The term humidity refers to the vaporized water existent in the air surrounding us. We commonly hear of relative humidity i.e. the percentage of water vapor measured in the air at a specific temperature. Absolute humidity is the total mass of water vapor in particular volume of air at a given time. It is a well-understood fact that warm air can hold greater quantity of water vapor than cold air. Since air conditioner and heater both alter the air temperature, the humidity level indoors changes significantly with their use.

Humidity Levels And Comfort

The relative humidity level for comfortable condition of the human body is between 20 and 60 percent. For home environment an average 35 to 40 percent relative humidity is optimum given an outside temperature of 20 F or more. But during winter, water vapors on windows and inside of walls occur, raising the humidity level inside. This may cause damage to the structures. In such a case, you need to adjust both your air conditioner and heater to lower degrees. The air conditioner lowers the temperature, which induces condensation on the inner sides of windowpanes. A heater, on the other hand, speeds up the process of evaporation from moisture contained in household items. However, running a patio heater in times of higher humidity inside can counter the problem to some degrees. With air conditioner and heater units, using a humidifier is the best option.

The most obvious signs of discomfort caused by low humidity levels indoors are dry nose and throat, itching, dryness of skin and hair, and irritation of the respiratory tract. To increase the humidity level, instead of an air conditioner and heater, you can use a humidifier. The increase can be brought about in three ways. First, by evaporating more water inside. Here you can use your heater to speed up the process. Take care not to set the heating level too high or you can possibly harm both your health and the indoor plants. The second way is to let air circulate through your room from a wet pad or by discharging a very fine mist of water into your room. For this, you have to add water manually on a regular basis until the desired level of comfort is attained. The third method employs direct introduction of moisture into the room, by means of a furnace.

While using air conditioner and heater for regulating temperature indoor, always use a humidity control unit so as to prevent the levels of humidity from going too high or too low and cause possible health problems as well as structural damage.

Honeywell HZ-315 Quick Heat Ceramic Heater

Honeywell HZ-315 Quick Heat Ceramic Heater Features: Quick Heat Heats you warmer, faster! Adjustable thermostat maintains desired temperature. Power light. Triple safety protection above and beyond industry standards. 3 auto-off systems for added safety. Wattage: 1500 Watts, High. Speeds: One heat setting, High. Warranty: 5 year limited warranty.
Customer Review: Great Heater for Office or Bath Room!
I love this heater. I use it all the time at work and it keeps me warm and toasty. I love that it has a dial so that if you get too hot you can turn it down. It heats up super quick and turns itself on and off to keep the right temperature. Its nice and small and has a nice look to it too. I like it so much that I'm buying another one to keep my bathroom warm for when I take showers. Oh, and for the people that say there is no on/off switch, you just turn the dial all the way down to turn it off. The light stays on, but the heater will not come on if you have the dial all the way down. Trust me, I have it plugged in at work all the time.