Humidity

MargaretR · 11-07-2012, 08:26

This wet summer affects physical health as well as your mood.

I rarely go out but rain and temperature outdoors still affect me. I open windows often to let the outdoor air in.

The humidity that warmth and wetness combined create, is like breathing pea soup.

I noticed that when humidity is high it is harder to breathe and saps my energy.

I began watching the weather forcasted humidity levels daily. Recently there has been humidity at over 90% consistently for days on end without a break. Some days it hit 100%.

I began looking up (on the web, of course

) how this affects health, and was surprised to find how much it can.

If you haven't got black mould anywhere in your home you may think that there is no need to monitor indoor air humidity, but for persons with any respiratory problem, regulating indoor air humidity can improve quality of life.

Interestingly this researching introduced me to the life of dust mites.

Like us, their bodies have have high percentage of water. They don't drink - they absorb water from the humidity of the air. Reducing humidity culls (but doesn't eliminate) the dust mite population.

Airborne mould spores are always present too, even if they aren't colonising your walls. They also thrive on high humidity.

Some furniture and carpets 'outgas' chemicals used in their manufacture for quite a while, until the newness wears off. The rate of 'outgassing' increases in high humidity.

So people with asthma and respiratory allergies can be more comfortable if they monitor and control indoor humidity. I bought a hygrometer and have installed two dehumidifiers in the last few days and am surprised by the quantity of water they have collected, and how much easier breathing is.

MargaretR · 11-07-2012, 08:37

PS -
http://www.cbe.berkeley.edu/research...an1996_Pt2.pdf

Less · 11-07-2012, 08:45

What a strong constitution you must have to put up with so many ailments and allergies, you must bless your parents for giving you an extremely powerful survival gene.

jaysay · 11-07-2012, 08:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by MargaretR

This wet summer affects physical health as well as your mood.

I rarely go out but rain and temperature outdoors still affect me. I open windows often to let the outdoor air in.

The humidity that warmth and wetness combined create, is like breathing pea soup.

I noticed that when humidity is high it is harder to breathe and saps my energy.

I began watching the weather forcasted humidity levels daily. Recently there has been humidity at over 90% consistently for days on end without a break. Some days it hit 100%.

I began looking up (on the web, of course

) how this affects health, and was surprised to find how much it can.

If you haven't got black mould anywhere in your home you may think that there is no need to monitor indoor air humidity, but for persons with any respiratory problem, regulating indoor air humidity can improve quality of life.

Interestingly this researching introduced me to the life of dust mites.

Like us, their bodies have have high percentage of water. They don't drink - they absorb water from the humidity of the air. Reducing humidity culls (but doesn't eliminate) the dust mite population.

Airborne mould spores are always present too, even if they aren't colonising your walls. They also thrive on high humidity.

Some furniture and carpets 'outgas' chemicals used in their manufacture for quite a while, until the newness wears off. The rate of 'outgassing' increases in high humidity.

So people with asthma and respiratory allergies can be more comfortable if they monitor and control indoor humidity. I bought a hygrometer and have installed two dehumidifiers in the last few days and am surprised by the quantity of water they have collected, and how much easier breathing is.

At one time I used dehumidifier, Margaret and it did help somewhat, but now I'm on oxygen 24/7 it has little or no effect, I have very few allergies, grass, dust mite, dogs, cats, have never troubled me, but Sea Food and tree pollen do, especially sea food

MargaretR · 11-07-2012, 08:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Less

What a strong constitution you must have to put up with so many ailments and allergies, you must bless your parents for giving you an extremely powerful survival gene.

Nowt to do with genes - just 69 years of pollution (and before you say it - yes -smoking has been a factor)

I recall the days before the Clean Air Act when mum wiped soot smuts off my face with spit on a hanky.

jaysay · 11-07-2012, 08:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by MargaretR

Nowt to do with genes - just 69 years of pollution (and before you say it - yes -smoking has been a factor)

I recall the days before the Clean Air Act when mum wiped soot smuts off my face with spit on a hanky.

Ah thats where all your problems started

Less · 11-07-2012, 08:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by MargaretR

I recall the days before the Clean Air Act when mum wiped soot smuts off my face with spit on a hanky.

Ah yes, the wonderous immunity passed on from generation to generation, just by a Mother spitting onto a hanky.

MargaretR · 11-07-2012, 09:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Less

Ah yes, the wonderous immunity passed on from generation to generation, just by a Mother spitting onto a hanky.

Both my parents lived until their very late 80s, and no doubt they got a fair share of spit too

Even after the visible pollution (soot) decreased the invisible pollution rapidly increased as the petrochemical industry developed the whole range of plastics etc.

annesingleton · 11-07-2012, 18:19

When we were on holiday in Malta recently I found the humidity unbearable, even the locals were complaining about it. Since being home I haven't noticed it at all, although everyone has been remarking how humid it has been - I must have acclimatised to it - but I don't think I'd ever get used to how bad it was in Malta!

mobertol · 14-07-2012, 13:28

We had 34.4 °C yesterday with 90% humidity - hard going believe me! We have a computerised system which monitors air speed, temps, humidity etc. in order to regulate the conditions for the cows on the farm. They are better off than us poor humans. They have a system of sprinklers and fans -the temp. in the barn for them was down to 27 °C by contrast with outside yesterday. We still get a lot of cases of pneumonia among them though in the summer.

I suffer from asthma and at this time of year have to inhale 3 times what I need in spring - doing anything is a real effort when it's like this -you have to get up early and do things when it's cooler, rest in the afternoon and live a bit later in the evening!

MargaretR · 21-08-2012, 20:57

I have been having a battle with air quality for over a week now.
I got myself a couple of dehumidifiers.

They have both been extracting 2 litres of water a day,
but as they do, they generate heat, so I have needed to get my big mobile aircon machine out of my storeroom to struggle to get temperature below 25C.

The aircon machine needs to have an outside vent (a flexible pipe similar to a clothes dryer pipe), so I have to open a window to position that pipe so it protrudes outside.

The opening of a window lets the humidity back in, so it is just a choice between heat and humidity, neither is comfortable.

The noise of these machines running is driving me scatty.

I long for a cool low humidity autumn.

jaysay · 22-08-2012, 08:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by MargaretR

I have been having a battle with air quality for over a week now.
I got myself a couple of dehumidifiers.

They have both been extracting 2 litres of water a day,
but as they do, they generate heat, so I have needed to get my big mobile air con machine out of my storeroom to struggle to get temperature below 25C.

The aircon machine needs to have an outside vent (a flexible pipe similar to a clothes dryer pipe), so I have to open a window to position that pipe so it protrudes outside.

The opening of a window lets the humidity back in, so it is just a choice between heat and humidity, neither is comfortable.

The noise of these machines running is driving me scatty.

I long for a cool low humidity autumn.

I have a similar noise problem with my oxygen machine Margaret, its 24/7 and it generates a hell of a lot of heat, somehow you get used to the noise, but being right next to my bed, (its the only practical place for it) it down have get warm in bed at night