Normal air humidity at home and in the office: norms and recommendations

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The article examines in detail such a concept as air humidity in an apartment: the norm of this indicator for residential premises for various purposes, prescribed by GOST, the consequences for humans that arise as a result of deviations from the norm in one direction or the other. The text describes alternative methods for measuring moisture levels and instruments designed for this, as well as recommendations for maintaining optimal climatic conditions.

The microclimate in the apartment - temperature and humidity - affects health and well-being.

Types of humidity

The air around us contains water vapor invisible to the eye.
There may be more of them in hot weather and fewer in severe frosts. Humidity shows the content of these water vapors, their specific amount (absolute) or the percentage of molecules from the maximum possible saturation (relative). If we measure the mass of water in one cubic meter of air, we get an absolute value, denoted by the letter ƒ and measured in g/m³. The norm of humidity in an apartment is calculated according to a different principle: it is necessary to divide the actual volume by the maximum possible at a given temperature, this indicator is denoted by the letter φ and measured as a percentage. Suppose we determine that a cubic meter of air surrounding us contains 13 g of water, then f = 13 g/m³. To calculate relative humidity, we need to know the temperature (t), since water vapor saturation increases with increasing heat. At t=+23°C fmax=20.5 g/m³ (this data can be taken from the table below), then φ will be 63% (we divided the real volume by the maximum). Don't like formulas, but want to know if the humidity level in your apartment is normal? Use special devices.

Operating principle

The essence of the network: fresh air flows from the street enter the air ducts, in which they are filtered, cooled/heated and humidified. In the room, the masses are served in the required quantities.

At the same time, contaminated air comes out of each room into which purified air is transferred - as we have already said, in equal volume to balance the pressure. Air exchange is carried out constantly. Supply and exhaust ventilation can be installed in one room or connect several rooms of the house.

Humidity reduction is ensured by the supply of oxygen and the removal of contaminated air mass into the ventilation shaft.

Measuring instruments

Hygrometer. It helps to find out exactly whether the air humidity in the apartment is normal or whether it needs to be increased/lowered. There are many types of hygrometers, differing in accuracy and measurement method. The most commonly used are hair, electronic, and psychrometric.

Climate control system

. Such modern devices allow you to find out not only the percentage of water, but also other parameters. For example, the MagicAir base station additionally provides information on temperature and carbon dioxide levels, and also helps maintain set ideal values ​​by automatically controlling connected climate control equipment. If you don’t want to buy a special device in the store, try traditional methods:

• pay attention to the rate of evaporation of droplets from the walls of a glass or other container removed from the refrigerator. At a high level, after 5 minutes a puddle will form under the bottom; at a low level, the walls will be almost dry;
• watch the fir cone. Bring it home and place it away from heating appliances, flower pots and the stove; if after a week the scales close, there is a lot of moisture; if they open, the house is drier than it should be.

Need for use

When operating in recirculation mode, the breathers will become:

• Neutralize unpleasant odors;
• Ventilate the room, ensure a normal level of humidity;
• Rid the air of particles of synthetic finishes and furniture emissions, pet hair and dust.

Please note: when installing a breather, you do not have to worry about installing a humidifier or dehumidifier. The device will produce streams of purified and humidified/dried air.

The latest generation breathers have at least 3 filters installed:

• Carbon filter

The adsorption-catalytic filter element minimizes the volume of industrial emissions and hazardous gases to normal levels.

• HEPA filter

Capable of retaining even small particles of PM2.5, mold spores, microbes, pollen. The cleaning efficiency of HEPA filters exceeds 95%.

• Coarse filter

It is necessary to ensure that the air entering the room does not contain plant pollen, large and medium particles of dust, wool, and fluff.

You will be offered breathers from trusted manufacturers with turnkey installation. Suitable equipment can be chosen both for a city apartment or office, and for a multi-storey cottage.

• Supply and exhaust ventilation

Tasks that the supply and exhaust system copes with:

• Clean air supply;
• Elimination of exhaust air mass contaminated with harmful substances and unpleasant odors.

Compared to exhaust and supply ventilation, the supply and exhaust system is more efficient and multifunctional.

Indoor humidity standards

You can find out what the air humidity should be in an apartment and office from SanPiN 2.1.3684-21, SanPiN 1.2.3685-21, GOST 30494-2011. Indicators vary depending on the type and purpose of the premises.

The amount of moisture in the air affects our perception of heat and cold - the more there is, the warmer it seems to us. By the way, this is a good way to save on heating in winter. When changing the level from 25 to 50%, we can feel that the temperature has increased by 2 °C.

For apartments

According to GOST 30494-2011, in the warm season in living rooms and bedrooms the optimal level of water vapor is 30–60% (maximum 65%), in the cold - 30–45% (maximum 60%). Such a large difference in the maximum optimal and permissible values ​​in winter is due to the fact that cold air from the street, entering the house with the heaters turned on, heats up and the relative humidity drops significantly, sometimes down to 15–20%. It is difficult for builders and operating organizations to maintain summer air humidity standards in apartments, hence the discrepancy in numbers (the standard was created primarily for them, and not for residents). With a low moisture content (30% and below), most adults notice discomfort: dry skin, sore throat and other unpleasant symptoms; plants begin to dry out and wither.

The World Health Organization recommends keeping the humidity level in living rooms between 40-60%. This is the optimal indicator from the point of view of the well-being of people and pets, the least suitable for the development and reproduction of mold, viruses and bacteria.

GOST does not standardize the level of moisture in the bathroom and kitchen. As a rule, the indicators in them are higher due to natural reasons: in the kitchen as a result of preparing dishes by boiling, boiling and stewing, in the bathroom - after taking a shower or bath. In addition to the standards for people, it is worth observing the recommended parameters for interior items. For example, information about what humidity should be in a room with wooden furniture is indicated in GOST 16371-2014, for which the optimal range is 45–70%.

For children's bedrooms

The body of babies is different from the body of adults; newborns are more susceptible to infectious diseases, freeze and overheat faster. That is why the optimal air humidity in an apartment with a small child is different - the famous pediatrician Evgeniy Komarovsky advises sticking to the numbers 50–70% with an average room temperature of 18–19˚C. The reason is that by inhaling excessively dry air, the baby has to spend his own moisture to moisturize it, and there is little water and salts in his body. If there is a lack of moisture, the mucous membranes dry out, making it more difficult for them to resist infections; in addition, crusts in the nose may cause problems with breastfeeding, abdominal pain and other disorders may appear.

Pediatrician of the highest category, Candidate of Medical Sciences Evgeniy Komarovsky recommends increasing the humidity level to 70% when a child gets sick, this will make it easier to cope with the disease. It is worth considering that, on the contrary, it is impossible to increase the temperature, since otherwise a tropical effect will appear in the room: the surface of the skin will not cool normally through sweat and too much water will be lost.

For work areas

According to SanPiN 1.2.3685-21, the standard air humidity in the premises of precision engineering enterprises, sewing studios and a number of others is 15–75%, regardless of the time of year. In offices, the comfort level will be the same as for residential buildings, in greenhouses and conservatories - from 55% and above to support the development of plants. For libraries, archives and other organizations responsible for storing and working with documents and books, GOST 7.50-2002 established an air humidity standard of 50–60% and 55–65% if only leather or parchment was used as the material.

As part of the Wellbuilt for Wellbeing program, American scientists found that employees working in offices with a percentage of humidity in the air below 30% cope worse with stress.

Operating principle

The air is supplied to the fan in their room or from the street, depending on the position of the damper (shut-off and control device). A fan through a heater and several filters ensures the passage of air masses. At the same time, the installation can simultaneously humidify and heat the flows.

Most modern breathers can be controlled using smartphone applications. Literally any option has remote control bullets. In other words, the operation of the device can be carried out entirely automatically.

Level adjustment methods

Knowing what the humidity in the apartment should be and what numbers your hygrometer (or other measuring device) shows, you can adjust its level yourself or with the help of humidifiers-dehumidifiers.

For dry air

Lack of moisture in the environment negatively affects human health:

• immunity is weakened;
• the risk of asthma attacks and various allergic reactions increases;
• the condition of the skin, nails, and hair ends worsens;
• mucous membranes become dry;
• Headaches, drowsiness, and concentration may deteriorate.

You can increase the percentage using any household humidifier or simple folk methods: by installing bowls of water or an aquarium, hanging wet towels and linen, regular wet cleaning, and others. A non-trivial solution would be to purchase hydrogel balls, fountains or special containers for radiators. If you decide to open the windows in winter to ventilate, keep in mind that this will not make the air more humid; such a temperature difference, on the contrary, will reduce the percentage of moisture. In case of rainy and warm weather, frequent ventilation will really help, exactly how much depends on the temperature outside and in the house.

By the way, if immediately after installing the humidifier you did not feel significant changes, wait a week - perhaps the air was too dry and the finishing materials of the ceiling, walls and wooden furniture were the first to absorb the moisture.

Functionality

Modern supply and exhaust networks can have various functions. Including:

• Heating and cooling of incoming air;
• Purification of incoming air masses to safety standards;
• Removal of impurities, filtration and disinfection;
• Reduced humidity levels.

It is possible to install a recuperator to use the heat of the exhaust air and reduce the cost of heating the incoming air flows.

Ventilation can be installed, including with additional devices, on the facade of the building, in the attic or, for example, on the balcony. In our company you can order the installation of a supply and exhaust network both for one room and for all rooms of the cottage.

Need for use

In many cases, installing only exhaust or only supply ventilation is impractical. For example, in offices or other premises where workers are engaged in mental work. To get vital fresh air, employees will ventilate the room by opening windows. This will lead to extraneous noise and dangerous drafts in the room. A more correct, effective and safe option for creating a comfortable microclimate is the installation of supply and exhaust ventilation. Street air will enter the rooms through grilles, be heated and purified. Afterwards, go indoors, displacing contaminated masses.

In our company you can order the installation of a supply and exhaust ventilation system with a turnkey recuperator. High-quality and reliable equipment can operate almost silently. To receive a preliminary consultation or apply for an on-site measurement specialist, contact us right now - online or by phone.

After installation, we will provide comprehensive guarantees covering both the equipment itself and the correctness of its installation.

Legislative regulation of the issue

Regulation of ventilation and humidity standards in office premises is regulated at the legislative level by the following documents:

• Labor Code of the Russian Federation.
• SanPiN 2.2.4.548-96, which specifies the requirements for organizing the microclimate in production premises.
• SanPiN 2.2.4.3359-16, which includes sanitary requirements for physical factors in office premises.
• Standards and rules SanPiN 2.2.2/2.4.1340-03.
• SNiP 2.09.04-87, which lists the rules and recommendations for administrative and domestic buildings.
• SP336.1325800.2017 “Ventilation and air conditioning systems. Rules of operation."

There are situations that are not regulated by sanitary standards. This includes a faulty office toilet. According to Art. 157 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, the employee has every right not to start work in this case while maintaining 2/3 of his average salary.

System Design Guidelines

In order to avoid violations, you should adhere to the rules and regulations, as well as comply with the requirements when designing ventilation systems.

• For natural ventilation, when air exchange is carried out using temperature differences and wind force, the material from which the walls of the room are made plays an important role. The most “breathable” materials are wood, gas concrete, foam concrete, and brick.
• When installing artificial ventilation systems, all norms prescribed at the legislative level must be observed.

Employer's liability for violations

Norms and rules for indoor ventilation systems are specified in SP336.1325800.2017 . This summary contains everything:

• basic rules on the use of ventilation systems in buildings with various purposes, room humidity;
• calculation formulas, liability of persons who do not comply with them.

According to the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, the employer is obliged to ensure the safety of employees during the working day. Violation of the rules leads to administrative liability in the form of a fine:

• for officials in the amount of 1,500 rubles;
• for legal entities – from 30 thousand rubles.

Responsibility for such offenses is established by Articles 192-195 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, which include disciplinary sanctions, as well as Art. 55 of the Federal Law “On the Sanitary and Epidemiological Welfare of the Population”, adopted on March 30, 1999. The punishment is regulated by the Code of Administrative Offenses, in particular Art. 5.27 and art. 5.27.1.

Features of moisturizing mechanisms

Modern models of humidification devices are presented in a wide range. The algorithm for their operation is simple - the liquid with which a special tank is filled evaporates, thus saturating the surrounding room. Let's consider three main types of units:

• standard or mechanical. Powered by a fan located inside the system. It drives air through a specially mounted container of water inside. Thus, dust and particles are removed and humidification occurs. There is a small drawback: the device is very noisy, and the level of possible humidification reaches only 65%;
• steam version: the work is done as in a boiling kettle, in which the water has boiled. All this comes out as steam. You can use water from the central water supply, so-called hard water. The equipment is quite noisy and uses a lot of electrical energy. It is important to use it very carefully - the steam produced by the unit is very hot. It can leave a burn, leave damage on nearby surfaces;
• ultrasonic: water turns into steam. This happens due to the operation of the membrane plate. Its undeniable advantage: it is silent during the working process. Heating the liquid kills microorganisms in the atmosphere. Important: the liquid is poured only purified. It is important to regularly change cartridges to normalize the operation of the entire structure.

It is recommended to select a humidifier according to the microclimate of the room.

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