Professional Humidifier Services in Norman
The ideal relative humidity in a home should be 40-60%. If you go above this level, you risk mold and bacterial growth, wood warping, pest infestations, heat-related illness, and cardiovascular issues.
High humidity contributes to heat-related illnesses by hampering the body’s cooling mechanism. Naturally, your body produces sweat to control its internal temperature and eliminate some waste. The cooling effect you feel after sweating is just the evaporation process drawing heat away from the body. However, when the humidity levels are high, the air is already saturated with moisture, making evaporation less efficient.
As a result, heat remains in the body, interfering with the internal homeostasis. Short-term symptoms include dizziness, fatigue, rapid heartbeat, excessive sweating, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke. Prolonged exposure to high humidity can strain the cardiovascular system, which can lead to elevated blood pressure and even organ failures.
To control high humidity, you’ll need to install a dehumidifier. This device draws in the warm, moist air and cools it to condense the moisture into liquid water, which then collects in a reservoir or drains away. The dehumidifier then reheats the now drier air and releases it back into the room.
Dehumidifiers feature a built-in component known as a humidistat. A humidistat consists of two parts: a sensing element and a relay amplifier. The sensing element detects the amount of moisture in the air and sends a signal to the relay amplifier. The relay amplifier will then activate or deactivate the dehumidifier based on the reading, ensuring humidity remains within your desired range.
Signs of low humidity levels include:
- Respiratory problems
- Dry skin and irritated eyes
- Electrostatic discharge
- Cracking wood and furniture
When your home’s moisture level is that low, you’ll need a humidifier. Humidifiers add moisture into the air by drawing water from a reservoir and then dispersing it into your rooms through various methods, such as ultrasonic vibrations, steam, or evaporative wicking. They also have a humidistat that monitors the level of moisture in the air and adjusts the device’s operation accordingly.