What takes moisture out of the air? Many people take the moisture in the air for granted. One of the few times that people notice the amount of water in the air is when it has reached an extreme, especially when there is too much humidity. People complain about humidity throughout storm seasons all the time. This is because humans cannot sweat when it is humid out, taking away the body’s natural ability to cool down. This makes it feel much warmer than it normally is. Places become more humid when there is more water in the air, such as when it is raining or when a storm is coming. However, most people do not talk about the opposite effects of dry air. Dry air is just as bad as humid air, but for different reasons. Rather than simply making it uncomfortable outside and causing your body to retain heat, dry air can poorly affect your health in different ways. We, as humans need water in the air to survive comfortably. There are many reasons that might cause a place to have dry air.
Does Location Affect the Moisture of the Air?
There are some places that geographically have drier air than other places. For example, the coasts of many countries are often much more humid. This is because there is, quite literally, a body of water surrounding the area that is putting more water into the air. In places that do not have this, such as the dead center of a country or a desert, the air will be noticeably drier. This is due to the fact that there are no bodies of water throwing moisture into the air. In fact, in many of these places, there is little to no water at all. There might be one or two rivers, but there are no places that will provide a significant amount of moisture. This contributes to the amount of dry air in a particular area.
Another cause of dry air that cannot be controlled is altitude. At higher altitudes, even bodies of water cannot bring moisture to the air. Because of the colder temperatures, water does not move around in the air as much, causing the air to become much drier. This is one of the dangers of mountain climbing, as well. The only time that higher altitudes will experience particularly moisturized air is during a rainstorm. If you are living at a high altitude, chances are that the air will be significantly drier. That is something that you cannot naturally control except with the help of appliances such as a humidifier.
Does the Time of Year Affect the Moisture of the Air?
Just as the location will strongly affect the amount of moisture that is in the air, the time of year will also play a major role. For example, the winter seasons are notorious for being dry. While some places will still have forms of precipitation, the air will be much drier than other times of the year. Winter is often the season when products such as lip balms become more popular, since dry air can cause people’s lips to crack. However, in the summer, the air is not nearly as dry. This applies to locations across the country and not just those near a coast.
The change of moisture in the air is thought to be caused by the density of the air. Since the molecules of air will move more quickly when the temperatures are warmer, this makes the air much less dense. When the air is not as dense, moisture can easily build up in the air, causing the humid temperatures that nobody enjoys. However, when the temperature begins to drop, the molecules in the air don’t move as much or as fast. This causes the air to become denser and not allowing enough space for water molecules to enter. As a result, there is less water in the air, and the air becomes drier.
Do Building Materials Take Moisture From the Air?
It is a known fact that certain building materials are more absorbent than others. This can cause the air in a certain building to feel much drier than the air outside of the building. Just as humans absorb water through their skin, many other materials absorb water through their porous surfaces. Hardwood floors are one of the most prominent examples of this. The floor is a particularly porous surface, meaning that it will absorb any and all moisture in the air, causing the building to have noticeably drier air.
Certain appliances will also take the moisture out of the air, and they will not replace it. Some filters might absorb the water brought in by an appliance such as an air conditioner and not let any moisture pass through it. This means that your air conditioner is taking the moisture out of the air, causing your house to also have noticeably drier air. Thankfully, these are issues that can be remedied, so you can return to having air with enough water in it for everyone in the building to be comfortable.
How Can Dry Air Affect Your Health?
It is a well-known fact that humid air is unpleasant. It can cause temperatures to feel warmer than they are in reality, and it can prevent your body from cooling itself down. Both of these can lead to health problems down the road. With that being said, dry air can cause its own fair share of problems, as well. Our bodies absorb water in the air to keep ourselves moisturized. When there is no moisture in the air, our skin becomes drier. This can lead to issues such as eczema and cracked lips. Dry air can also harm your nose because your nose needs to have some sort of moisture to be able to function as it should. When the air is dry, it can cause your nose to feel itchy and uncomfortable.
Dry air can also have long-term effects on your health. Your nose and throat need to be moisturized in some way to support the membranes that line the area. When the air is dry, your nose and throat cannot always get the moisture that those membranes need to capture dust, dirt, viruses, and bacteria. This can lead to the development of infections and diseases that can potentially damage your health. If you know that the air in a particular area is dry, you should do what you can to humidify it for your own health.
