Improve air humidity in living spaces | Alex Garden

Die Humidity in living spaces it is largely determined by our stay within our four walls. Cooking, washing, showering, sleeping, heating and ventilating can increase or decrease the amount of water present in the air – and therefore our influence well-being . Because even if we do bad things Internal climate Usually not noticed directly, the consequences become apparent sooner or later: Health complaints such as frequent colds or respiratory problems, as well as damage to the building structure. If the air in the room is too humid, the windows fog up and moisture accumulates in the corners of the room and can form lead to the formation of mold . In this blog post you will discover how to increase or decrease the air humidity in living spaces to create an ideal indoor climate.

Relative, absolute and optimal humidity

If you want to learn more about the topic of indoor air humidity, you will quickly come across technical terms such as relative, absolute or maximum humidity. But what do these terms actually mean?

Maximum humidity

Maximum air humidity indicates the maximum amount of air humidity that can be achieved depending on the air pressure and temperature. If more water vapor than the maximum possible amount is added to the air, some of the water begins to condense. Droplets of mist or a film of water are formed.

Absolute humidity

Absolute humidity is measured in grams per cubic meter (g/m³) and indicates the actual water vapor content present in the air at the time of measurement.

Relative humidity

Relative humidity shows the degree of saturation of the ambient humidity, i.e. the percentage ratio (in %) between the water vapor currently contained in the air and the maximum possible at the time of measurement.

Measure humidity in living spaces with a hygrometer

To determine whether the humidity in your living spaces is optimal, you need a so-called hygrometer. This shows the relative humidity of the room as a percentage and helps determine whether the value is too high or too low. True humidity professionals also work with two hygrometers, for example to find out the perfect time to ventilate. Because for what makes sense Stoßlüften Outdoor air should be drier than indoor air, especially when it comes to preventing mold growth.

Different humidity in summer and winter

On purpose Internal and external air: Did you know that the absolute humidity in… Summer is higher than the humidity in the Winter? The reason for this is the outside temperature. When temperatures are warm in the summer, the air can hold more water vapor than when temperatures are cold. The maximum humidity is therefore higher. Humid outdoor air cools the interior and therefore increases the relative humidity of the indoor air. In winter it is exactly the opposite: the cold air outside is heated inside by the heater and the relative humidity in the room decreases. This is why ventilation should be different in summer than in winter.

The ideal temperature and humidity values ​​in living spaces

Now it’s time to get to work. Why that Temperature AND humidity in living rooms it depends on the type of room. A bedroom naturally requires completely different humidity levels than, for example, a bathroom. Basically we feel comfortable with a relative humidity of approx 50 percent and a temperature of 20 degrees more comfortable. For living spaces this means that you should aim for a value between 40 and 60%. But be careful: if the value drops permanently below 40%, the air is too dry and our health suffers. Irritated mucous membranes and respiratory tracts compromise our well-being and promote colds. However, if the value remains constantly above 70%, mold is inevitable and the structure of the building suffers.

For one ideal environmental climate throughout the house, the temperature and humidity should be the following values (Temperature in °C / Humidity in %):

• Stay: That. 20°C, 40 – 60 %
• Study: That. 20°C, 40 – 60 %
• Nursery: 20 – 23 °C, 40 – 60 %
• Bedroom: That. 18°C, 40 – 60 %
• Kitchen: That. 19°C, 50 – 60 %
• Bath: That. 20 – 23 °C, 50 – 70 %
• Hallway: That. 15 – 18 °C, 40 – 60 %
• Keller: That. 10 – 15 °C, 50 – 65 %

Rötzer expert advice: Pay attention to humidity, especially in the basement. Because underground temperatures are cooler, the air can absorb less water vapor. If the relative humidity in the room is high, condensation and mold will form more quickly.

Reduce high humidity in living spaces

What to do if the hygrometer indicates too high a value when measuring humidity in living rooms? First of all, it is important to find the cause. Why one increased air humidity in the room Candies various reasons have: Structural defects can be the cause in old buildings. In new buildings it is often the newly built walls that are not yet completely dry and release water vapour. But don’t panic: much more often excessive humidity is simply due to one thing incorrect ventilation and heating behavior.

Excessive humidity in living spaces can be reduced by taking the following measures:

• Ventilate wisely: The heating pauses during ventilation. Please set it to zero during this period. The following applies: ventilation in front of the window. Open the window completely for five to ten minutes. If you open two opposite windows you create a nice draft.

• Door closing and ventilation: If you are cooking or taking a shower, you should close the door to the room so that water vapor does not immediately enter the living space. Then simply open the windows for a few minutes to allow the steam to escape outside.

• Dehumidifier: For example, if the apartment’s windowless bathroom makes ventilation impossible, a dehumidifier can help. But be careful: don’t just take the first device you find, but find out in advance which one is right for you. It is best to consult a professional before investing in a dehumidifier, because expensive does not always mean good.

• Rely on home remedies: To remove moisture from a room, you can also lay down water-absorbent material. For example, normal table salt (without iodine and fluoride) or coarse-grained cat litter are suitable. Place the material in bowls where the hygrometer measures the highest values. If they are beautiful, they also serve as a decorative element.

• Do not hang wet laundry in the living room: When the laundry dries, water vapor is created which is distributed throughout the room. It is therefore better to hang the laundry outside or use a dryer. Wet laundry can also be dried in the bathroom with the window open.

• Avoid decorations containing water: Houseplants, indoor fountains, aquariums, etc. they help increase humidity. If the value is critical, these decorative elements should be avoided. Aquariums can be covered so that they do not release too much moisture into the room air.

• In summer ventilate only in the morning and evening: Then the outside temperature is still low and the outside air is drier than the inside air.

Rötzer expert advice: If you have problems with excessive humidity in the room, you should avoid placing furniture against external walls. If there is no other solution, at least make sure there is a space between the furniture and the wall to avoid the formation of condensation and mold unnoticed.

Increase low humidity in living spaces

In winter it may happen that the air in the room loses a lot of humidity due to the increase in heating. Unfortunately, ventilation alone does not help, as the air outside is often as dry as the air inside due to the cold. To increase humidity in living spaces, you can do the following

• Turn down the heat: Since cold air carries less water, in winter it is useful to turn down the heating so that the humidity in the room can increase.

• Place the bowl of water on the stove: The heat from the heater causes the water in the bowl to slowly evaporate, and the water vapor increases the humidity in the room.

• Dry laundry in the living room: In winter, hang wet laundry indoors and leave bedroom doors open. This means that during drying the water vapor is distributed throughout all rooms. Ironing helps too: simply move the ironing work to the living room.

• Use the humidifier: A humidifier uses electricity to evaporate small amounts of water at regular intervals, thus increasing humidity. When purchasing, pay attention to the good quality and performance of the device.

• Opening the bathroom door after a bath or shower: The resulting water vapor escapes from the bathroom, spreads into the living rooms and increases the humidity there.

Rötzer expert advice: In summer the humidity can be increased by frequent ventilation. Due to hot summer temperatures, outdoor air contains more humidity, which when ventilated penetrates into living spaces. With the hygrometer you can check whether the humidity of the outside air exceeds the humidity of the room air and whether intensive ventilation is worth it.

Comfortable living climate thanks to controlled ventilation of the living area

If manual ventilation is too complicated for you, you can also use controlled living room ventilation (abbreviated KWL). These mechanical systems guarantee regular air exchange and therefore consistently good air quality. The system constantly provides fresh air to living spaces without residents having to open windows. The exhausted air is sucked out and with it the excess humidity. This usually happens in the bathroom or kitchen, that is, in rooms that already face high humidity.

When building a house, use building materials that regulate humidity

In reality it is like this Building material al Humidity regulation involved. It’s not for nothing that we at Rötzer rely on brick construction. Because bricks have one Capillary structurewhich allows them to absorb and release moisture. The material breathes, so to speak. This ensures the humidity balance in the living spaces right from the start. The accumulation of moisture or internal humidity within a brick wall is therefore extremely rare.

For further reading

Especially in times when building envelopes are becoming increasingly dense, it is important to ensure adequate ventilation and heating. In our article “Shock ventilation against mold – How to heat and ventilate correctly in winter” we give you useful tips