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What do you need to know about humidity in your home?

When we monitor the temperature of the baby's room, we rarely think of checking the humidity. However, the two are closely related, the humidity of the air affects our sense of heat. If we pay attention to ensuring that our child's skin and mucous membranes do not dry out during the day and while sleeping, we will do a lot for their health and can also prevent common respiratory diseases.

The air always contains water in the form of vapor, and its amount is constantly changing. If we want to have optimal humidity in our home, it is worth learning some important things about its effects on the human body, the physical signs of its deficiency, and methods of humidification.

Relative humidity – what we perceive

Our body's perception of humidity is in line with the relative humidity of the air, so we can perceive it subjectively. If it is too low, dry air can cause unpleasant physical symptoms depending on how sensitive our bodies are to it. If it is too high, we can create an unhealthy environment around us.

The concept of relative humidity is easy to understand: it is a value expressed as a percentage that shows how much water vapor the air contains at a given temperature compared to the maximum possible amount. For example, at a relative humidity of 100%, the air is completely saturated with water vapor, it cannot absorb any more, and we can observe fog, mist, and dew.

It's good to know that warmer air can hold more moisture than colder air, because the latter condenses more easily.

Humidity in the room is too low

Air with a relative humidity below 40% feels dry, which has a number of negative effects on the condition of the baby's skin and mucous membranes:

the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract dries out and may become vulnerable
We may experience dry mouth and scratchy throat.
Your little one may develop a dry cough.
you may sleep restlessly
your eyes may become dry
your skin may dry out, eczema, atopic dermatitis may occur
protection against pathogens may be compromised, making it easier for harmful bacteria to attach
may cause discomfort
sleep problems may occur
In case of a cold, dry air makes the situation worse, humidifying it can also help with the symptoms of croup

Too high humidity in the room

Mold can appear in several cold spots in the apartment, as it has formed on the wall next to the window and door shown in the picture.

Humidity levels above 70% can cause condensation and mold. Be careful about this, especially if you regularly move around in your home. In the case of adobe houses, the air can be particularly musty if the humidity is constantly high. In such cases, you need to find a solution for drying clothes. If possible, a dryer or extractor hood can significantly reduce the humidity in the air.

Where does mold appear?

In the cold spots of the building , the air cools, reaches the dew point, condenses, and if the humidity is constant, mold spores come to life within a few days.

Above 70%, a person's sense of temperature also changes, because the cooling process and sweating are less effective. At 24 degrees and 75% humidity, dust mites feel great for reproduction.

What is the ideal humidity level in an apartment?

40-70% is considered adequate , the two extreme values can be almost uncomfortable. If we want to create the best solution in the baby's room, then we should choose 50-60%, which is best for children, for a room temperature of 20-22 degrees! Below 45%, dust mites disappear from the environment. This can be useful information for children and family members suffering from dust allergies.

Source: Dr. Andrea Mammel

What instrument can we use to measure air humidity?

A hygrometer is a small device with a display that indicates the temperature and humidity of the air in the room. If we want to get a real value regarding the condition of the baby's room, it is important to place the device near the baby's crib, since the humidity of the air can be completely different in every room of the apartment. Think about how much these values can change during the day, for example when we cook or shower, and the moisture can reach the rest of the apartment through the open door.

Help during the autumn-winter cold and allergy seasons

Younger children can often get sick from the time they start kindergarten and school in September until the beginning of summer. Sensitive mucous membranes due to dry air cannot protect them well against pathogens and allergens. Due to allergens, young children can often suffer from prolonged nasal congestion and cough .

If the air temperature and humidity are higher, mold and house dust mites can multiply in the apartment, which can cause not only respiratory but also skin-type allergic reactions. It is worth examining the apartment from the point of view of how much natural air exchange takes place, how much condensation forms on the windows, and whether there is mold. Today's modern doors and windows do not allow for slow air exchange in the apartment, so in such cases, regular careful ventilation is good.

Source: Allergy Center, Dr. Éva Somogyi

How can we humidify the apartment?

Mother hangs clothes in the room after washing

There are several ways to increase the humidity of the air. The simplest is to let water in an evaporative tray into the air, which can be accelerated by placing it on a radiator. However, this does not produce sufficient results, because in order for the air to really change, we would have to place a series of pots in several places in the apartment to ensure the right water surface. Decorative pots that can be hung on a radiator can often only function as decoration.

Humidifiers that operate using the atomization method are very aesthetic, but in many cases they release too large water droplets into the air, which it cannot absorb and fall. So it is not utilized sufficiently. Ultrasonic atomizers are quieter and atomize the water into microscopic droplets. Unfortunately, these devices also atomize the scale in the water, which causes dust deposits in the room, which is not healthy.

If you want to avoid dust, spread out towels and textiles moistened with clean water next to the baby's bed. Spreading out clothes can be a good solution if they do not contain unnecessary chemicals or fabric softener, which evaporate into the air in the room and eventually reach the baby's lungs.

With all methods, it's a good idea to check from time to time whether you've achieved the desired effect. Often, we may believe we've done what we wanted, but the air hasn't changed much: there was little surface area for evaporation.

Source: Dr. Andrea Mammel

Have you ever heard of salt evaporation?

Himalayan salt powder is suitable for salt evaporation

Evaporative salt can improve the air quality in your home. Salty air has an anti-inflammatory effect and helps the respiratory tract to self-clean. It is good for bronchitis, sore throat, sinusitis, and otitis media.

The sodium ions in salty air also reach places in the lungs where tiny dust particles and other pathogens and allergens can stick. The salty air can bind these and help get rid of them with the mucus you cough up. This can be a good solution for older children.

Since salty air can worsen the condition in certain cases, for example, it can provoke an attack in a child with asthma, it is always necessary to seek the opinion of a pediatrician or specialist.

Have you ever been to a salt room with your child?

The effect is the same, only here there is a high concentration of salt in the air. Time passes here in a pleasant environment with a humidity of 70-80% and a temperature of 20-22 degrees. The air in salt rooms and salt caves is excellent for treating respiratory diseases, cleaning the airways and strengthening the immune system.

We recommend that you always have a device at home to measure air humidity, and use it to maintain the optimal level for the health of children.