Indoor Humidity - What is the ideal level for your home?

The humidity level in your home is important for your skin, throat and overall health, but did you know that it is also vital to the health of your home? If the humidity level dips too low, furniture can deteriorate and certain germs will thrive.  What humidity level should you keep in your home for ideal comfort and indoor air quality? 

For optimal comfort and health, studies show that indoor humidity moisture levels should be in the range of 35% to 50%. 

During the winter, the humidity level drops because cold air holds less moisture than warm air. Forced air heating increases dryness because furnaces use combustion to create heat which burns out most of the water vapour from the hot air. To make matters worse, when humidity levels dip the air feels cooler than more humid environments, and we turn up the heat to compensate.

Low humidity causes static electricity, dry skin and hair, increased susceptibility to colds and respiratory illness, and can allow viruses and germs to thrive. Wood floors, furniture and millwork can split and crack. Adding a humidifier to your home can help with these problems. There are three standard methods for adding humidity to your home: 

• Evaporation: Adding moisture to the air is as simple as placing a container of water near a radiator or other air heating system. Leaving wet towels and clothes out to dry is another ways to introduce moisture into the air. This is a very low-tech and low power method, and won't have a big effect on the indoor humidity level. 

• Portable/Room: The most common type of humidifier is a portable one. There are two types: cool mist and warm mist, both of which use a a reservoir to hold water. The pros of portable systems are that they are easy to use, a variety of styles and prices are available, and they can be moved as needed. However, similar to the evaporative method above, control and measure of relative humidity is limited, and the reservoir must be refilled about every 24 hours.

• Whole House: This is the most controllable humidity system. A whole house humidifier is added to a furnace. Vapour is distributed directly into the heated air and circulated throughout the house via the furnace duct system. Humidity levels are controlled via a humidistat, and the method has the greatest humidification capacity and is most consistent.

FIve Savings Tips for Your Heating Bill

You don't have to suffer the cold to save on your heating bill. Try our 5 tips to save on your heating bill, be more energy efficient, and stay cozy and comfortable at the same time. 

1. Use a programmable thermostat. We've talked about thermostats before. Click HERE to read more. Program your thermostat to match your schedule. To maximize savings without sacrificing comfort, program the thermostat to lower the heat by 5ºC or more when you are away from home and save about $180 per year! 
2. Insulate and seal leaks. Use caulk, spray foam and weather striping to insulate against winter heat loss. Check out our tips HERE and HERE. Install a door sweep to seal the gap between the bottom of the door and the frame to stop your warm air from escaping. 
3. Check your system's wire filter every month. If it's dirty, change it. Dirt and neglect are the top causes of heating system failure and a dirty filter makes your furnace work harder, wasting energy. 
4. Use a space heater. Radiant heaters direct exactly where you want it. Warm your immediate surroundings and turn down the temperature on your thermostat to cut your energy usage. 
5. If your system is more than 10 years old, consider replacing it with a newer, more efficient ENERGY STAR certified model. Learn more about energy efficient furnaces HERE. 

Top 3 Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

Last week we covered what your carbon footprint is and how to calculate it. (Read that post here). Today we'll go over our top 3 ways to reduce your carbon footprint.

1. Transportation accounts for a big portion of your  carbon footprint. Try to take the most energy efficient methods of travel whenever possible: biking, walking, or carpooling.
2. Home energy use is the next largest portion of your carbon footprint. Try setting your thermostat at a moderate temperature to lower energy costs. Better yet, install a smart thermostat like the SmartStat. The SmartStat pays attention to how you consume energy while factoring in the size of your home, number of occupants and type of HVAC system you use to maximize your energy efficiency.
3. Choose energy efficient appliances for your home. There are many resources to help you learn more about energy efficient home products. Check the Energy Star in Canada website  or read more about energy efficient home home equipment here. A more energy efficient home will lower your utility bills and reduce the emissions that cause climate change.

What is Your Carbon Footprint?

Our daily activities such as driving back and forth to work, using heat, and the consumption of food and goods causes many polluting gases to be emitted into the atmosphere. For simplicity, these gases are usually referred to in terms of the amount of carbon dioxide produced.

Your carbon footprint is the measure of the total amount of carbon dioxide you produce through these normal daily activities. These harmful emissions contribute to climate change. People concerned about the environment and global warming can try to reduce their carbon footprint by increasing their energy efficiency.

A great way to start is to take stock and calculate your current carbon footprint. Once you know the size of your carbon footprint, you can begin thinking about strategies to reduce or offset it. Just Energy offers a free carbon calculator for individuals, households or companies. Take a look here to find out your carbon footprint: Carbon Calculator.

In our next post, we'll take a look at the top 3 ways to change your habits and reduce your carbon footprint.