With colder weather set in and temperatures dropping by the day, it serves as a reminder that the wet winter weather is now upon us.
Since sickness, moisture problems and structural issues increase significantly during the colder months, its time to make sure that you are prepared for these problems in the home with the use of a dehumidifier.
Because homes are built to hold heat in during the winter months and keep heat out during the summer, when the temperature starts to drop, we become more conscious of the cracks in insulation that often welcome cold drafts into the home. As a result, further insulation is carried out to increase comfort (or so we think) and stop the cold from outside entering our homes.
However, this seals off the home from any fresh air from the outside and raises the likelihood of impurities in the air. When these impurities cannot escape the house, they gather and multiply quickly because they thrive in warm moisture. These include dust mites, mould spores and other contaminants that can very quickly impact those with respiratory problems and a weakened immune system.
The air in all our homes holds moisture to some degree; showering, cooking, drying laundry and even breathing are just some of the tasks that we do every day that add moisture to the air that has to end up somewhere.
If we add bathing, boiling kettles and ironing into the mix, all of which are typically part of our daily routine, a household of one person will produce approximately 1.5 litres of water a day if we look at this over a week that contributes to 10.5 litres just for one person! That’s the equivalent of 18 pints of water per week!
Despite the common misconception that turning the heating on and closing windows and doors will reduce humidity in winter, warm air actually carries more moisture and could be doing you, your family and your home more bad than good. Doing this significantly reduces air circulation and causes excess moisture to become trapped indoors with nowhere to escape.
Good air circulation – even in winter – will allow excess moisture to escape and is essential to ward off illness. So be sure to ventilate.
For an immediate and permanent solution, using a dehumidifier will successfully control and maintain the right humidity level in the home by extracting excess moisture from the air and replacing it with cleaner, healthier air.
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