Humidity: Understanding its Role in Air Quality

You know that humidity makes the air feel heavy and damp. It feels too thick to breathe, and your normally straight hair goes curly. But what else is happening when the humidity is on the rise? Specifically, how does the humidity affect the air quality? Let’s talk more about their relationship to one another.

What is Humidity?

Humidity refers to how much water vapor is in the air. If you live in high humidity and always feel “sweaty,” that’s why—the air literally contains moisture.

Think of what happens when you take a hot shower: Your mirror gets all foggy. When you swipe your hand across it to try to clear it off, it comes away damp. That’s because of the humidity in the air!

There are three general types of humidity: absolute humidity, relative humidity, and specific humidity.

Wait—Does Humidity Pollute the Air? 

When we say that there’s a connection between humidity and air quality, you might assume that this means that humidity is a type of air pollution, but that’s not the case. The relationship is less direct.

Rather, humidity makes it easier for air pollution to increase. Humidity hangs around close to the ground, and because the air is “thicker” (with moisture), it essentially traps pollutants, stopping them from dispersing. Instead, they just sit there, so the concentration of contaminants goes up. 

Think about the ripple effect here.

If you live in an area that already experiences poor air quality—like a bustling city, next to construction, or down the road from livestock—humidity is going to worsen the air quality even more. Airborne pollutants like mold and dust can increasingly trigger respiratory issues like allergies and asthma. Similarly, humidity can present a very cozy home for pathogens like viruses and bacteria, that can make you sick.

Humidity in Your Home

What does humidity mean for the air quality inside your home?

Not only does humidity trap pollutants, but it also reduces air circulation. So, you’re already living in a higher concentration of contaminants and the issue isn’t likely to resolve itself since the airflow is compromised.

Furthermore, there’s an increased risk of mold, which can then release mold spores into the air. Maybe you’ve seen little spots of black fuzz in your bathroom or laundry room—areas of the home prone to excessive moisture. That’s mold! If you’re exposed to too much of it, you can experience symptoms of mold sickness, including respiratory complications, eye irritation, and headaches.

While it’s safe for some people (like individuals who don’t have respiratory or immune problems) to clean up small patches of mold, if too much grows in you’re home, you’re looking at a much bigger problem. It’s extremely unsafe to live in those conditions.

As you can see, humidity is about so much more than the dampness of the air. Humidity itself is not air pollution, but it can drastically worsen both indoor and outdoor air quality.

How to Manage Humidity Inside Your Home

It depends on who you ask, but the ideal indoor humidity is somewhere between 30% and 60%. Within this range, you can base it on your own personal comfort level. If you live in a very dry climate, you might need a humidifier (which adds moisture to the air). If you live in a humid climate, a dehumidifier might be in order.

You should also ensure that those often damp rooms, like bathrooms and laundry rooms, get plenty of ventilation. After bathing, crack a door or window to let fresh air in, or turn on the exhaust fan to get some of the moisture out. 

There’s also the matter of taking care of any lingering indoor contaminants that have set up shop in your home thanks to excessive humidity—how do you get rid of those?

Air Purification to Offset Humidity-related Pollution

We spend nearly all of our time indoors, which means that we’re almost constantly in close quarters with potentially dangerous air contaminants.

Air purification technology is a simple and hands-off way to improve your indoor air quality. But there are a few specific things you should look for in an effective air purifier:

• A medical-grade HEPA 13 filter: This is the Cadillac of air purification. Without it, an air purifier can’t be nearly as powerful. This is also proven to trap particles even smaller than mold. 

• An activated carbon filter: This is needed to remove any gases, chemicals, odors and VOCs. 

• Replaceable filters: Washable filters are nearly impossible to clean and require you to manually handle them, exposing yourself to all those nasty particles. They are also less effective. 

• Real-time monitoring: You should always know, at a glance, what your air quality is like.

• Automatic reminders: Your air purifier should alert you when it’s time to change the filters so that your machine can continue to run optimally.

The Sans air purifier (which covers up to 1,560 square feet of space) has all of these things and more. Eliminate dust and mold, capture pet hair and dander, and experience immediate relief from your allergy symptoms. The HEPA 13 filtration captures 99.95% of particles as small as 0.1 microns in diameter, and Sans contains a full pound of carbon to absorb chemicals, odors, and gases. We use UV-C light to tackle pathogens and to ensure that they don’t grow on the filters. 

Our devices are what we like to call “meditation quiet,” so even if you’re sleeping or working, you will never be disturbed. You’ll receive an alert when it’s time to change the filters; the Sans 3-in-1 medical grade filter gives you three months of continuous protection.

For smaller areas (like a dorm room or apartment), consider the Sans Mini, which has all the same features and covers up to 490 square feet.

There are many variables that factor into the pollution we’re exposed to, but when it comes to the air quality inside your home, you have control. Keep the humidity at a healthy level, maintain proper ventilation, and use an air purifier with HEPA 13 and activated carbon filtration to ensure that threatening particulates and contaminants don’t negatively affect your health.

Learn more about the Sans air purifier today.