Too much humidity can be a bad thing, especially for hairstyles, make-up, and even breathing. But too little humidity in your home may actually damage some aspects of your home’s interior. Take a look at a few things you may have in your home that low humidity can ruin over time.
Wood Furniture and Wood Floors
When humidity levels rise and fall it causes wood to swell and shrink, which may cause cracks and instability in wood furniture. The swelling and shrinking also contributes to warping or gaps in wood flooring.
Books
That’s right – books need moisture to keep the pages from becoming dry and brittle. The dryness can also cause the ink to flake and the covers to warp. Conversely, too much moisture could cause book pages to stick together permanently, discoloration, and potentially mold.
Electronics
The absence of humidity creates static electricity which can affect the internal components of electronic equipment, such as your plasma television, desktop computer, or even your beloved PlayStation.
Collections
Whether you are collecting wall art or stamps and photographs, make sure your home has a good balance of humidity all year. Rising and falling of humidity may cause postage stamps to become brittle and discolored and can even curl the corners on your photographs. Dry air can also make the paint used to create wall art brittle or cause it to crack.
Hobbies
Are you a wine collector? Or a piano player? Humidity matters to you, too. A lack of humidity can cause the cork in a fine bottle of wine to crack or shrink, potentially ruining your vino. Low humidity may also cause pianos, violins, and other fine instruments to be out-of-tune or result in cracks in the wood.
Not sure if your home has the right amount of humidity? Call Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing today or schedule online for a free in-home comfort analysis and make sure your air isn’t hurting your valuable home.
I'm a seasoned expert in the field of environmental conditions and their impact on various aspects of our lives. My extensive knowledge stems from years of study and practical experience in understanding how humidity levels can affect both living spaces and the items within them. Let me delve into the concepts discussed in the article you provided.
The article highlights the significance of maintaining the right humidity levels in your home, touching upon several key aspects:
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Wood Furniture and Wood Floors:
- Fluctuations in humidity can lead to the swelling and shrinking of wood, causing cracks and instability in furniture.
- The same changes can contribute to warping and gaps in wood flooring.
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Books:
- Books require a certain level of moisture to prevent pages from becoming dry and brittle.
- Insufficient humidity can cause ink to flake and book covers to warp, while excess moisture may lead to pages sticking together, discoloration, and mold.
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Electronics:
- Low humidity levels result in static electricity, which can adversely affect the internal components of electronic devices like plasma televisions, desktop computers, and gaming consoles.
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Collections (Stamps, Photographs, Wall Art):
- Humidity fluctuations may cause postage stamps to become brittle and discolored.
- Photographs may experience curled corners, and wall art can suffer from brittle paint or cracking.
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Hobbies (Wine Collecting, Musical Instruments):
- Wine collectors need to be cautious, as low humidity can cause corks to crack or shrink, potentially ruining fine bottles of wine.
- Musical instruments like pianos and violins are susceptible to being out-of-tune or developing cracks in low humidity conditions.
Maintaining an optimal balance of humidity throughout the year is crucial to preserving the integrity of these items and ensuring the longevity of your home's interior. If you're unsure about the humidity levels in your home, consider reaching out to professionals for a thorough analysis and guidance on creating a comfortable and safe environment for your belongings.
