Mummification

This Christmas one of my wife's uncles gave us an enormous wall clock. By enormous, I mean human torso sized. In addition to telling time, this clock also tracks the temperature and relative humidity.

Humidity is not something that is normally on my mind. However, as the winter has progressed and we've used our heat more, I've watched in dismay as cracks between runs of beadboard have gapped open. Kitchen cabinets which fit snuggly together this summer likewise have large gaps between them. The Devil Queen has been groaning and popping as well.

Another problem is that everyone's sinuses have been bothering them too. Maybe we've finally developed an allergic reaction to old homes? Possibly, but I think that the humidity level is the real culprit.

So, since Christmas, I've been watching the clock's hydrometer with morbid interest. Heavy rain drives the reading up into the 60% range. A couple days later it drops down into the 40% range. And, for the last month or so it has been hovering in the mid-20% to low-30% range.

According to some research I've done, this is an unhealthy level of humidity for people and old homes. I found this at the Liverpool Museum's website:

"Central heating can frequently cause the atmosphere to 'dry out'. Whilst in a damp building this may not be such a bad thing, in a normal building when heat 'dries out' the atmosphere it can cause the relative humidity to drop, sometimes as low as 20 - 30%. When the relative humidity is this low for a length of time, not only is it not very good for human beings, it can also cause serious damage to certain types of objects - organic materials such as wood and textiles can become brittle or shrink and develop cracks or splits. Natural glues holding objects together can also dry out. When these types of damage happen it can sometimes lead to an object breaking or falling apart completely. There are some objects however, such as metalwork that actually fair better in a lower humidity than a higher one."

And (sorry, can't remember where this one came from):

"When people complain of irritated throats, itchy or chapped skin or blocked noses, they may be living in a home with an insufficient amount of humidity. These symptoms are not synonymous with low humidity, however. Other factors such as poor air filtration, toxic gases, mould or dust mite allergens can also lead to these symptoms.

To verify if low humidity is a problem in your home, it is recommended that you buy a humidity gauge. If humidity is less than 30-35%, it tends to dry out body fluids in the upper and lower airways, moisture that is needed to filter air particles we breathe. You will need to purchase either a humidifier that attaches to a central ventilation system or strategically place portable units."

So, until you are finally a crisp, brittle Peruvian mummy, you will suffer chronic sinus discomfort as your house and personal possessions crumble. That is unless you buy a humidifier which I did last weekend. We put it in the master bedroom since that is where the whole family sleeps for the moment.

And, the result? Not bad, everyone slept better and our noses were less congested. I haven't been home much for the last week, but, if I ever make it back there, we may get a second one for the living room & dining room. Then, maybe all of our woodwork will quit shrinking.

Another strategy for controlling your interior humidity is having indoor plants. Apparently they contribute moisture to the atmosphere and they also filter out pollutants like carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, and other nasties. The best plants for this can be found here. I think we'll be buying some soon.

The weirdest part is I can't believe that I'm complaining about low humidity in Arkansas, average summer humidity runs at 60-80%+.