Every homeowner deals with indoor humidity challenges. Too much humidity can make things uncomfortably sticky, but too little can cause issues, too. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the sweet spot for indoor humidity is between 30-50%. With the shifting climate in the U.S., keeping our home's humidity levels in check is more crucial than ever. While many of us focus on staying hydrated as part of a healthy routine, there's a significant link between the humidity levels in our homes and our body's hydration that we shouldn't overlook.

Understanding the Relationship Between Indoor Humidity and Body Hydration

AchooAllergy.com discusses the effects of irregular humidity levels on human health while explaining its deep connection with body hydration. We're naturally sensitive to changes in humidity levels. When there's too much humidity, our bodies struggle to cool down because mechanisms like sweating become less effective. This can lead to overheating, which might start with heat cramps and exhaustion but can swiftly escalate into a serious medical emergency. On the flip side, when indoor humidity is too low, our bodies can dehydrate quickly. This can lead to dry nose issues, and make us more prone to respiratory infections and even making us irritable more easily. 

Overcoming Obstacles to Maintaining Optimal Hydration Levels at Home

The Centre for Energy and Environment discusses the management of humidity levels and the challenges associated with it. While indoor humidity sets the climate of your home, the weather outside is an important driver of the humidity level, causing condensation build up within your home. The prime reason for condensation clogging your home environment is inefficient windows and under-insulated walls, which not only cause poor insulation — but also highly wet air circulating within your home environment. Another challenge associated with maintaining humidity levels is regarding humid basements during the summers, which causes mold growth. Mold growth poses health risks, its exposure can exacerbate respiratory issues and allergies, potentially causing discomfort and health problems. Therefore, figuring out the strategies that can be implemented for regulating humidity levels is something every homeowner should be aware of. 

Strategies to Maintain Optimal Home Humidity for Hydration

Now that you know the challenges associated with maintaining optimal humidity at home to keep your hydration level within the desired range, understanding the strategies that this step requires will not only help with better execution — but also increase the comfort of your home. DirectEnergy.com discusses the various techniques of maintaining humidity levels indoors, regardless of whether you're experiencing discomfort due to low or high humidity levels in your home. When the air is too dry because of low humidity levels, it's not just about dealing with dry air. This condition also raises the risk of nosebleeds and can exacerbate serious issues like asthma. In the past, people often hung wet clothes inside to help add moisture to overly dry environments, boosting the humidity. On the other hand, when there's too much humidity, your home is dealing with more moisture than it needs. Addressing high humidity levels often involves making sure your HVAC drain isn't clogged. A blocked HVAC system can not only be a major reason for increased humidity but also risk significant damage to your home's structure.

But managing indoor moisture isn't just about keeping your HVAC system in check. Using humidifiers and dehumidifiers can be a straightforward way to help balance the humidity levels in your house, avoiding a great number of problems.