Why is dry air harmful to health? Dry air in an apartment: what is harmful and the consequences, what to do and how to fight it? Dry indoor air consequences.

Humidity, or the amount of water vapor in the air, is an important component of health that is often overlooked. The ideal humidity level is 40 to 60 percent, although some experts consider 35 to 45 percent normal.

Excessive humidity can promote the growth of mold, dust mites and mildew, making it especially dangerous for people with asthma and allergies. On the other side, low humidity also lead to serious health and well-being problems.

At high humidity you tend to feel warmer. When the air in your home lacks moisture, you may want to turn on an additional heating device or turn up the thermostat on the radiator.

This results in high electricity or gas bills. But the problems caused by dry air go far beyond financial ones. When humidity levels drop, your health can deteriorate right before your eyes.

Negative health effects of dry air include:

• decreased functioning immune system, making you more susceptible to colds and flu;
• increased likelihood of asthma attacks due to acute respiratory distress syndrome and infection;
• chronic dryness of the nose, eyes and throat, accompanied by soreness and itching;
• dry and flaky skin on the hands and feet, which can crack and lead to the development of painful open sores;

In addition to negative effect What dry air does to your body can also damage your home: wood floors, walls and ceilings crack, dry out, and painted surfaces peel and peel. Majority indoor plants They do not tolerate dry air well.

We all remember how unpleasant the shock of static electricity is, which accumulates in dry air and is discharged when touched by a physical object or another person. In some cases, these shocks can be strong enough to damage sensitive (and expensive) electronic equipment.

To increase humidity, you can:

Use a vaporizer or humidifier. It will allow you to quickly bring the air back to normal without special effort from your side. But you should be careful, as it can make the air overly humidified, which will cause mold growth, the precursor of which is a musty smell.

Additionally, the moist, warm environment created by a humidifier is a breeding ground for bacteria and fungi, which are then inhaled by humans.

Inhaling dirty mist from humidifiers can lead to lung problems, including infections, and an increased risk of asthma in children.

So if you decide to use a humidifier, do so wisely, making sure that set level humidity is not too high. If your humidifier does not have a hygrometer, purchase the device separately at any hardware store.

The easiest way is to purchase a humidifier with a built-in room humidity analyzer and automatic switching on when it decreases.

You should also clean it regularly, at least once every three days, using hydrogen peroxide to remove any dirt and microorganisms. The water in the tank should be changed daily.

Make sure the area around the humidifier (countertop, windows, carpeting, curtains, etc.) is dry.

1. Ventilate rooms regularly. If you ventilate the room well every 1.5–2 hours, the humidity can be brought to the required 50 percent.
2. Boil water on the stove or simply place bowls of water around your apartment. Preferably in places where you won't bump into them. Don't forget to add water.
3. Start growing indoor plants. They perfectly keep the air from drying out if you water them regularly.
4. Damp towels or sheets. You can hang laundry soaked in water on radiators, doors, and cabinets. It is better to do this at night so that there is no clutter in the apartment.

The human body can adapt to any temperature conditions, but why should he “hurt” him? To prevent us from feeling thirsty, we need to drink at least 2-2.5 liters of water a day, eat liquid meals, moisturize the body in a timely manner, take baths, contrast showers, and make special masks for the skin of the body and hair.

If there is sufficient humidity in the room, then you and your family will be able to more easily endure seasonal colds, cough less and not be influenced by allergic pollen pathogens.

Take care of your home and love it! Happiness and prosperity to you!

08/02/2017 0 1,555 views

For a comfortable stay in a room, certain conditions must be maintained, including optimal humidity. How to humidify the air in a room without a humidifier at home? This is quite possible if you know and use effective methods.

Harm of dry air in the apartment

Normal air humidity ranges from 40-60%. And not only an increase in the level, but also a decrease in it, can negatively affect the microclimate of the room, as well as the health and well-being of the residents. And if at high humidity and dampness, the risks of formation increase, then a reduced rate can lead to no less serious problems.

To understand why increasing humidity levels, we need to consider the harm that lowering them can cause. Here are some problems and risks:

1. Increased stress on the respiratory system. Firstly, due to excessively dry air, the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract suffer, which begin to become thinner and irritated, which causes symptoms such as a dry, obsessive cough and tickling. Secondly, due to low humidity, it may become more difficult to remove phlegm and small particles from the lungs that enter them during breathing, which will lead to the development of bronchitis or even pneumonia.
2. Disorders of the cardiovascular system. The human body is largely composed of water, and it is part of the blood and other biological fluids, and is also present in all tissues. If there is a lack of fluid, the blood can thicken, which affects the functioning of the organ that pumps it - the heart.
3. It is especially important to provide sufficient humidity to a newborn, because in the womb he was in a humid environment, and a sudden change in conditions can become serious stress and a real test for the body.
4. The mucous membrane of the eyes becomes thinner and depleted, which provokes symptoms such as dryness, pain, redness, and severe discomfort. People who work at a computer or use contact lenses are especially susceptible to these manifestations.
5. Dryness and flaking of the skin. The skin urgently needs moisture and absorbs it not only from the body, but also from the environment. At insufficient hydration and water deficiency, tissues will become depleted, lose elasticity and firmness, and age and wear out much faster.
6. Increased risk of nosebleeds. Due to the thinning of the mucous membranes of the nasal cavity caused by excessively dry air, the capillaries will become more vulnerable and brittle, which can lead to their damage.
7. Brittle hair and nails. Their condition largely depends on environmental conditions, and with a lack of moisture it can noticeably deteriorate.
8. Cooling of the body, significant heat loss. Dry air retains and retains heat very poorly, so in such conditions people can freeze faster and more severely, especially in the cold season. In addition, the room with low humidity It is not easy to warm up to create a comfortable atmosphere, which automatically increases energy consumption.
9. Dry air can damage interior elements. So, it provokes drying out and subsequent cracking. wooden furniture and some musical instruments, provokes significant electrification synthetic materials, and also accelerates the wear of carpets and fur products, reducing their service life.
10. The static voltage of household electrical appliances in conditions of reduced humidity prevents the settling of dust and other small particles floating in the air. As a result, the room feels dusty.
11. Dry air affects pets, who also need moisture.
12. Water particles contained in the air provide complete hydration of the above-ground parts of indoor plants. Therefore, with a reduced level of humidity, flowers can wither and dry out, shed leaves and lose their decorative properties.
13. Reducing the level so much important indicator may provoke an exacerbation of allergies or chronic diseases.

How can you tell if there is dry air in a room?

How do you know if you need to humidify the air? To do this, you should evaluate the humidity level and identify its decrease. Most often the problem occurs in winter time and is caused by the active use of heating devices that stimulate accelerated evaporation and dry out the air in the room. But how do you know when it’s time to act?

The health and well-being of the residents can tell about changes and deterioration of the microclimate in the room. Dry air often provokes an unreasonable dry cough and a sore throat, dry eyes, redness, pain and discomfort.

In addition, due to the thinning of the mucous membranes, the natural protective barrier of the human body weakens, which is why colds and various infections often occur, and immunity decreases. Peeling of the skin and a decrease in their elasticity, brittle hair and delamination of the nail plates are also observed.

Assess the condition of indoor plants. If they grow slowly and their leaves dry out, turn yellow, curl and fall off, it is probably due to a lack of moisture. You can watch your pets. The main indicator of their well-being and health status is the nose: if it is dry, it means the pet is experiencing discomfort, and the level of humidity in the room is significantly reduced.

To assess air humidity, you can use a specialized device that measures this indicator - a hygrometer. But if you don’t have one, you can conduct a simple experiment yourself.

Cool your glass or other glass vessel in the refrigerator and place it away from heaters and other heat sources. If the formed condensation has completely dried after five to ten minutes, this means that the air is dry and urgent measures need to be taken.

How to humidify the air without a humidifier? Basic techniques

There are several ways to humidify the air without a humidifier at home:

1. Spray water by sprinkling it throughout all rooms using a spray bottle. In this way you can moisturize curtains and curtains, carpets, houseplants.
2. You can place containers filled with water in the room. And they must be open so that moisture can evaporate freely and saturate the air. Vessels can be placed on windowsills or near heating devices. But regular water replacement is required to prevent it from blooming and appearing unpleasant odor. And to speed up the evaporation process, you can place a basin under the radiator, place one end of a bandage or piece of fabric in it, and place the other on the heating device.
3. Regular drying of clothes in the rooms. If you dry washed clothes not in the bathroom or on the balcony, but in all rooms of the house or apartment, this will increase the humidity. But in order for it to be constantly maintained at an optimal level, the laundry will have to be washed often and in significant volumes. To speed up the process, you can place it near heating devices. Also, don't squeeze things too hard. And if you wash them in washing machine, do not turn on the spin mode.
4. In winter, you can close radiators and other heating devices damp cloth. Under the influence of heat, moisture will actively evaporate and pass into the air, improving its characteristics. But do not let water get into electrical devices: This may cause them to break and short circuit. The material should be moderately moistened, and constantly, so wet it regularly (with a significant decrease in the humidity level daily or even twice a day).
5. Use indoor plants that humidify the air. In general, almost all of them synthesize oxygen and also evaporate moisture absorbed by the roots through the leaves. But some flowers are especially useful from this point of view. It is logical that the more foliage a plant has, and the denser and juicier it is, the more water it will release. Choose flowers such as ficus, hibiscus, saintpaulia, dracaena, monstera, nephrolepis, shefflera, phytonia, orchid, cyperus, hypoestes and others like that. Place several pots on the windowsill or pieces of furniture. And if you have a glazed and insulated balcony or loggia, then this space can be turned into winter Garden.
6. Decorative miniature home pond, such as a fountain or waterfall. It not only normalizes the level of humidity, but also additionally decorates the interior of the room.
7. You can install an aquarium that will serve as a natural humidifier and give pleasure to all residents of the house or apartment thanks to the aquatic inhabitants in it. Moisture evaporates both through the open surface and during operation of the filtration equipment. But an aquarium is, first of all, a habitat for fish and other creatures, so it will require constant care. In addition, to achieve complete hydration, you should select a container of significant volumes.
8. Frequent ventilation. To maintain a comfortable microclimate, it is recommended to ventilate the room at least two to three times a day. Moreover, this procedure becomes especially effective in the summer, as well as in the off-season, when precipitation often occurs. In winter, when there is severe frost, the air outside is dry, so ventilation will not achieve the desired effect. To humidify, it is recommended to open all windows or vents for at least fifteen to twenty minutes, and preferably for a longer period of time.
9. To increase the humidity level with your own hands, you can carry out regular and fairly frequent wet cleaning. This procedure allows not only to remove dirt from all surfaces, but also to stimulate the evaporation of moisture. Cleaning should include mandatory washing of floors and wiping off dust with a damp cloth. It is not advisable to use chemical detergents; they are only necessary in case of severe contamination. You also need to regularly wipe the leaves of plants, on which dust also settles. Cleaning should be done twice a week, and in the children's room more often - best every other day or even daily.

Video: 5 ways to humidify the air.

Here we are all trying to lead healthy image life in order to get sick less and live longer, but there are things that affect health, but which we often forget about. One of these things is indoor air humidity. Usually in summer it is the same as in fresh air, but in winter, when we are already susceptible to colds, this same humidity leaves much to be desired due to the heating being on.

Heating appliances dry out the air very much. We get used to it and often don’t pay attention, but in vain. It turns out that too dry air not only weakens the immune system, but can also cause many troubles.

Why is dry air in an apartment dangerous?

1. The worst thing that can threaten us is bronchial asthma. The mucous membrane dries, microbes fly freely, enter the body when inhaling, settle on the mucous membrane and begin to multiply quickly in the warmth.

2. Allergies. In dry air, dust microparticles easily rise upward, even if we do not see them. And in the house dust there is a stormy life... and death. There are a lot of harmful microorganisms, dried dirt, particles of our dead hair and skin, and the corpses of dust mites.

3. Skin itching. The skin dries out and begins to peel, which is not only unpleasant, but also leads to premature aging. Even worse, dry skin loses its protective functions, germs land on weakened skin and can cause a wide variety of skin diseases.

4. Deterioration of vision. The mucous membranes of our eyes must be constantly moisturized. If there is a lack of moisture in combination with microbes in the air, conjunctivitis can begin, which can lead to weakened vision.

5. Frequent colds. The dust was swallowed, the microbes were warmed to the heart, they came out of the dry warm room in damp, cold weather, they caught another quick virus with their nose, and that’s it! Here you have both bronchitis and a runny nose.

It is important to know: normal air humidity in the apartment should be at least 60%.

Dry air in the apartment, what to do?

We found that the effect of dry air on human health is negative. But what to do? The easiest way is to place a bowl of water under the radiators. If the radiators are located too low, you can cover them on top with a damp towel. But it’s important not to forget to moisturize them periodically.

It is also good if there is an aquarium in the room. You just need to remember that if it is closed at the top, it is of little use. Decorative fountains will also help cope with dry air.

And of course, best option- humidifier.

What else should you remember? Turning on the air conditioner can create a feeling of freshness. But this is not due to moisture, but due to a decrease in temperature. In fact, air conditioning dries out the air even more.

Moderately humid air can be very beneficial for health. It has a beneficial effect on the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract, helps clear mucus and protects against bacteria, however, humidity is only useful when it does not exceed the permissible norm.

Humidity damage: possible dangers high air humidity

On average, the humidity level in a residential area should not fall below 40% and not exceed 60%. When there is high humidity in the air, the rooms are folded favorable conditions for the proliferation of many putrefactive bacteria, mold and fungus, which emit a huge number of tiny spores into the air, and as a result they end up in the respiratory organs of a person and can contribute to the development of a huge number of all kinds of diseases. In people, for a long time Living in conditions of high humidity, negative changes in the respiratory system are observed; over time, dangerous and difficult to treat diseases such as bronchial asthma and tuberculosis may develop. High humidity can cause constant malaise and weakness. A runny nose and skin diseases can also be a consequence humidity damage, the level of which significantly exceeds acceptable standards. Children are most susceptible to the harmful effects of high humidity; therefore, they may develop various chronic respiratory diseases: runny nose, various allergic reactions, etc.
Humidity damage: protection against dampness

In order to protect yourself as reliably as possible from the harm of humidity in the house, you need to take measures to eliminate this problem, firstly, you need to find out the reason why in your house increased level humidity, for example, this may be problems with water supply pipes that have begun to leak due to old age. By eliminating the cause accordingly, you will solve the problem, but if the cause is unknown, then try to ventilate the room well more often so that the moisture can evaporate, or buy a special dehumidifier that will help solve this problem and bring the humidity level in the house within normal limits. The dehumidifier is currently the most effective way dry the air in the house, it draws in moisture along with the air, and outputs normal dried air. True, a dehumidifier is not cheap, but, in any case, health is more important, and you should not skimp on it.

Dry air damage

The harm of dry air can also have a particularly negative impact on human health. Unlike humid air, there is not enough moisture in dry air to maintain the indoor air in a comfortable condition for healthy breathing. Dry air is most damaging to the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract. Dry air dries out the mucous membranes, thereby depriving them of their natural protection from harmful bacteria and viruses; they settle and accumulate inside the respiratory tract and begin to multiply there, this leads to the development of various infections and diseases. Sinusitis, tonsillitis, bronchitis, adenoids, etc. - these respiratory tract diseases are directly related to dry indoor air. Together with the air we inhale, the amount of which increases significantly in dry air. Dust should not penetrate the respiratory tract if the humidity level is normal, but overdried mucous membranes cannot retain it, thereby it penetrates the respiratory system, bringing with it many harmful bacteria. Stuffy nose - common occurrence in people living in a house with dry air, because due to a lack of moisture, sputum does not have the opportunity to liquefy and slide off the mucous membranes, so it begins to accumulate, which ultimately can cause sinusitis, and subsequently, treatment may require surgical intervention.

Damage from dry air: humidification

Harm of Dry Air, often, the problem of panel apartment buildings, especially during heating season, when hot batteries simply destroy all the moisture in the air. To humidify dry air, ventilate the room more often. You can also humidify the air if you place containers of water around the apartment, especially near heating appliances. Some people hang wet towels on radiators; this is also a good way to combat dry air. , such as aloe or ficus, also have a beneficial effect on the air, helping to moisturize and cleanse it of harmful bacteria. But the most reliable, albeit expensive way to get rid of the harm of dry air is to use special air humidifiers, which can now be found in any store selling household appliances, air humidifiers are equipped with sensors that record the degree of air humidification and do not allow the humidity to fall or rise above normal.

Air is useful when it is balanced; the harm of humidity or the harm of dry air is equally dangerous for the health of all family members, so everyone should think about what we breathe.

Dry air from a winter street, heated indoors, like a powerful pump, pumps moisture from everything it comes into contact with, which means it takes moisture away from a person. At low air humidity, water from the skin, mucous membranes of the respiratory tract and eyes actively moves into environment. As a result, the protective moist layer in which beneficial bacteria live and our defenders, antibodies, work, decreases. The skin, mucous membranes, and vessel walls become brittle, bleeding, and vulnerable to infection. Children are especially susceptible to air humidity levels. The skin and mucous membranes of babies are very moist, tender and sensitive. As a result, loss of moisture primarily reduces the protective abilities of the respiratory tract, as a result of which respiratory diseases - rhinitis, bronchitis and even pneumonia - become more frequent.

In addition, dry air contains many different types of pollutants. Dust particles, bacteria, fungi, spores, wool - these are the agents that we fight with wet cleaning. In dry air, the content of these harmful particles is much higher, which also contributes to its harmful effects. Since the listed agents are the worst enemies for many people - allergens, it is obvious that dry air is the enemy of allergy sufferers! That is why, to prevent respiratory diseases and allergic diseases, it is recommended to maintain indoor humidity at least 40, and preferably 50-60%.

The need to humidify the air is obvious for those who want to prevent and delay the appearance of wrinkles. Loss of moisture from the skin is the reason for its aging! Few people know that in an attempt to preserve beauty and youth with the help of protective and moisturizing creams, when using them in conditions of low air humidity, we cause serious harm to the skin! When the relative humidity is insufficient, a moisturizer, instead of attracting moisture from the outside, pulls it from deep within the skin, thereby making it even drier!

In addition, air humidity at 50% is simply the most comfortable. With such humidity, both children and adults feel comfortable; with such humidity, the day passes in activity and vigor, and the night passes in a calm, pleasant sleep.

The air we breathe contains a lot harmful substances: carpet dust, tobacco smoke, pollen, animal hair, dust mites, etc. These substances cause allergies and diseases of the respiratory system.

Consequences:

Headache
Dizziness
Nasal irritation
Nausea
Respiratory diseases
Allergy
Asthma
Pulmonary diseases
Skin irritation

You can turn your apartment into a winter garden by placing dozens of indoor plants in it, and regular watering the moisture they produce may be sufficient to maintain acceptable relative humidity. But taking into account the limited living space in our apartments, as well as due to aesthetic considerations, this method is not very applicable, and it will be much easier to install a small device that will not only increase air humidity and clean it, it will maintain it at a given level Your level.

What types of air humidifiers are there?

The most common types of humidifiers are steam, ultrasonic, traditional (cold steam) humidifiers and air washers.

Steam humidifiers work on the principle of hot evaporation, like a kettle. This is another common way of saturating the air with moisture vapor, while humidification occurs with sterile steam, and all impurities settle at the bottom of the device.

In an ultrasonic humidifier, water from a tank is supplied to an ultrasonic membrane vibrating at a high frequency, where it is split into tiny sprays that “fountain” above the membrane.

The air flow created by the fan delivers the resulting cold steam into the room. With small dimensions, ultrasonic humidifiers have high performance and can be suitable for large rooms.

In air washers, dry air is humidified by passing inside the device through rotating disks, partially immersed in water, from the surface of which moisture naturally evaporates. In this case, dust and dirt settle both on the discs themselves and on the surface of the water, and are easily removed from there during the process of cleaning the humidifier under running water. An important advantage of air washers is the low cost of operation due to the lack of consumables.