Dry air in the apartment. Increased air dryness. What is dangerous and how to fight. Simple devices for increasing humidity

18.05.2020

Hello my dear and beloved readers! Today I want to talk about the microclimate at home in winter period. Why is it necessary to maintain normal humidity in the premises, and how to do this?

Yesterday I hardly looked at the blog and did not read the comments. The thing is that the eldest daughter had a temperature of 39.8 all day and all night! I almost lost my mind, the medicines did not help much, I even had to call an ambulance. In general, it was fun. There was not enough time for anything, and the desire had gone somewhere, all thoughts were connected with her daughter. But she did not want to be treated in any way, she had to come up with various tricks to get her drunk. But, thank God, everything has now returned to normal, today the temperature does not rise above 36.8, as if nothing had happened. These are the viruses that go around today. It seems that every year they become stronger and stronger. I will finish with a small digression, and get down to business.

The microclimate in the house - as a guarantee of good health

The climate in the house is very important. Why do we think so little about it? And our health depends on it to a large extent. In order for our body to always retain a sufficient amount of water, it is necessary that its environment be comfortable, that is, clean, sufficiently moist and cool. If everything is the other way around, we suffer from it, or rather our body.

Most of us live in houses where heating is turned on in winter. Accordingly, the air in our homes heats up and becomes dry. Where I live, the winter is very long and cold. Boilers operate from September to May. So for me, this question is definitely acute. I want to breathe clean air, which is simply impossible under such conditions. It happens that the humidity in the apartment drops to 10 percent, although 60% is considered normal. In order to fully understand the harm of dry air in the house, I will give you a few negative consequences that can cause a lack of moisture in the room.

The importance of maintaining normal humidity in the apartment

First of all, dry air affects the health of children. Especially during the illness. I already wrote in the article how I treat SARS in my girls. One of the most important conditions is to maintain a comfortable and normal climate in the house, which is humid and fresh air. If it is not, the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract will constantly dry out, bacteria will multiply, and this is fraught with bacterial infections. Therefore, in the children's room, especially when children sleep, and especially during illness, the humidity should be 60-70 percent. And you, as a parent, are simply obliged to do everything to ensure such conditions, for the sake of the health of your baby.

It is customary in our country to treat ARVI with different folk remedies, drugs, and some even drink antibiotics. But no one thinks that the climate in the house is very important. It happens that the most common cold is treated in a simple way- air humidification and all! Imagine that you are a plant and you do not have enough water, what will happen to you in this case? That's right, you will dry out, or at least grow poorly and constantly get sick. The same thing happens with human body. Think about it.

Maintaining normal humidity in the house minimizes the growth of bacteria and viruses, prevents dry hair and skin, itchy eyes, and this is the prevention of many diseases. Dry air contributes to a decrease in immunity, nasal congestion, sleep disturbance, the manifestation of allergies, neuroses and whims in children. And believe me, breathing clean, moist air is much easier and more pleasant. Is not it?

And now I will tell you the ways and secrets of how to humidify the air at home. I use some of them myself and am quite happy with them.

How to humidify the air without a humidifier

The simplest and easy way to do is to buy a humidifier. There are a lot of models for sale now, it all depends on the size of your wallet. But if you do not have the opportunity to purchase this miracle device, then what to do? There are a few tricks to help you easily solve this problem absolutely free, but with some effort.

Surely someone in your family bathes every day. After water procedures, open the door in the bathroom, preferably all night. Moisture, which is in excess, will humidify the dry air throughout the apartment, and the water in the bath will gradually evaporate. This is a very simple method that works quickly and effectively.

Humidify the room helps a lot houseplants. Water slowly evaporates from the ground and from the surface of plants, giving it to the air. This method requires regular watering of flowers, especially if they grow near batteries. In addition, green friends, which is also important.

Arrange water bottles throughout your home. It can be beautiful vases, plates and cups on the windowsill, near radiators, home fountains, aquariums. The water will evaporate and saturate the air with moisture. Don't forget to put some kind of container near the bed to make it easier to breathe at night.

Sometimes I hang wet towels, clothes and linens after washing in the rooms. I try to do it in the evening so that I can clean everything in the morning.

The easiest way to humidify the air in a room is to pour water into a spray bottle and spray it constantly, almost every hour, around the house.

Make your own humidifier out of a plastic bottle. To do this, you will need the bottle itself, a knife and fabric (cotton or any other, only natural). First, make a hole in the top of the bottle, pour water through it and lower thin strips of fabric there, the ends of which must be wrapped around the battery. Secure the bottle itself with ropes. The picture clearly shows everything.

Here is another option to make a humidifier with your own hands. Watch the video.

These are the ways I use at home to keep the humidity in the house. All this requires some effort, but I am not lazy in this sense. But recently I began to think about buying an electric humidifier. I am not going to use it all the time, but during the illness of the children, one hundred percent will. And, of course, I will put it in the children's room. The most difficult thing for me is to decide on the type of humidifiers. different models for every taste a huge amount. And in this diversity it is very difficult to navigate. And so I studied this topic a little and made some generalizations. I also decided for myself what requirements a humidifier should meet for a child's room and for other rooms in general.

How to choose a humidifier for a child's room

For me, as for my mother, it was fundamental to comply with the following criteria for choosing this device:

Security. The steam humidifier produces hot steam. Its mechanism of action is similar to that of a kettle. Therefore, it will not be difficult for a baby to get burned in which case. Ultrasonic emits cold vapor, and there are no heating devices in it.
Low noise level.
Performance. For me, it is important that the water tank is large enough.
Automatic shutdown in case the tank runs out of water.
Existence of the regulator of level of humidity. Thanks to him, you can adjust the intensity of the released steam.

A humidifier with built-in hydrostats is currently on sale. But they show the level of humidity only near the device itself. And this, in fact, is not accurate information. Since the data at the other end of the room will be completely different. Therefore, I decided to buy a separate sensor that measures humidity and install it near the children's bed.

I also immediately threw it out of my head to buy a humidifier for the children's room in the form of all sorts of animals. Of course, it is beautiful, complements the interior of the room. But the child, in my opinion, and the experience of other parents, will consider him a kind of toy and try to play with him. It is better that the device does not attract the attention of the baby.

There are several types of humidifiers: ultrasonic, traditional and steam. All of them have their own characteristics, mechanism, work and price. After analyzing all of them, I came to the conclusion that the most the best option for the children's room is an ultrasonic humidifier. Although it is the most expensive one.
Be sure to watch the video on how to choose a humidifier. Expert advice will not be superfluous.

Which one you choose is up to you. I just shared my thoughts with you. By the way, I saw ceramic humidifiers in one online store that are hung directly on the battery. Water is poured into it and due to heat it gradually evaporates.

That's all for today. Share your ways on how to humidify the air in the apartment and normalize the humidity. I will be glad to your comments. All for now, for now.

Air humidity is one of the most important components of the microclimate of a dwelling, on which the health and comfort of people depends. How to humidify the air in the apartment to prevent serious illness and discomfort? Before choosing a method of struggle, understand why it is necessary, study all possible options- from household humidifiers to folk methods that do not require costs and connection to electricity.

Moisture is necessary for nature and man

Why humidify the air in your home and why it is important

It is necessary to monitor the humidity of the air, because the well-being and health of residents directly depends on this indicator.

Dry air provokes a sore throat, dryness of the nasal mucosa, which leads to discomfort during the day and disturbed sleep at night.
Warm, dry air with a high dust content is dangerous for allergy sufferers and young children. Cough attacks, bronchospasm, complications of colds are directly related to the microclimate. Doctors advise at the first signs of illness to ventilate rooms more often and lower the temperature to 18-20 degrees, it is in such conditions that it is easiest to maintain optimal humidity.
Wearing lenses often provokes dry eye syndrome, which develops in dry hot weather, as well as in winter in rooms with insufficient air humidity.
For women, a weighty argument to take care of air humidification can be the fact that in a dry room, the skin of the face also quickly dries out and loses its elasticity. If you have constantly dry and dull skin, brittle hair, think about it, maybe the air in the apartment is just very dry.

Humidification will prevent a lot of problems

In addition to the above negative consequences for human health, excessive dryness leads to drying out and creaking of floors, doors, and furniture. Many are familiar with the unpleasant effect of the accumulation of static electricity, when harmless objects are suddenly shocked. It turns out that this is due to insufficient moisture content in the air.

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What determines the humidity and what indicators are optimal

Most often, the question of how to humidify the air in an apartment arises in the cold season with the beginning of the heating season. However, if you live in a hot southern region, then the problem of dryness may bother you. all year round.

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What standards are required for a person

In order to provide a comfortable microclimate in a dwelling, it is necessary to understand what such a thing as air humidity is, and what indicators will be the most optimal. There are two main characteristics - relative and absolute humidity.

In everyday life, as a rule, the first definition is used - the relative humidity of the air. This indicator is indicated as a percentage, which indicates the content of water vapor in the air at a certain temperature in relation to the maximum amount of vapor that can be in the air at the same temperature.

Optimal Humidity air 40-70%

Simply put, with the same amount of water vapor, the warmer the room, the less humidity it will have. For example, if the apartment has +15 degrees and at the same time the humidity is 60%, then you should not think that this indicator will remain when the temperature rises to +25. In this case, the humidity will decrease and will be about 35%.

Scientists have long established that a person feels best at a relative humidity of 40-70%. It is in this range that the development of pathogenic bacteria and viruses is inhibited, the accumulation of allergens and dust is reduced.

Since humidity is inextricably linked with air temperature, the most comfortable microclimate indicators are as follows:

bedroom - temperature 16-19 degrees, humidity 50-70%;
living room - temperature 19-23 degrees, humidity 40-60%;
children - temperature 18-21 degrees, humidity 60-70%.

Electronic hygrometer

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How to determine the humidity of the air

A device called a hygrometer is used to measure the amount of moisture in the air. You can often find modern air conditioners and room thermometers with a built-in sensor. To obtain reliable data, it is better to place the hygrometer away from heating appliances and household humidifiers.

If you do not have a measuring device, use the old folk methods. Of course, you will not get exact numbers, but at least you will understand whether the apartment needs to be humidified.

For approximate determination of humidity:

Pour water into a bottle and put it in the refrigerator.
After a couple of hours, take out the bottle and leave it in the room for 5 minutes.
During this time, the walls will be covered with droplets of condensate.
If after five minutes the fine condensate is practically dry, the air is very dry.
At normal humidity, the drops will lazily slide down without drying out, and at excessive humidity, a puddle of condensate will form under the bottle.

Bottle cold water will serve as a hygrometer

A common spruce cone can serve as a good indicator of humidity. Moreover, it is spruce, and not pine - it has more delicate and sensitive scales. If the scales of the cones lying in the room are tightly pressed against each other or only slightly ajar, then the moisture content is normal. A fully open cone indicates that the air is too dry.

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Simple devices for increasing humidity

It is not always possible to buy a functional device for humidifying the air, so the question arises of how to humidify the air in an apartment without a humidifier. Use simple but effective devices.

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Portable humidifiers or sprayer

To humidify the air in a residential or office space, it is convenient to use portable humidifiers that are inserted into a water bottle. The devices periodically spray water in the form of microsprays. If desired, you can find a compact device powered by USB with installation in a glass or a small vase.

You can also take a spray bottle with a fine spray. This simple device is convenient to use in the heating season and in the summer heat. Just spray water around you or near the heater and forget about excessive dryness for a while.

Mini Humidifiers

To fill the room with a pleasant aroma, add to water essential oils. With the help of oils, you can not only neutralize dryness, but also create a certain microclimate. For example, the aroma of lavender relaxes, eucalyptus and tea tree kill germs, and orange reduces appetite.

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Battery humidifiers

This simple invention is a decorative ceramic flask with a hook for attaching to the battery. The principle of operation is as simple as possible - the water in the vessel slowly evaporates, filling the room with moisture destroyed by heating devices. Such devices serve for a long time and do not entail any costs. Thanks to the thoughtful shape, they look like jewelry.

If you do not want to spend money, use ceramic bottles or unnecessary narrow vases. Hang them so that they are not conspicuous and wait for the result. Aroma oil can also be added to the water.

Stylish things

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Indoor fountain - decor with functionality

If you do not want to mess with fresh flowers or take care of the aquarium, you can simply get indoor fountain or a waterfall. Now in stores there is a fairly large selection of these designs, so it will not be difficult to choose a model for every taste and budget. Bubbling water not only brings peace to the interior, but also moisturizes the room well.

Indoor fountains moisturize the air well

If desired, it is easy to make a small table fountain with your own hands, taking as a basis a pump and suitable decor: stones, a jug, tea cups. A mini-oasis is useful not only for people, but also for indoor plants.

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How to quickly normalize humidity in folk ways

There are many simple folk ways with which you can also achieve the desired result. It is important to understand that most methods bring only temporary results. Therefore, they should be applied regularly or other long-term solutions should be sought.

It is possible to improve the microclimate different ways

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Regular ventilation of the apartment

If you do not live in a hot southern region, then you can safely say that the air from the street contains much more moisture compared to the apartment. Regular ventilation contributes to the normalization of the microclimate in the home. It is especially useful to do this in the autumn-winter period, when heating devices are working.

Unfortunately, sometimes ventilation does not bring the desired results, for example, if the windows face a busy freeway, it is better to leave them closed. The same is recommended for residents of the lower floors in dry weather, so that instead of the desired moisture, clouds of dust do not get into the apartment.

The apartment must be regularly ventilated

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Electric stove or kettle in a new role

To quickly humidify indoor air in winter, you can use a small electric stove. Just put an open pot of water on it and let the water boil. Hot steam will quickly make the air humid and safe. For an extra boost, add herbs or aromatic oils to the water.

If there is no stove, you can use an ajar kettle, slow cooker, or other suitable appliance that allows you to boil water. As a rule, this method gives a very quick effect, so it should not be abused so as not to damage the furniture and wallpaper.

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Wet towel tricks

Wet towel on a hot radiator - traditional folk way quickly increase the humidity in the apartment. As it dries, the towel is moistened again and returned to the battery.

You can build a makeshift cold humidifier from a wet towel and a fan. The towel is thrown on the grate and the fan is turned on at low speed.

The same effect is easy to achieve by simply leaving damp laundry to dry in the apartment. Of course, this does not add aesthetics to the room, but it will help to quickly bring the humidity back to normal.

Linen on the battery can be an alternative to the humidifier

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Humidifier from a plastic bottle or jar

DIY enthusiasts can make an impromptu humidifier from a plastic bottle. To do this, take a bottle with a capacity of 0.5 or 1.0 liters, screw on the lid, after which a “window” is cut out along the entire length of the bottle. The bottle is hung from a heating pipe and water is poured into it. The humidifier is ready.

You can build a humidification system from glass jar and a piece of bandage or cotton rag. A jar of water is placed under the battery. A bandage or rag is wound around a pipe going to the battery, and the end is lowered into a jar. Water will be absorbed into the fabric and will gradually evaporate from contact with warm pipe.

Homemade bottle humidifier

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Water containers and colorful balloons

The easiest way to increase the humidity in the room is with the help of water containers placed in different places, and especially near heating appliances. No need to think that these should be basins or pans, use beautiful vases and other attractive dishes. Under the batteries, it is most convenient to install elongated rectangular flower pots.

Hydrogel in the form of colored balls, increasing tenfold in size in water, gradually evaporates moisture, giving it to the air in the room. Fill various vessels with pink-colored balls and arrange them around the apartment. Do not forget to periodically add water so that there is something to evaporate. For beauty, put live or artificial plants.

Hydrogel in the interior

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Home mini-garden for comfortable air

The microclimate of the apartment will improve significantly if you acquire indoor flowers. This will not only decorate the interior, but also humidify the air in the apartment without a humidifier. Plants need to choose moisture-loving, requiring regular spraying. Ferns, ficuses, palm trees, dracaena, hibiscus well moisturize indoor air.

Flowers improve the microclimate

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Aquarium as an effective humidifier

It has a good effect on the microclimate and passion for aquarism. In fact, an aquarium is an ordinary container of water, and water tends to evaporate. It should be noted that modern aquariums with blind covers are not very suitable for air humidification, so you should choose open models with pendant lighting lamps.

Palludariums are also very good as a humidifier - shallow aquariums designed for growing marsh plants. They, as a rule, are made open, so there is an intensive evaporation of moisture, which is required for moisturizing.

The aquarium plays the role of a moisture evaporator

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Iron or steamer - an unconventional approach

Some resourceful housewives use a steam iron or a clothes steamer as a home humidifier. Devices are simply plugged into the network and spray steam around the room when they feel unpleasant dryness. Connoisseurs say that in an hour of such processing it is really possible to increase the humidity from 30 to 80%.

A significant drawback of this approach is the power consumption. In the case of an iron, it is important not to forget about safety and the possibility of burns, especially if there are small children in the house. The method is more suitable for winter. In summer, it is easier to achieve a greater effect with wet cleaning.

The air in the bathroom is always humid.

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The bathroom is an affordable source of moisture

To normalize the humidity in a small apartment, it is enough to simply turn on the water in the bathroom and open the door leading there. Moisture will quickly spread throughout the room and relieve dryness. By the way, an open door is useful not only for the microclimate in the apartment, but also for the bathroom itself, where high humidity leads to mold and damage to finishing materials.

Designing big house pay attention to the bedrooms with installed bathtubs- this approach is effective and very beneficial for the health and youthfulness of the skin.

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How to make a humidifier with your own hands

To humidify the air in the apartment with minimal cost, make an effective humidifier with your own hands.

The easiest option is to use a container of cold water and a fan from the computer's system unit built into the lid. To increase efficiency, a fabric filter is used. Water flow rate - from 0.4 to 1 liter per hour. After half an hour of operation, the humidity reaches 60%.

The operation of the cooler will cause the water to vibrate, which in turn will lead to the formation of cold steam, which will slowly spread throughout the room.

Video: Budget humidifier for home

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What are humidifiers and should you buy them?

A humidifier powered by the mains is a rather unusual device and can be found in far from every home. To determine whether it is worth spending money on it, you need to measure the humidity in the apartment several times. As a rule, during the heating season this figure drops to 20-30%, if so, then you need a humidifier.

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Classification and types of electrical appliances

Most often, a humidifier is purchased by families with small, often ill children or allergy sufferers. The humidifier reliably maintains the desired humidity, as a result of which the concentration of pathogens of colds and dust in the air decreases. This reduces the risk of diseases and complications after them.

All humidifiers are divided into four types:

Traditional humidifiers of the "cold" type.
Steam "hot".
Ultrasonic.
Humidifiers-purifiers, climatic complexes.

Before purchasing a humidifier, you need to decide what area it will serve, what maximum humidity will suit you, whether energy saving is relevant, and whether it is possible to fill the device with purified water.

In a traditional humidifier, you need to change the cartridges

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Traditional "cold" type humidifiers

The principle of operation of such a humidifier is that the evaporation of moisture occurs naturally, without heating and other tricks. The design of a traditional humidifier is extremely simple and consists of three main elements - a container with water, a replaceable evaporating cartridge and a fan.

The main advantage of such a device is self-regulation, that is, when the air is saturated with water vapor, there will simply be no place for moisture to evaporate and the humidifier will stop working. However, there is a downside to the coin - this device will not be able to raise the humidity above 60%, which is necessary, for example, during a child's illness.

Advantages:

low power consumption;
there is no need to constantly monitor the presence of water, if it runs out, the device will not break;
self-regulation without hygrostat.

Disadvantages:

the need to change humidifying filters, which fail after a few months;
it is necessary to fill in the tank only soft, and even better distilled water;
the maximum humidity is 60%, which in some cases is not enough.

The steam humidifier has a high performance

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Steam "hot" humidifiers

Such devices generate steam by simply heating water to a boil. With the help of a steam humidifier, you can quickly increase the humidity in the apartment to the required level.

Considering that there is boiling water in the tank, it is better to choose stable models that are not easy to turn over, especially if there are small children or pets in the family. For the same reason, it would be useful to have a handle so that, if necessary, the device can be rearranged from place to place.

Advantages of a steam humidifier:

high performance, able to significantly raise the humidity in a short period of time;
you can use water of any hardness;
does not require replacement of cartridges;
most models will automatically turn off when the water boils.

Disadvantages:

the most wasteful of all humidifiers, consume a lot of energy;
may be dangerous to children and animals due to high heat.

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New generation ultrasonic humidifiers

Today it is the most common and affordable type of air humidifiers. The release of water vapor occurs due to the high-frequency ultrasonic vibration of a special membrane. Impulses from the membrane are transmitted to the water, as a result of which it boils and steam is formed.

Manufacturers care about appearance their appliances

All ultrasonic humidifiers have high performance and compact dimensions. They are safe to use and economical in terms of energy consumption.

Advantages:

compact size of the device;
low power consumption;
high performance;
the ability to increase the humidity in the room above 60%.

Disadvantages:

white mineral deposits can form on furniture in a room with a humidifier if hard water is used.

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Multifunctional climatic complexes

The climate complex combines the functions of many devices. It monitors humidity, air temperature, cleans it from dust and allergens, ionizes and aromatizes the room.

Climatic humidifiers-purifiers first drive the air through mechanical or water filters, freeing it from dust, humidify it, and then cool or heat it, depending on the set program.

Split systems with built-in humidifiers can also be attributed to climatic complexes. Together with the inclusion of a heater, it neutralizes dryness "in the bud".

Climate complex

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What heaters dry the air the least

The main thing to understand is that humidity drops when using any heating devices, because the higher the temperature, the lower the humidity with the same water vapor content. To reduce the need for air humidification, use heaters that do not burn oxygen and operate in a gentle mode.

The following types of heaters dry out the air the least and do not destroy oxygen:

infrared. They do not heat the air, but objects, so they negative impact on the microclimate of the room is minimal.
Convector with a closed heating element. The heating element, enclosed in a housing, does not burn oxygen, and the presence of natural convection does not raise dust.
Oil. They never heat up to critical temperatures.
Ceramic. Just like all heaters with a closed heating element, they interact little with water vapor.

Do not install fireplaces and fan heaters with exposed heating elements. It will be very difficult to maintain the humidity at a sufficient level in rooms with such heaters.

If you have come to the conclusion that the microclimate of your home needs to be adjusted, it's time to decide how to humidify the air in the rooms, do it without a humidifier, or still buy a special device.

Content:

As soon as you realize that the air in your house is too dry, you immediately think - you need a humidifier. But if you nevertheless decided to read about this decision, and ended up on our article, you are in luck. Because we will tell you why a humidifier will not help, but rather aggravate the microclimate, and we will offer a solution in return - read to the end.

As soon as the cold sets in, the humidity level naturally drops. It's because cold air cannot contain as much moisture as warm can, and this is how dry air is formed in the apartment. Plus, the operation of radiators and heating systems greatly affects the dehumidification process. It is believed that the ideal indoor humidity in winter should hover around 45 percent. But dry winter air can lead to a significant decrease in humidity - to levels of 15% or even lower. With this moisture imbalance comes a number of potential problems that can affect your health, your home and especially your comfort.

Humidifier - all the pros and cons

A humidifier seems to be the only device that helps with dryness. But it also brings a lot of problems, as a result, the following sequence of your actions arises:

1. When this "wonder device" starts spraying moisture, the air becomes supersaturated with water, and the humidity level can rise to 95-100%, and this will lead to such consequences as fungus and excessive condensation on surfaces/mirrors/windows. It will also cause great harm to your health - we cannot breathe water alone! Therefore, you will have to buy a hygrostat in order to find out the current balance of moisture in the air, and turn off the device when waterlogged.

2. During the operation of the humidifier, the usual dust for us does not settle on the surfaces, but begins to rise up. Thus, dust floats in the air, you actively breathe it, sneeze, irritate the respiratory mucosa, and in general it is unpleasant. We did a survey of 50 humidifier owners and unfortunately they all talked about this problem even when we didn't ask about it.

3. So, you begin to feel the ubiquitous dust, and are looking for a solution to the second problem - how to make the dust settle. The only reasonable solution to such a problem is the use of an air ionizer. It releases silver ions which pressurize the dust and it settles back on the surface. It would seem that the problem is solved - the air is humid (very even), and the dust does not harm you. But then you realize that the ionizer emits an unpleasant odor that spreads throughout the house, and which cannot be muffled by all sorts of lotus-scented aerosols.

4. Here we come to the stage when the air in your house is waterlogged, microbes develop abundantly due to an excess of water, an unpleasant smell of dampness begins to emanate from the condensate on the surfaces, and the ionizer “stinks” the whole house - it is simply unrealistic to be there. You start looking for a solution to all this on the Internet, and you realize that the only option is ventilation. And since ordinary ventilation is a bad option (), only mechanical ventilation will help you, which, with the help of powerful air exchange, will eliminate condensate, excess moisture will leave with the hood, and unpleasant odors will be replaced by fresh air.

5. As a result, you get one more device - a means for ventilation. And since the household recuperator will be the most effective and cheapest, most likely you will buy it. And then you understand that it would be easier to install a household heat exchanger right away, because it would bring a sufficient amount of humidity from the street to your house, but without pollution, without cold, and without smells (). Here is such a vicious circle - a miser pays twice.

By the way, perhaps you are faced with another problem - not with humidity, but with the fact that it is stuffy in your apartment, then you need to come here.

Dry air in the apartment - what is dangerous?

Problem #1: Disease Prevention

The upper part of your respiratory system, including your throat and nose, is made up of moist membranes. These membranes serve to trap dirt, dust, viruses and bacteria before they reach your lungs. When these membranes lose too much moisture to dry air, their ability to retain particles becomes compromised.

The right level of humidity helps these membranes do their job, preventing harmful particles from entering the sensitive areas of your lungs. So if you take steps to keep the right amount of moisture in the air, you can actually reduce your risk of getting sick.

Problem #2: The effect of dry air on the nose

In some people, dry air can cause another uncomfortable and unpleasant symptom: itching, irritation of the nasal cavity. Since most breathing is done through the nose, low humidity levels can lead to dryness and irritation of the mucous membranes. Not only is this painful, but it can also cause nosebleeds. But properly humidified air keeps the olfactory organ healthy with every breath.

Problem #3: Low Humidity Harms Your Skin

Our skin is more than half water. Therefore, when the air does not have moisture, the skin begins to dry out. This can cause itching, flaking, and dangerous tightness around the joints. It can also cause painful cracking of the skin and chapped lips. Excessive dry air can also cause flare-ups of existing skin problems, including eczema and acne.

Problem #4: Static Electricity

When the air is properly humidified, the static electricity in your home naturally dissipates. However, when the air is too dry, this static electricity starts to build up. Such exposure to electricity can cause blankets and clothing to stick together. And, more noticeably, it can cause painful electric shocks every time you touch a doorknob or other metal surface.

Problem #5: Damage to your home

Air, when there is not enough water in it, tries to absorb moisture wherever it can find it. This means that in cold winter weather, dry air can begin to draw moisture out of your home's structure. When the house subsequently dries out, you will notice that the floors, especially parquet floors, will start to squeak more.

Dry air can also pull moisture out of the wood and into the frame of your home, causing walls and doorframes to shift. This can make it difficult to open and close doors and cause gaps between ceilings and walls. These gaps can also form in windows that are made entirely of wood. This way, cold winter air can easily get in, adding to your heating bill.

Problem #6: Furniture Damage

As the air in the home becomes drier, it can start to damage not only the structure of the home, but also what is in it. Wooden furniture can begin to bend and even crack. Musical instruments may lose their shape and sound (you won't be able to tune them properly). Even paper items such as books and illustrations can become brittle, warped and wrinkled.

Problem #7: Harm to the child

Babies have sensitive skin and even more sensitive respiratory systems. AT winter time When the heaters are turned on and the internal humidity drops to 10-20%, the child may develop a cough. It can also irritate the skin, nose, and lungs of a child. This cold, dry air also helps viruses grow. In addition, children cannot take drugs intended for adults - their bodies are too fragile for strong drugs.

Normal humidity level

We learned about the problems that dryness brings to the home. Now let's clarify the norms: the humidity level should be 40-60 percent, while the ideal becomes 45% RH. For children, it is important to observe higher humidity levels - most often a level of 70-80% is suitable for them. Therefore, if you have a child, you will have to play by the rules of his body, and, as regrettable as it may sound, forget about your norms. But, if a child lives in your house, and the humidity level is even lower than your norm, you will go to the doctors for a long time and look for the problem of his cough, dry skin and headache, not even knowing that everything is in the air. In this case, it is better for you to get a hygrostat, which will constantly show you the level of moisture.

Ways to eliminate dryness

If you are haunted by dry air in the apartment, and you are thinking what to do? Do you want to avoid suffering, inconvenience and damage from dry air? We suggest you examine several options for moisturizing the whole house with the right methods.

Free Methods

1. Put a pot of water on the battery
Any pot will do. Do you need cooking pots? I bet you have an old pie pan or cast iron pot that you can use. Put it on the battery and fill it with water once every few days. It's simple and effective method increase the relative humidity of your home because you don't have to buy anything.

2. Dry clothes on a radiator
Drying freshly washed pants or a wet sweater on a radiator can also help humidify the air inside. Don't have clothes to wash yet? Then, use the following advice:

3. Wet towel technique
Place an old, damp hand towel in the air vent that is in the room. Circulating, warm air, which passes through the ventilation shaft into the room, will evaporate warm water from a towel, and fill the oxygen with moisture.

4. Boil the water
Fast, easy and efficient. Just boil water in large capacity when you feel that the air in the house has become dry. Place the lid on the container when the water is hot and open it after the water has reached the boiling point. Be sure to place the hot pot in a safe place to avoid burns.

5. Spray the curtains
Wet the curtains with a spray bottle. Open windows to allow warm air through curtain filters. The water will evaporate, which will increase the humidity in your home. But in winter, this method is not recommended, as the water can turn into small ice crystals, which will destroy the fabric of the curtain.

All these traditional methods they are good, but they will make you run around with basins all winter, or they will help you inadequately - only for a certain period, but at the same time dry air in the apartment and the symptoms will remain.

6. Airing

You can also try ventilation. Why this method works: by launching fresh air, natural humidity from the street enters with it in the optimal ratio. But! This method is bad because with fresh air we get bacteria, dirt from the road, dust, allergens and other elements. And again we remove one problem, but we get a friend.

Inexpensive Methods

7. Humidifier

If you still decide to take a chance and get by the easy way by buying a humidifier, we will write about its use.

Such units work best with closed doors and windows. To ensure proper circulation, the appliance must be placed away from walls and furniture. Except for models with vent hole above. But this method also has its drawbacks - the constant injection of steam creates the appearance of condensate, which leads to the appearance of fungus.

Also, in such humidifiers, a hygrostat is most often not installed, which would measure the level of humidity in the room, so with such a device you can quickly overdo it, and then the main problem for you will be humid air: you will also have to buy a dehumidifier.

The cost of the solution: from 500 to 2000 UAH and more + ionizer + hygrostat + ventilation and elimination of odors.

8. Household recuperator

The most optimal and correct method is to establish mechanical ventilation by installing a domestic heat exchanger. This method allows fresh air to enter, and at the same time:

You can adjust the volume of fresh air, that is, set the right amount of fresh air you need;
Dirt and bacteria from the street will be filtered when it enters the household recuperator, so the air will be almost 100% clean;
Moisture will enter along with the inflow, and at the same time, in the optimal ratio, because weather forecasters have determined that in Ukraine the average humidity in the street ranges from 65 to 70% - this is enough to restore the normal level of moisture in the house;
Due to the built-in heat recovery, cold air will be heated to the temperature you set before it enters the room. That is, when compared with conventional ventilation, when a terrible cold comes along with oxygen in winter, domestic recuperators will drive warm air into the room, and the temperature in the room will not change at all after such ventilation.

This method is quite cheap and efficient, plus the air is not heated with expensive fuel - why not spend a dime on heating the supply air.

Solution cost:

Model - 8 019 UAH
Model

The most acutethe problem of dry air becomes in winter. The windows in the apartments are tightly closed, heating system working at full capacity. Thus, the air in the room is literally fried. But why is the lack of humidity in the air so harmful to a person, and is it only for him?

70% of our body is water. Therefore, in order to maintain a normal life, a person needs favorable conditions. And this means 40-60% humidity in the air.

- If the humidity is less, then this is poor health and dust, and if more - dampness and various fungi, - says Alexei Bulychev, Deputy Director Trading house "Thermotechnika". - Usually in winter, the humidity in the rooms is about 22%. This is even lower than in the Sahara desert, where the humidity is 25%. By the way, frequent airing of the room also contributes to the unfavorable microclimate in the house. Even if the humidity both outside and in the house is normal, the air that gets inside will only “dry out” the room.

Why is this happening? Because relative humidity is tied to a specific temperature. If the relative humidity is 90% outside at -20 degrees, this is in any case less than 50% humidity at +20 degrees. Indeed, in this case, one cubic meter of air on the street will contain only 1 gram of water, and at home 9. Street air, mixed with what was in the apartment, will lower its relative humidity.

Health

If the airindoors is dry, then the “transportation” of oxygen into the circulatory system is difficult. As a result, a person constantly feels drowsiness and increased fatigue, while often not understanding where the poor health came from. But this is just the tip of the iceberg. Have you noticed that sometimes, waking up in the morning, you are surprised by a runny nose from nowhere? It's simple: if a person breathes dry air for a long time, his susceptibility to various infections increases. Due to dry air, the nasal mucosa and bronchial tubes cannot self-cleanse as efficiently as with air of normal humidity. As a result, the body encounters infections and various respiratory diseases with almost a “welcome” wish. This is especially true of the smallest, whose immunity is weaker than that of adults. After all, it is not for nothing that even in the room of newborns it is recommended to hang wet linen to make the air more humid.

— Dry air is also bad for skin health. When you stay in such a room for a long time, the skin becomes like rubber. The reason is that due to the lack of moisture, evaporation from the skin is accelerated. Therefore, it quickly becomes rough and dry,” explains Alexei Bulychev.

House

Dry air is bad not only for man, but also for his home. He is able to ruin the parquet, wooden furniture, doors and much more from what should create comfort in the house. When the air lacks moisture, it "sucks" it from the surrounding objects.

— In winter wooden doors dry out, and cracks often appear on the material. And in the spring, on the contrary, they swell. If the level of humidity in the room is constantly maintained, such problems will not arise, - says Aleksey Bulychev.

Insufficient hydration air can harm not only furniture, but also flowers. In such conditions, they turn yellow faster. After all, the bulk of indoor plants are adapted to the conditions of their native subtropics and tropics. And the humidity in those parts reaches 90%.

And finally dry air indoors - the main carrier of dust. Working in conjunction with hot heaters in the house, it scatters small particles throughout the house. As a result, not only does the need to do wet cleaning more often, but various diseases, such as asthma and allergies, are exacerbated.

Humidifiers

Raise the humidity level indoor air in a variety of ways. Some of them were used by our mothers and grandmothers. Put a glass of water on the battery, hang wet linen in the room, place a basin of water under the heater. These methods may work, but the effect will not be permanent.

Besides, we live in the XXI century, and today many ways have been invented that allow you to make the microclimate in the house the most favorable and constantly maintain it.For example, household humidifiers. They are divided into several types.

Traditional Humidifiers

They are also called cold humidifiers. Such devices humidify the air in a natural way. First, water is poured into a special tank, which then enters the evaporation elements. At the same time, dry air is sucked in from the room by the fan, which is passed under pressure through the evaporative elements. Thus, moisture enters the air.

Steam humidifiers

According to the principle of work steam humidifiers remind Electric kettle. The water in the appliance heats up to the boiling point and begins to evaporate. At the same time, the air is effectively humidified. However, these humidifiers have one feature. — they must be placed at a safe distance from people. Otherwise, you may get burned.

Ultrasonic Humidifiers

This humidifier with ultrasonic vibrations breaks water into tiny droplets. With the help of a fan, air is sucked into the device and under pressure is passed through this mist. Humidified air is thrown back into the room in the form of fog. At the same time, the temperature of water and air remains unchanged.

All these devices are quite effective. But of course they cost money.

But there is also a cheaper one. Alternative option, which can be used both as an additional and as the main source of air humidification.

Alexey Bulychev shared his own experience of using inexpensive air humidifiers:

— We used to have only ultrasonic humidifiers at home. When the appliances were running, the humidity level in the room was 35%. This is more than usual, but still not enough. But one day I noticed the classic humidifiers that our company began to sell. These are simple cassettes that are mounted on batteries using special fasteners. And if there is water in them, they evaporate it, saturating the air with moisture particles. When I got an additional humidifier at home, the problem of dry air was finally solved. In one day, the hygrometer began to show 45% humidity.

I understandthat it is not necessary to buy expensive appliances to make the microclimate of your home more comfortable. Even these compact cassettes can work great if you choose the right amount of humidifier for the amount of square meters in home. These are worth simple devices from 250 rubles depending on the volume.

Feeling the efficiency classic humidifiers, Alexey decided to take care of the favorable microclimate in educational institutions their children:

— I bought 4 household humidifiers for kindergarten which my children attend. They used to come home sluggish after class. And now, on the contrary, they are full of strength. They even hurt less. And, accordingly, less money was spent on medicines. I myself feel that my health has improved: you get out of bed refreshed, there is no drowsiness during the day and no fatigue in the evening.

Creating a favorable microclimate in the house , people always begin to feel the difference between what was and what has become. So, for example, some of them even disappear allergies, which tormented for years. Indeed, sometimes you can make only a small change in life to make it much easier and more enjoyable.

For comfortable life a person needs not only a comfortably furnished place in the form of an apartment or house. The microclimate in the home is also important. And for this it is necessary to support optimal temperature and understand how to humidify the air in the apartment.

Why is air humidification so important?

Everyone knows that dry air in an apartment is bad. This will dry out the flowers. It's even worse with people. The skin dries, itches in the throat, the mucous membranes of the nose and lungs dry out, an abundant secretion of mucus begins as a protective mechanism against dust, and its excess is a risk of disease due to pathogenic bacteria that can multiply in it. The eyes dry up and become inflamed. A lot of bad things can happen to the human body due to dry air. You can solve the problem if you humidify the air in the apartment with your own hands or with the help of special devices.

In addition to the detrimental effect on all living things, parched air also spoils all wooden furniture. Musicians are most familiar with this when the material of the instrument dries up - consider the instrument irrevocably damaged.

Otherwise, when the humidity is too high, this is also not good. However, the consequences are less terrible, and the problem is solved by simple ventilation. Therefore, it is worth paying attention to the problem in more detail than moistening the air in the room.

For a normal and comfortable life in an apartment or house, relative humidity should be maintained in the range from 40 to 60%. It is very important to keep it within this limit all year round.

A bit of theory

When considering the microclimate of your apartment, it is important to ask yourself not only why humidify the air, but also to understand what this process depends on. When discussing the microclimate of an apartment, they operate with such concepts as air temperature and its relative humidity. Everything is clear with the first one. Relative humidity is defined as the percentage of moisture in the air. Changes from 0 to 100%. At 100% humidity, water can no longer evaporate, since there is nowhere to go. If there is still evaporation, then the excess in excess of 100% immediately condenses. The value of relative humidity is inextricably linked with air temperature and pressure. To display this dependence, there is even a complex and intricate i-d diagram invented by L.K. Ramzin.

It is important to understand that the lower the air temperature, the less moisture it can hold and the less it needs to reach 100% (dew point). Conversely, as the temperature rises, more water vapor is needed. For example, if the humidity at 15 degrees is 60%, then when the temperature rises to 25C, the humidity will already be about 35%, and all this with the same amount of water vapor.

In the winter period of the year, when the cold air from the street in the apartment is heated to the desired temperature due to heating means, the air humidity drops to catastrophically low values.

How to raise the humidity in the room?

The answer is simple - it is necessary to evaporate a sufficient amount of water in a room with dry air. An effective option would be to purchase a special device - a humidifier. However, you can still humidify the air in the apartment without a humidifier. There are a number of activities that you can do with your own hands and at the same time achieve the desired goal.

The easiest is to place water tanks around the room. It can be jugs or vases with water. Slowly but surely the water will evaporate.

However, this may not be enough. Then the next option would be a wet thick towel, which should be placed on the battery. Evaporating due to heating from the battery, the water will quickly enter the air in the form of vapors and will humidify the air in winter. As the towel dries, it must be moistened again.

If you do not want to constantly run to the bath and back, then you can act drastically. Place a container of water on the battery. It will take a long time before the water completely evaporates. As a result, you only have to add water once every few days.

The second option involves a whole host of implementation methods. You can put the container on the floor, and hang a several times folded bandage on the battery, the end of which will hang down into a container of water. The water will rise through the material of the bandage, and evaporate due to the heat of the battery.

You can cut a glass with a tail from a tin or plastic bottle. Using the tail, attach the cup to the pipe that goes to the battery, and constantly fill it with water.

The third option is to make a humidifier with your own hands. The easiest way is to use a computer power supply, fans and improvised means for this. An example of such a humidifier in the video below:

What else can help with hydration?

Simple household trifles and nuances will also help to facilitate air humidification in the apartment. If you dry clothes indoors, then from this the humidity will rise to a sufficient level. Also, indoor plants moisturizing the air, distributed throughout the apartment, will reduce the problem to nothing. For example, cyperus is able to evaporate up to 3 liters per day. Yes, and the process of regular spraying of plants will also significantly help.

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Discussion:

Julia said:

Hello! I ordered decorative soil for flowers on aliexpress. I filled it with water, they swelled up, filled the vases and Voila)))) it seems like nothing more, and the air in the room is always humidified)))

Roma said:

I bought myself a humidifier and I’m not worried ... and I advise you. Blows out 8 liters of water in 24 hours! In addition, I bought a salt lamp, I don’t know if it’s good or not, but let it work too.

Alexander said:

Why not just ventilate the room in winter? Or rather, make a good hood (30 cubic meters per person) and a good supply (in the form of a breather, or just an open window). Relative humidity in winter outside reaches up to 75%. Our son loves to sleep in any weather with open window and off batteries. You pass by his room as if you were passing through the North Pole, but no problems with humidity!

Lana said:

When I was concerned about the problem of dry air in the room, a clothes steamer came to my aid, by the way, unfairly rarely used in our family for its intended purpose. For 1 hour of work from 30% to 80% on a hygrometer.

Catherine said:

None of these methods, except for an expensive humidifier, raises the humidity to normal levels.
All sorts of bells and whistles such as spray bottles, water containers, flowers, linen, etc. a maximum of 10% improve the situation, tested repeatedly. And how much fuss with them and spoil the interior. Of course, all these activities convince us that it has become easier to breathe and in fact it is getting a little easier. But the underlying problem is not solved.
Therefore, let's talk about high-quality and inexpensive humidifiers.

Karina said:

After the heating season began, dry air settled in the apartment, there was simply nothing to breathe. I tried to arrange jars of water, cover the batteries with a damp towel, etc., but there was no result. You can't do without a humidifier in a city apartment!

Olga said:

My situation is this: the humidifier works all night, the steam jet is directed at me, however, I wake up at night because the entire mucous membrane dries up, the skin in the nose bursts, etc. I just don't know what to do anymore!

Konstantin said:

Oh no, I stumbled upon this article. Thanks for the cheerleader! Moved to new housing. 16th floor, sunny side. Prior to that, he spent a business trip in the country with maritime climate with a very humid climate. Of course, there are costs, especially in winter, when, due to humid air, a slight cold began to ache straight away. On the other hand, unlike Moscow, I got sick much less and easier there.
As I moved, here in the apartment dandruff appeared on my eyebrows, a dry cough from nowhere (I don’t smoke). Sinned to change the water, ate vitamins. Apparently, the body really does not have enough moisture. I went to direct the sea air at home.

Viktor said:

Just a modern iron with steam can easily replace any humidifier. If you feel uncomfortable, put water containers on the batteries and you can steam the room with an iron for 15-20 minutes by placing the iron with water horizontally on a metal stand or on a deep plate.

Dmitry Begishev Yurievich said:

For me, humid air in the apartment is component comfort. In order to humidify the air in the room, I use a conventional atomizer (sprayer). I think it's quite effective method. In addition, it does not require large expenses.

Julia said:

A cool option still at the repair stage is to put regulators on batteries. In this way, you can control the temperature of the room, and the moisture will not evaporate so quickly. A humidifier is, first of all, a device in which water and electricity exist simultaneously. I think that in a house with a small child, he simply does not belong. And 100% reliable costs a fortune.

Elena Sokol said:

I didn't know humidity was so important. We were given a humidifier and I didn't know what to do with it. Thought it was useless. now I know. It turns out that because of the heat, the skin dries out. I'm going to turn on the humidifier.