Texans are well acquainted with muggy days, when the air feels thick and sticky. We can’t do much about the weather, but it is a smart idea to keep the environment inside the home easier to cope with. By reducing humidity in your home, you can reduce the following kinds of health concerns.
Allergies
Damp indoor air lays the groundwork for allergens such as mold, which only needs dampness, not sogginess, to grow. As moisture permeates materials throughout your home, fungus spores take hold and rapidly grow in number. Most people have an allergic response to mold spores to some degree, and they will notice an increase in symptoms like a runny nose, watery eyes, itchy throat and coughing.
In addition to the likelihood of mold, high humidity helps dust mites flourish. You can’t see these mites nor will they bite you, but they cause many problems. Dust mite waste contains proteins that induce allergic reactions in nearly everyone.
Fatigue and Heat-Related Illness
It is difficult to cool down in a humid home. The air won’t readily pull moisture away from your skin surface, and this means one of your body’s primary cooling mechanisms, perspiration, is rendered ineffective. This is why you might feel sluggish, tired and overly warm when it is muggy. Some people, especially the elderly or those with other health issues, can be more at risk for heat-related illnesses as humidity rises.
Increase in Symptoms of Chronic Diseases
Those with respiratory disease, such as COPD or asthma, or cardiovascular diseases may experience an increase in symptoms on humid days. The heavy air makes breathing more difficult.
Using Dehumidifiers
HVAC systems can regulate moisture in the air to a small degree, but they won’t be able to handle the high humidity common to our area. Using a dehumidifier is a smart choice for drying out muggy indoor air. Since damp air probably isn’t limited to one area of the home, consider installing a whole-house dehumidifier.
To learn more about controlling humidity in your South Texas home, please contact us at CCAC.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Corpus Christi, Texas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about indoor humidity and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 361-678-2495.
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