ARE YOU GETTING FLAKEY?

Winter is not my favorite season, so it is time to get into my hibernation mode. A few weeks ago the humidifier came in from the garage, although it is still sitting in its box. The furnace comes on occasionally and it will not be long before the air is dry. In the winter....not good. Trying to get just the right humidity level seems like a difficult task every year. So I thought I would do a little reading on humidity and the indoor environment. This was a very informative article as it gives you charts of temps and humidity levels.

To tell if you need humidity in the air a test is to put ice cubes in a room temperature glass of water. If the glass forms sweat beads form on the outside of the glass with in 5-15 minutes, you have enough humidity in the house.

There are allot of ways to get moisture into the air in your house besides running a humidifier.

• Boil water on the stove.
• Open the dishwasher and let the steam come out.
• Leave the bathroom door open when you shower.
• Hang laundry and let it dry (a very cost effective method).
• Water the house plants.
• Put pans of water by the heat registers.
• Hang wet towels and air dry.
• Use a spray bottle of water (add vinegar and you have a deodorizer and disinfectant spray).

Why? It is healthier for you and the house if you have a good level of moisture in the air.

From personal experience, I would not live with out a humidifier of some sort. My skin dries out and I get "flakier" than usual. The furniture dries out will crack or the finishes start to crackle, this also happens to the woodwork. We all need to be "oiled" once in awhile too, but that is another topic I will attempt at another time!