The use of a humidifier is essential for those who live in dry and cool areas because they face the problem of low humidity and dryness. With a humidifier, they get an actual amount of humidity which keeps them hydrated and reduces dryness from the atmosphere. But the main question is how you can adjust the setting of the humidifier in winter and summer according to the outdoor atmospheric conditions. When you adjust the humidity above or below from ideal moisture level, there is a risk of over-humidification or too much low humidity. Here, we will tell you everything in detail about a Humidifier Summer Winter Setting.
Essential moisture is also good for the healthy growth of your houseplants because some need more moisture to grow properly. According to the EPA, the ideal moisture level inside your home must be between 30% and 50%. However, avoiding too much or too low moisture would be best because both have bad effects on your health, so you need to establish an ideal humidity level in your home. Moreover, if you don’t clean your humidifier or change the water daily, you will see pink mold inside your humidifier. So, pay proper attention to its cleaning and dry it when not in use.
What is Humidity?
Humidity is the amount of water vapor present in the air. The humidity is usually high when there are lots of water vapors in the air. If the humidity is low, you feel difficulty breathing, while the high moisture leads to the growth of bacteria and viruses inside your home. However, we need an ideal moisture level between 30% and 50%. To know the exact moisture level inside your home, you can use a humidistat or hygrometer. Then if the humidity is not according to your requirement, you can adjust the settings to fulfill your needs.
When you feel dryness, the humidity around you is lower than the ideal level, indicating that you need a humidifier. Dry air causes sore throat, and chapped lips, and triggers asthmatics, and sinusitis congestion. But if you see mold or bacteria growth and condensation inside your home, the humidity is high from the ideal humidity, so you need to turn off the unit or reduce its setting level. Otherwise, you have to face the issue of over-humidification.
Why is it Necessary To Change Humidifier Settings In Winter And Summer?
It is necessary to change the humidifier setting in each weather because the humidity levels are different in every season. In summer, you can use the humidifier when the indoor moisture level is below 30%, but humidity in summer is mostly high. However, you must need a humidifier in winter because the air gets very dry due to the excessive use of heating. Dry air makes your skin and nasal membranes dry which causes lots of discomfort. Because of low humidity, asthma sufferers also face difficulty in breathing as low humidity triggers an excessive cough.
You can use both portable and furnace humidifiers to get moisture in your home. Additionally, you can connect a furnace humidifier to your home’s HVAC system. However, when you use a furnace humidifier, you don’t need to change the setting of the humidifier for summer and winter because it has a built-in humidistat that sets the setting automatically according to the desired level. But if you use a portable humidifier, you have to change the settings according to the weather conditions. So, if you don’t change and adjust the setting of your humidifier, you will not get desired moisture level.
Humidifier Setting For Winter:
We know that the air is mostly dry in winter due to cool air that holds less moisture. To enjoy an essential moisture level inside your home, you can set the humidifier setting up to 35% to 45% and maintain an ideal moisture level, which keeps your body hydrated. However, the need for moisture is different for different people. Some people may want more moisture, so they can set the unit for up to 55% to 60% but not exceed this level. The reason is that above this level, there is a chance of viruses and bacteria growth because of high moisture.
However, if you feel condensation around you in the atmosphere, you can turn off the unit or decrease its level according to your requirement and comfort. In winter, low humidity causes lots of inconvenience in breathing at night when you suffer from a cough or cold because it makes your nasal mucus dry. Using a humidifier, you will get not only relief from dryness but also from allergies such as itchy eyes, chapped lips, coughing, and nosebleeds. So, if you want to get rid of dry air, you should install a humidifier in your home.
Humidifier Setting For Summer:
In summer, usually, there is no need for a humidifier because the humidity ranges from about 40% to 60% in many areas of the United States. That’s why most people use dehumidifiers instead of a humidifier to decrease indoor humidity because too much moisture causes mold and bacteria to grow inside your home. The use of a dehumidifier reduces excess moisture from the air and maintains an ideal moisture level. However, if you feel dryness in the atmosphere, you can set the humidistat on summer setting for up to 30% to 50% for a sufficient humidity gain.
Because of low humidity, you have to face different problems like discomfort while sleeping, damage to your wooden furniture and floors, and many more. So, you must install a humidifier in your home to remove low humidity or dryness from the air. Using a hydrometer or unit with a humidistat helps you establish the moisture levels in the home. Due to the high outside temperature, condensation is difficult in summer. But you should also evaluate the conditions of your home and your body and avoid too much humidity because it encourages viruses growth which creates health hazards for us.
How Can You Install A Furnace Humidifier In Winter And Summer?
A furnace humidifier called a whole-house humidifier is essential if you want moisture in your entire house because it releases moisture throughout the house. You can also connect it to the HVAC system of your home. Because of the furnace humidifier, you don’t need to place a separate unit in every room. You can use humidistat to maintain the ideal moisture level inside your home because too much moisture enhances the risk of over-humidification, which is not good for you and your house.
In winter, you will need more moisture as compared to summer because the air gets very dry in winter due to cool air, which makes your skin dry. Dryness is also the cause of respiratory and sinusitis issues, as it makes the nasal passages dry. For your convenience, you can label W and S on your humidifier to set the winter and summer settings. Don’t forget to clean your humidifier after every use or weekly to make it more efficient and increase its life span. The whole-house humidifier is more costly than other units but beneficial for getting humidity across the home.
My Review
According to my experience, there is usually no need for a humidifier in summer as the moisture level is already enough or high, and you need an AC or dehumidifier to maintain the desired humidity. But if you need to use a humidifier, you can adjust the unit between 40% to 50%. However, the moisture level is very low in winter, and you have to use a humidifier to eliminate dryness and low humidity. But for best results, you need to set the unit between 35% to 45%, sufficient enough to keep your body hydrated and reduce dryness from the atmosphere. So, it would be best to use a humidifier in winter to get a moisturized atmosphere.
FAQs About The Humidifier Summer Winter Setting:
Which is best for your home, a portable humidifier or a furnace humidifier?
Both humidifiers have the same purpose of providing sufficient moisture in your home, but the furnace humidifier gives you more advantages than the portable one. A furnace humidifier gives you moisture throughout the house and has an auto humidistat option which automatically adjusts the humidity level according to the atmospheric conditions. But a furnace humidifier is usually more expensive than a portable humidifier. However, you can easily move the portable unit from one place to other, but it gives moisture to a certain place. So, you can use any you want which fulfill your need.
Do humidifiers need regular maintenance to give the best performance?
Regular maintenance is necessary for your humidifier’s best performance and working efficiency. Proper and regular cleaning increases your unit’s life span, and your unit runs longer than usual. If you don’t pay attention to the cleaning and maintenance of your humidifier, it affects its efficiency, and the unit runs out quickly. You can clean the unit daily with soapy water and use a mixture of bleach or vinegar for weekly cleaning.
Is there any need to change your humidifier settings for summer and winter?
Yes, changing the humidifier’s settings in summer and winter is necessary because the weathers have different temperatures and moisture levels. Most people turn off the humidifier in the high-temperature season because the moisture is enough. But in winter, users have to adjust the unit between 35% and 45% to get actual moisture. That’s why it is necessary to change the setting for every season; otherwise, you will not get desired results.
Does low humidity have adverse impacts on your health?
Low humidity causes many problems, including skin dryness, itchy eyes, coughing, sneezing, dryness of the throat and nasal passages, and nosebleeds. It also cracks the wooden floors, walls, furniture, and other surfaces. Because of low moisture levels, people have difficulty breathing and have to deal with respiratory issues. That’s why you have to install a humidifier to get relief from the problem of low humidity.
Final Thought:
In this post, you will learn everything about how to adjust the setting of your humidifier in winter and summer to get desired moisture level without any difficulty. Because if you don’t know which setting is best, you will not get the desired results. Mostly you don’t need to use a humidifier in summer as the moisture is high enough. This is because warm air holds more water vapor than cold air, so it becomes humid.
But if you feel dryness, you can use a humidifier and set it according to your comfort. Although, the ideal moisture setting for summer is between 30% to 50%. However, you will need a humidifier in winter because the air gets very dry because of cool air, and you have to set your unit setting up to 35% to 45% for ideal humidity. So, always try to maintain the humidity according to the ideal moisture level between 30% and 50% to get a hydrated environment.
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Christine Jones has worked on a wide range of projects, but her main focus is writing about the products that play an essential role in our daily lives. She did researches and investigates interesting topics and shares her experiences with others by providing more information. She firmly believed that you could virtually do anything yourself with the proper knowledge and product. Christine Jones is also an award-winning scenic designer. Moreover, She teaches in the Arts School “At NYU’s Tisch” and is addressed at Princeton. Her future projects include Starring Peter Dinklage, Cyrano, NY, etc.
