Pacific Sheet Metal Blog

As the weather grows colder, we naturally spend more time indoors. It may seem “safer” to stay inside your house, but if you’re not breathing clean, pure air, it can cause all sorts of serious problems.

Back in 2019 (AKA before COVID), Americans spent 90 percent of their time inside—where pollutants can range from two to five times higher than outdoor concentrations. Just imagine how that percentage has likely risen during this unprecedented time. Since we’re encouraged to stay at home as much as possible, we need to take some extra precautions to stay healthy and prevent the spread of illnesses.

Your indoor air quality is vitally important to your short- and long-term health and wellbeing. Here’s a rundown on how to improve the air quality inside your home or office to help you remove the bad stuff and replace it with fresh, clean air.

Humidity is the amount of water vapor or water molecules in the air. If the humidity level in your home is too high or too low, numerous issues can arise. Keep your indoor air quality in check during the summer, when there's often more humidity in the air, and during the winter, when it can be very dry, so you can breathe and live more comfortably.

Most of us spend the majority of our time indoors…sleeping or hanging out at home, working in the office, shopping, or exercising at the gym. When you think of indoor pollutants and harmful gases, things like mold, radon, smoke, or carbon monoxide probably come to mind. Many of us don’t realize, however, that our homes may be full of other, less obvious contaminants that could also greatly harm our bodies.

When the humidity levels inside your home aren't where they should be, your property and health could be at risk. If the air is too dry, which is our main focus for this blog post, several components throughout your home will be susceptible to damage. If you suspect low humidity levels, you can get a hygrometer to test how much moisture is in the air.

Most describe ideal humidity levels as falling between 40–60%, but some experts believe  35-45% humidity is preferable. Low humidity levels can cause health problems, destroy wooden furniture, and cause musical instruments to go out of tune. If your indoor humidity level falls below 35%, seriously consider investing in a quality whole-home humidifier to keep your family and your property safe.