What should be the humidity in the apartment

Let’s clarify that there are indicators of absolute and relative humidity:

• Absolute humidity is determined by measuring the amount of water in a cubic meter of air. For example, 13 g / m2³;
• Relative humidity is defined as a percentage. To do this, you should know the maximum volume of water that a cubic meter of air of a certain temperature can hold, as well as the real moisture content. For example, in a room +24 ° C. Under such conditions, a cubic meter of air can contain a maximum of 21.8 g of water. If the moisture is 13 g, then the relative humidity is 60%.

The air humidity in different climatic zones, at different times of the year, under different weather conditions will be very different. And if we cannot do anything about the climate and weather conditions, then in the apartment and house it is necessary to create the most comfortable atmosphere.

To always know exactly what humidity is in the apartment now, you need to buy a special device: a hygrometer or moisture meter. In this case, we are interested in measuring the humidity of the air in the room, often such devices come complete with barometers and ordinary room thermometers.

The parameters of humidity in living quarters are regulated by two documents: GOST 30494–96 “Indoor microclimate parameters” and SNIP 2.04.05–91 “Heating, ventilation and air conditioning”.

According to these documents, the optimal humidity in residential premises should be between 40% and 60%. At the same time, the GOST indicates the normal values ​​of 30–45% humidity for the winter period and 30–60% for the summer. In SNiP, the optimum humidity parameters are the same for all seasons: from 40% to 60%. At the same time, the standard indicates a maximum humidity of 65%, and for particularly humid regions – 75%.

Physiologists agree with SNiP and believe that both in winter and in summer the air humidity in apartments and houses should be 40-60%. That is, the most optimal, the average is 50%. We will strive for it.

Why is air with a humidity less than 40% so dangerous, that is, dry? There are three good reasons to be wary of this atmosphere:

• The mucous membranes of the respiratory tract dry out quickly. The nose is clogged. This is especially unpleasant and dangerous for young children who do not yet know how to deal with a clogged nose on their own. You have to artificially moisturize the mucous membrane with special means, rinse it, spend money on medicines;
• All debris particles, dust containing allergens and microorganisms move perfectly in dry air. The risk of an allergic reaction among the inhabitants of the apartment increases dramatically;
• Viruses in a humid environment feel uncomfortable and cannot remain active for a long time, unlike a dry atmosphere. Therefore, optimal humidity is a good helper in the fight against various viral diseases, the risk of infection is reduced.

In addition, dry air negatively affects human skin, wooden furniture may deform, which will dry unevenly..

However, too humid air is also bad. This is an unpleasant smell right at the entrance to the apartment, damp things in the closet, black mold in the corners, constantly crying windows … Therefore, excess moisture leads to the fact that the apartment turns into an uncomfortable home with problems.

Important! A universal way to deal with both humidity and dry air in an apartment is to ventilate! Yes, the level of humidity outside may not be ideal either, but fresh air is in any case better than stale, dry or damp air in an apartment. So open windows regularly, think over the supply and exhaust ventilation system, you can use a recuperator.

Fresh flowers, which have to be watered regularly, a small fountain on a coffee table, just wet towels or washed linen hung on batteries in winter, help to increase the humidity in the room. Or special humidifiers, which we wrote about in detail.

If the apartment is damp, on the contrary, the number of indoor plants will have to be minimized, the laundry should be dried on the balcony or get a tumble dryer, heat sources, for example, conventional fan heaters, should be added.