The ideal indoor humidity level for a house generally ranges between 40% and 60%. This range is considered optimal for comfort, health, and maintaining good indoor air quality. It helps prevent respiratory issues, allergies, and the growth of mold and dust mites, which thrive outside this range
. More specifically:
- For most people, maintaining humidity around 40% to 50% is comfortable and discourages mold growth
- In colder outdoor temperatures, the recommended indoor humidity should be lower to avoid condensation and potential damage, for example:
- Below 50°F outdoors, keep indoor humidity under 50%
- Between 20°F and 50°F outdoors, keep it under 40%
- And it decreases further as outdoor temperatures drop, down to about 15% indoor humidity when it is extremely cold (below -20°F)
Keeping humidity too low (below 30-40%) can cause dry skin, irritation, and respiratory discomfort, while too high (above 60%) can promote mold, dust mites, and bacteria growth
. In summary, aim for about 40-60% relative humidity indoors, adjusting lower during cold weather to prevent condensation issues. This balance ensures a healthy, comfortable living environment.
