The heating season is starting, too humid air can also threaten our health

The cold weather is slowly but surely coming, and at this time we spend most of our days at home, so it is worth paying special attention to the humidity of the air in the home, for two reasons. On the one hand, during this period, the lower humidity of the colder air outside can cause the indoor, heated air to become too dry, while many home activities result in increased moisture emissions, which can cause the humidity to become too high. Neither extreme is good: according to experts, it is advisable to keep the relative humidity of indoor air in the 40-60 percent range, the value of which can now be easily controlled with relatively inexpensive devices.

This is how humidity affects us

Excessively low indoor humidity can result in the mucous membrane of the nose and respiratory tract drying out. A dry nose and scratchy throat are not just unpleasant symptoms, as the defense capacity of the irritated mucous membrane decreases, making it easier for us to become infected with respiratory diseases.

However, there are also numerous disadvantages to excessively high relative humidity, above 60-70 percent – LG Hungary experts draw attention to this. On the one hand, it poses a health risk, as mold and house dust mites also like humid environments, which poses a significant risk not only to asthmatics, mold and dust mite allergies, but also to healthy people. In addition, condensation can seriously damage our wooden furniture; wooden or non-waterproof laminate flooring; our books; our paintings; wooden window frames; and in extreme cases, even the structure of the building.

These are things to pay attention to

The most significant home moisture emissions are caused by bathing, showering, cooking and drying clothes indoors, but large amounts of houseplants or fresh plaster, cladding and painting can also significantly increase humidity. In order to deal with this problem, on the one hand, regular ventilation is necessary – especially after bathing, showering, cooking – preferably with a quick cross-draft, during periods when the outdoor air is not too polluted. On the other hand, dehumidifiers can be of good service, as can the purchase of a clothes dryer, which can also be extremely useful.

There are several arguments in favor of the latter. The most important one is that in many cases, eliminating indoor clothes drying alone can be sufficient to reduce humidity. This is due to the fact that using the device, a load of clothes or other textiles can be dried faster without burdening the air in our home with the amount of moisture associated with boiling a medium-sized pot of water, LG experts emphasize. The dryer collects the moisture evaporated from the textiles and either stores it in a container or directs it to the drain, so it does not get into the air.

Energy saving is also an important aspect. With frequent ventilation, we also release the expensively produced warm air outdoors from time to time, while the power consumption of a modern, heat pump dryer is incomparable to that of old models. Dryers equipped with an inverter compressor provide consistent performance, which also reduces energy consumption. If possible, choose a machine with at least C energy rating.

The device can also be a good choice for those who typically dry their clothes outdoors, but switch to an indoor drying rack in winter – for example, due to too slow drying or unpleasant-smelling combustion products from the heating of nearby houses. If you choose a dryer with a water collection tank, you can set it up anywhere, and all you need is a power outlet.

Another convenience is that you don’t have to constantly take out and put away the drying rack, and you don’t have to spend days avoiding drying clothes. The washing machine and dryer can be built on top of each other – using a separate frame – so the extra appliance doesn’t take up any useful space in your home. The frame that can be purchased for LG washing machines and dryers also includes a pull-out shelf where you can conveniently place the clothes basket.