The Health Dangers of High Humidity

Ivan Hudson
Aug 9, 2017 · 2 min read

High humidity in the home can be uncomfortable — but that’s not the only issue it can cause. There are a number of ways humidity can affect your health, which is why maintaining low humidity is important. Here are some of the most common health issues.

  1. Temperatures Feel Hotter

The higher the humidity in your home, the higher the temperature feels. At 65% humidity, a 95 degree temperature can feel a full 22 degrees warmer than it actually is!

There’s a complex reason for this, but the easiest answer is that high humidity affects the body’s main cooling mechanism: sweating. To become cooler, sweat must evaporate from the skin, but it can’t do this as effectively if the air already contains lots of moisture.

2. Mould and Mildew Thrives

If there is high humidity in your house, it becomes the perfect breeding ground for mould and mildew. These can be potentially dangerous when they enter your body — and they grow rapidly in humid environments.

In fact, I think this is the biggest danger associated with a house that has high humidity. If you don’t control the amount of mould in your home, it can greatly affect your health. People with asthma are also more likely to suffer from attacks.

3. More Dust Mites

One of the most common allergies in the home is to dust. Or, more specifically, do dust mites. These are tiny creatures that live in our home, but they can only drink water by absorbing it. This means they thrive in high humidity — but quickly die when the humidity drops.

If you suffer from a dust allergy, one of the best ways to get relief is to use a dehumidifier. These reduce the relative humidity in the home, which can kill dust mites if it gets low enough. You also need to take additional steps, such as getting rid of carpets and airing out your home, but reducing humidity is a good start.

Summary

Feeling uncomfortably hot isn’t the only problem with a humid house — it can also affect your health. High humidity is the perfect environment for mould, mildew and dust mites, which can cause a host of problems and potentially harm your health.

Fortunately, reducing humidity is a relatively simple task. Opening windows when you’re cooking or drying clothes is a good place to start. But if you want to reduce humidity quickly and maintain it at a low level, a dehumidifier is the best option

External Sources:

Ivan Hudson

Written by

Ivan is a hardcore tech enthusiast with a focus on home technology. He enjoys writing in his spare time and runs several websites related to home automation.

Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade