Humidity is a little discussed and often under appreciated thing that can have a big effect on all of us.
What is Humidity
Put simply, humidity is moisture in the air. It is broken down into 2 elements:
- Absolute Humidity
- Relative Humidity
Absolute Humidity
Absolute humidity is the volume of water the air currently holds, such as 1 cup of water suspended in 1 cubic yard of air. This term has limited use compared to Relative Humidity.
Relative Humidity
Relative Humidity is the percentage of holding capacity of the air that is used. Thus if the air can hold 5 cups of water in a cubic yard but only holds 2 cups of water it is at 40% (2 is 40% of 5.) Relative humidity is far more common and important than Absolute humidity because the effects of humidity are much more closely tied to it’s Relative level than it’s Absolute level.
How Humidity works
Water by nature will try to even itself out, so any situation where you have a high and a low concentration of water together they will even out to form 2 equal concentrations. If you have a full glass of water (high concentration) and an empty glass (low concentration) with a way for the water to travel between the 2 glasses then the water will flow from the full glass into the empty one until both glasses are even. More relevant to the topic, we can take the examples of a high amount of moisture in the air and a low concentration of it in a object (lets say a wooden chair). The high concentration of moisture in the air will slowly seep into the wood of the chair. If we reverse it then the moisture will move from the chair out into the air.
This is the point where Relative Humidity stands above Absolute humidity. Let us return to the glass analogy and run through a few variations on it. I would point out that while I am using glasses as a visual representation, the analogy can apply to any situation dealing with 2 water levels. Also, I will be dealing with 2 numbers in the analogy. A percent which corresponds to Relative Humidity, and an absolute volume (done in Cubic mililiters) which corresponds to Absolute Humidity. Dont forget, we have the glasses connected, lets just say there is a little tube that goes from the bottom of one glass to the other so that water can flow between them. Also, though the water moves, the total volume between the 2 glasses should remain the same from the beginning to the end of each example (unless I screw up on my math.)
In the first variation our water glasses will be the same. I will say 100 mm high since I can exchange the mm with a percent, and both glasses will have an area of 10mm2 for a capacity of 1,000mm3 of water. Now we need some water. We will fill Glass A up to 100% (1,000mm3) and leave Glass B totally empty. We let the water flow between glasses and we end up with both Glass A and Glass B at 50% (500mm3).
For our next variation we will make the glasses be 2 different sizes. The height will stay at 100mm, but glass A will have 50 mm2 of area for a 5,000mm3 volume, and glass B will have a 200mm2 area for a 20,000mm3 volume. Now we fill Glass A to 50% (2,500mm3) and Glass B will have 75% (15,000mm3). After the water evens out we end up with Glass A at 3,500mm3 of water, and Glass B at 14,000mm3 of water, and both are at 70%. This illustration shows how different capacities affect the change in percentages, Glass B gave 2,000mm3 to Glass A, but while Glass B only lost 10% of its capacity, Glass A gained 40%!
For the third example I will change the area of Glass B from 200mm2 to 600mm2 (this represents a change in air temperature for humidity). Glass A is still 50mm2 at 50% (2,500mm3). Glass B again has 15,000mm3 of water, but because of the change in area it now has a capacity of 60,000mm3 and only 25% of it is used. Now, our results for this one are not quite as clean as the others, but we end up balancing out at approximately 27% (The actual number is around 26.94 I believe. Rounding up to 27 means we will be off by a few mm3 but it is still more than close enough for the example.) for 1350mm3 in Glass A and 16200mm3 in Glass B.
To understand the significance of Variation 3, you need to compare it against Variation 2. Both variations have the same starting conditions for Glass A. Also, both variations have the same volume of water (absolute humidity) for Glass B. But because we changed the size of Glass B between the variations our Percent (Relative humidity) changed from 75% to 25%, and instead of Glass A gaining water, it lost it. This is why it is important to know the Relative humidity rather than the Absolute humidity. Going just by the Absolute humidity you would think that the results from both Variation 2 and Variation 3 would have been the same, but looking at the Relative Humidity you can tell that they will be totally different.
Most people realize that humidity levels can affect the overall health of your family or employees. Those who suffer from allergies will see a spike in their attacks and symptoms after spending time in an area with low humidity levels. It can also affect how quickly a person gets over an illness like the flu or a cold. Anything you can do to help keep your family healthier is well worth the investment.
In addition to improving the health in your home or business, a system for managing humidity can also improve the air quality overall. Without enough humidity in the air, the skin can become dry and cracked. This can lead to itching and other uncomfortable sensations. By making sure that the home is kept within a certain range of humidity, you can minimize these issues in your home or business.
Most people don’t realize that humidity control systems can even reduce the energy consumption in the home. During cold months, people who have dry skin and itchy eyes often feel as though they are colder than they actually are. By regulating the humidity, the people in your home or business will feel warmer and will have less of a need to use the heater in your home. This can add up to a 4% savings on energy each month, which can certainly add up over the course of the year.
Once you decide to do something about the humidity in your home or business you will want to purchase your system from the right company. There are many companies out there that will provide the type of products you need. However, be sure to look for one that has the experience to make sure you’re getting what you need for your home or business. Look for companies like www.smartfog.com that can provide a quality product and the customer service you need.
Of course price is always a consideration when purchasing anything for your home or business, and humidity control systems are no exception. Be sure that you’re focusing on the value of the system you choose and not just the cost. The best value over time will not necessarily be the product with the lowest price tag, but the one that gives you the most for your money.
You can see how important it is to regulate the humidity in your home or business. It can help keep everyone healthy, keep everyone comfortable and even reduce heating costs in the winter. Just be sure you’re shopping for the system with the most value and are purchasing it from a company who has the experience to help you make the right choices.
Most people realize that humidity levels can affect the overall health of your family or employees. Those who suffer from allergies will see a spike in their attacks and symptoms after spending time in an area with low humidity levels. It can also affect how quickly a person gets over an illness like the flu or a cold. Anything you can do to help keep your family healthier is well worth the investment.
In addition to improving the health in your home or business, a system for managing humidity can also improve the air quality overall. Without enough humidity in the air, the skin can become dry and cracked. This can lead to itching and other uncomfortable sensations. By making sure that the home is kept within a certain range of humidity, you can minimize these issues in your home or business.
Most people don’t realize that humidity control systems can even reduce the energy consumption in the home. During cold months, people who have dry skin and itchy eyes often feel as though they are colder than they actually are. By regulating the humidity, the people in your home or business will feel warmer and will have less of a need to use the heater in your home. This can add up to a 4% savings on energy each month, which can certainly add up over the course of the year.
Once you decide to do something about the humidity in your home or business you will want to purchase your system from the right company. There are many companies out there that will provide the type of products you need. However, be sure to look for one that has the experience to make sure you’re getting what you need for your home or business. Look for companies like www.smartfog.com that can provide a quality product and the customer service you need.
Of course price is always a consideration when purchasing anything for your home or business, and humidity control systems are no exception. Be sure that you’re focusing on the value of the system you choose and not just the cost. The best value over time will not necessarily be the product with the lowest price tag, but the one that gives you the most for your money.
You can see how important it is to regulate the humidity in your home or business. It can help keep everyone healthy, keep everyone comfortable and even reduce heating costs in the winter. Just be sure you’re shopping for the system with the most value and are purchasing it from a company who has the experience to help you make the right choices.