Summer comes as a relief to many. The humid conditions offer a break from the dry winter air, scaly skin, and associated respiratory illnesses. Yet, with summer comes concern for humidifiers.
But, should you run a humidifier in summer?
It may seem counterintuitive to keep your humidifier running. Because why would you want extra humidity in an already humid season?
A humidifier is as essential in summer as in winter. Since you spend 93% of your time indoors, you will need a humidifier to keep you healthy and comfortable even though you may not need to use it as frequently as in winter.
Learn more about why you shouldn’t shelve the little appliance just yet.
Indoor Humidity in Summer
Do you know your indoor air can be dry during summer? Even though the air outside seems dense with moisture, it doesn’t necessarily mean your indoors are humid.
An air conditioner is an appliance that rarely shuts down since we need safe and ambient temperature air. However, a split system dries out the air. The working principle of your AC is to draw in air, cool it through evaporator and condenser coils, and then resupply it as cool, dry air.
HVAC systems usually run round the clock; therefore, the air can be drier than in other months. The result is the winter effect all over again. You would aggravate your sinuses, get scaly skin, and sometimes headaches.
To counter the unintentional ill effect of your AC, keep the humidifier running. But you don’t need to keep it on constantly. We’ll elaborate on the ideal situations and summer months to keep your humidifier on.
Benefits of a Humidifier in Summer
You know your building’s relative humidity to the outdoors can be very low during summer. Still, you may ask, “Do I need a humidifier in summer?”
A humidifier improves indoor humidity and confers many other health and environmental benefits. Here are some reasons why you should keep your humidifier running during summer:
Remedies Allergies
Unfortunately, summer isn’t all beaches, ice cream, and skinny dipping. The air is dense with pollen during summer, especially when the count is highest in March. Also, humid conditions form a conducive environment for mold and mites to breed.
Even though the indoor humidity level is low with ac running, these contaminants can get into your room from outside and get into your body when you go outside.
Mold, mites, and pollen grains are allergens that could trigger adverse reactions. Humidifiers keep your indoor air at 45%, ideal for fighting symptoms without boosting mold growth. When your nasal tissues are moistened, they can help to blow out allergens from the nasal cavity, alleviating your conditions.
Note that you should control the running time of the humidifier to prevent it from making the air overhumidified.
Improves Air Quality in the Office
According to a publication by the National Library of Medicine, office absenteeism due to low-quality air costs organizations $480 per worker annually in lost productivity.
Note: Sick office syndrome is the name of the disoriented feeling you get when the air quality in your office is low. Energy-efficient or “green” offices usually report more cases of sick office syndrome than open offices.
Indoor air pollution in energy-efficient workspaces is the culprit of low-quality air. Humidifiers counter this by supplying humid air for a safe working space. Consider installing a small working space humidifier to solve office humidity issues. Of course, using an air purifier with a humidifier together can maximize the effect.
Improves Comfort
Your home is a haven for peace, tranquility, and relaxation. So when summer comes calling with high temperatures and low indoor humidity, you need a hero by the name humidifier. A humidifier keeps the humidity levels optimal, which contributes to your comfort.
Running your humidifier at night helps you get a good night’s sleep. Low humidity during summer causes dry throat and dry skin that can irritate you when you sleep. For a restful night, install a high-quality humidifier.
Cools You Down
Concurrently running your humidifier and the AC creates the ultimate excellent effect. When the air is humid, you can switch up the AC’s temperature and save yourself some cash. That’s a win-win situation for you right there.
protect your home
Too low and too high humidity causes furniture, drywalls, and your prized possessions to warp and crack. Humidifiers maintain optimal humidity levels to keep your home’s aesthetic intact.
Skin and Hair Benefits
Humidifiers clean your pores and hydrate your skin, keeping it looking young. Scaly and curly hair is typical during summer, which humidifiers combat.
Humidifiers are also great for improving your hair’s softness, shine, and strength because humidifiers will balance out the humidity in your home.
The effect of balanced humidity is that your hair will be less prone to drying out or frizzing, which will give your hair care routine a nice boost on the base level.
How To Set Up Your Humidifier During Summer?
You need to get the setup right after purchasing a quality humidifier (cool mist ultrasonic humidifier). You can have an expert setup and recommend adjustments during summer.
Ideally, you want to turn off or keep your humidifier settings low during the peak summer months (July and August). Also, tone down the humidifier for a good night’s sleep.
It can be tricky to get the perfect setting. One way to do it is to employ an easy-to-use system called the “three vent rule,” which is as follows:
- Place your finger over the vent for three seconds and check.
- If your fingers are sweaty, then you need to lower the setting. If they are dry, then tone it up.
- Finally, move three meters away from the humidifier – if you feel the breeze, you are clear.
You should always keep your humidifier in a safe spot in your kids’ bedroom. Toddlers can get curious about the electrical plugs and water reservoirs, a combination for impending disaster.
Should I turn off my humidifier in the summer?
This may seem a bit controversial to what we discussed earlier, but you should turn off the humidifier in summer under some circumstances.
For instance, when you don’t use AC and you feel the air is already clammy, then you should stop using a humidifier. Instead, you should use a dehumidifier. In some areas, the humidity at different time varies a lot, so you may only need to use it in the morning or at night.
Or when you AC is overload and can’t function well, you should turn off the humidifier to see if the humidifier is the culprit and find another work around.
Final Thoughts
Can you run a humidifier in the summer? Yes. But don’t keep it on all the time. The sweet spot in keeping your utility bills low and comfort high during summer is buying the correct humidifier and applying the relevant settings.
We understand the importance of air quality and want you to have a fantastic summer. Don’t forget to check your hydrometer or get an unit with a built-in humidistat so the indoor humidity level is always in the proper range.
