your home

1. Add some houseplants to your home. ...
2. Boil water and cook using the stovetop. ...
3. Set out a pan or vase of water. ...
4. Hang dry your laundry. ...
5. Use your shower steam. ...
6. Don't drain the bathwater right away. ...
7. Upgrade doors, windows and weatherstripping. ...
8. Install a humidifier.

What your HVAC system can do 

Your HVAC system can introduce fresh air to your home which can help regulate your home's humidity

• One of the first steps to ensure good indoor air quality (IAQ) is to reduce indoor sources of pollution, ventilation is also an essential strategy. Proper ventilation reduces pollutant and moisture levels that may directly or indirectly result in poor occupant comfort and/or adverse health effects.

What HAVEN can do for you?

We've developed a range of products and software to ensure we can both monitor & solve IAQ events, including high humidity.

• The HAVEN Central Air Monitor is a solid-state IoT device that continuously monitors your air, capturing tVOC and PM data and notifying you directly of any IAQ issues you need to be made aware of.
• The HAVEN Central Air Controller works in tandem with the Central Air Monitor to react to IAQ events and control your HVAC equipment in order to solve IAQ problems.
  • eg. when the Monitor senses a chemical spike, the Controller can activate your ERV/HRV to introduce clean fresh air.
  • You'll receive notification of this action via the HAVEN IAQ App, just like the image below.
    
    
    
    
  • Once the Monitor is satisfied that your air has re-entered EPA-approved thresholds, the Controller will shut down the ventilator.
    
    
    
    
    
• If you don't already have HAVEN products installed, speak to your HVAC contractor today about adopting HAVEN products to control your air.
  • They can reach out to us at prosupport@haveniaq.com for more information.