Energy Saver News; WattBusters - Winter Static

I don't need a groundhog to tell me that it's still winter. I keep waking up to new blankets of snow and my natural gas bills look like they are for two months instead of one. What's with that? I caulked, sealed the cracks underneath my doors and generally try to keep my thermostat down.

One thing I hadn't given much thought to this season is the lack of humidity in my house. The first giveaway that something wasn't quite right is major static-electricity.

It seems like everything has ganged up on me. Doorknobs, light switches, wife, computer, you get the picture. Even those fresh-smell, dryer sheets that are supposed to stop static, stick to me.

Humidity is simply vaporized water in the air. Your breath contains hundreds of droplets of invisible water vapor. You can see them when you breathe on a pair of cold glasses.

When the temperature outside falls, your furnace runs more. In extreme cold conditions, your home humidity level can drop as low as 10 percent. By comparison, the Sahara Desert has an average relative humidity of 25 percent. When you consider that people generally are most comfortable when the relative humidity is approximately 40 percent, you can see how dry indoor air can take a toll on your family. Low humidity causes static electricity, dry skin and hair, and itching and chapping. Mucous membranes in nose and throat dry out, increasing your discomfort and susceptibility to colds and respiratory illness. With low humidity levels, body moisture evaporates so quickly that you feel chilled even at higher thermostat settings.

Your home suffers, too. Low humidity can cause havoc with woodwork and furniture. You'll notice shrinkage, hardwood floor separation and warping, your piano will go out of tune, wallpaper peels at the edges, drawers loosen and molding gaps start to appear. When people say your home is a reflection of yourself, are they inferring that you're shrinking, drying out and generally falling apart? If that's the case, we'd better fix it.

Installing a whole-house humidifier is the way to go if you have the money but there are many portable models from around $75 that will last a long time. Humidifiers come in different varieties such as Warm Mist, Cool Mist, Ultraviolet and Ultrasonic. You can get 'bells and whistles' but keep in mind that your main concern is to humidify the air.

If you can't pick up a humidifier, don't despair. A kettle of water simmering on the stove can add moisture to the air. Here's one of my favorite humidifying tips. Create a hearty stew or soup in a slow-cooking crockpot. Let it cook all day to add humidity, a great aroma and eventually, yummy calories. Munch down in comfort and enjoy the last of winter. It doesn't matter what a rodent predicts. Spring is coming, eventually.

How to Gauge Indoor Humidity

Drop three ice cubes into a glass, add water and stir. Wait three minutes. If moisture does not form on the outside of the glass, the air is too dry; you may need a humidifier. (Don't perform this test in the kitchen, because cooking vapors may produce inaccurate results.)
Frequent fogging of windows may indicate too much humidity. The appropriate relative humidity will allow only slight condensation along the lower edges or corners of windows. More condensation could be damaging.
Moisture buildup or mold on closet walls or room ceilings and walls indicates high humidity.