Excessive humidity inside a home can ruin the comfort level, creating a “sticky” feeling in the home. Also, it can result in the formation of mold and mildews.
Mold can make the air quality inside your home poor. The poor air quality can cause asthma and other respiratory ailments and harm wood flooring, wall panels, and even the structure of your home.
Only a few people know that keeping their homes at ideal humidity levels can help prevent the spread of bacteria and viruses. In a study published in Science Daily, researchers found that “a relative humidity of 40% to 60% could decrease the spread of the viruses and their absorption through the nasal mucosa membrane.
Humidity levels of 5 to 10 percent can cause pain in our bodies. Many people may suffer from dry skin and sinus problems when the relative humidity drops below 5%.
The wood in the home can quickly dry up due to low humidity levels, resulting in warping and splitting. As a result of this issue, air leaks can adversely affect the frame of your house.
How can you tell if your home is at the right humidity level? Most architecture and healthcare specialists consider relative humidity levels of 30 to 50 percent appropriate for indoor spaces. When it comes to determining if your home’s humidity levels are too high, you don’t have to wait until you see mildew forming on your baseboards. With humidity sensors, homeowners can easily measure their home’s relative humidity and take practical steps to improve or decrease it. To better understand humidity sensors, read on to learn how they operate when to use one and what kinds of sensors are available.
Reasons For Humidity In Our Homes
The overall amount of water vapor in the air can be affected by several things we use daily. Moisture is released when we use a laundry dryer to dry our garments. Let’s say the dryer or the laundry area doesn’t have enough ventilation, then the home’s humidity levels could rise. Similarly, in the cooler months of the year, a long, hot shower, a busy kitchen, gas heaters, and inadequate ventilation in the home can also lead to excessive humidity levels.
What Is A Humidity Detection System?
Hygrometers (also known as humidity sensors) are devices used to monitor atmospheric moisture levels. Homeowners may now purchase more compact humidity sensors, which can provide you with a daily weather forecast. With these devices, you can measure the temperature and relative humidity. These devices are often sold as “temperature and humidity sensors.” But it’s good to go with a smart thermostat because it can monitor the humidity and outside temperature level, and then it automatically maintains the inside temperature.
But where to place your humidity sensor? In many cases, a humidity sensor is positioned adjacent to the thermostat. However, you should make sure that it is placed in a neutral location of your home where the measured humidity level is not affected by external sources. This is because sometimes wind, condensation on windows, and other factors can fool the humidity sensors.
If you’re concerned about the quantity of moisture building up in your laundry room, you may consider installing a humidity sensor in the area. It is possible to identify areas of excessive humidity in a home with the help of humidity sensors and then take steps to improve or reduce it through adequate ventilation.
Humidity Sensors: What To Consider When Buying One?
Humidity sensors are essential in the medical, HVAC, automotive, and food manufacturing industries. Having a working humidity sensor is necessary for any industrial facility that needs a controlled environment. It’s critical to select the best sensor for the job when maintaining or reducing humidity levels for safety, environmental control, functionality, or personal comfort.
A Guide to Humidity Sensor Selection
When selecting a humidity sensor, it is essential to know what questions to ask in order to ensure that your equipment will work properly and last long. Finding out your spending limit and determining your specific requirements is the first step to choosing the best humidity denser or smart thermostat. The following are some things to keep in mind when making this decision:
- Size, precision, and interchangeability
- Stability over the long haul is essential
- Repeatability requirements
- The sensor must be able to withstand any chemicals or pollutants it is likely to come into contact with
It’s also critical to know what kinds of humidity sensors are available in the market so you can make an informed decision.
- Resistive humidity sensors
These humidity sensors measure a change in electricity that a conductive substance can cause. Relative humidity can be measured using these devices, which employ electrodes and an AC excitation voltage to do so.
- Thermal conductivity humidity sensors
These humidity sensors measure absolute humidity. They achieve this by comparing the conductivity of dry air to air containing water vapor and determining the difference. Using thermistor elements, these sensors create a bridge circuit and measure the difference in resistance.
How To Choose The Best Humidity Sensor?
By choosing the best humidity sensors, you can save more and get better benefits. Here are some things which you should consider before purchasing a humidity sensor.
- Accuracy: The first thing to consider is the degree of precision required. The more precise the sensor is, the more expensive it will be.
- Interchangeability: The sensor’s interchangeability, which might create vibration and increase the cost of calibration, can also impact the price.
- Condensation: Condensation-resistant filters may be necessary if there is any condensation.
- Packaging: If you choose a single sensor that measures both humidity and temperature, you can save money on the package. Choose a smart thermostat that can perform both jobs.
- Power: Changes in electricity use will impact long-term expenditures. So, choose a smart thermostat that consumes less energy so that you can save more.
Wrapping Up!
Maintaining the right humidity level inside the home is very important to prevent diseases and viruses and the formation of mold and mildew. A humidity sensor can help you know the humidity inside your home so that you can take the necessary steps. It will be good if you choose a smart thermostat that can measure the temperature and humidity inside your house and maintain a comfortable environment.