How Important Is Humidity Control in Texas?

The answer varies slightly depending on where in Texas you live. As a basic generalization, yes, humidity control does matter in Texas because the entire state is essentially in a subtropical climate zone. That being said, humidity control in a coastal city on the Gulf, like Houston, is a bigger concern than in a North Texas city like Arlington. Still, homeowners in Arlington should take humidity control into account when making decisions regarding their HVAC system, especially if members of your household have respiratory conditions that can be affected by moisture levels or any sensitivities to dry air.

There could also be some property-related factors to consider when making decisions regarding humidity control. For example, wood floors – or any wood possessions – are “hygroscopic materials”. Hygroscopic is just the scientific term for something that absorbs and releases moisture.

Can Poor Humidity Control Really Damage My Property?

How concerned you should be about hygroscopic materials in your home will depend on their prevalence and the value of those materials. In other words, if you have expensive musical instruments (or you’re just a musician who takes the condition of your instruments seriously), you have expensive collectibles or you’re just a stickler for preservation, then you should take extra precautions when it comes to your home’s humidity.



Common Hygroscopic Materials and the Effects of Humidity

Book Collections, Wallpaper, Artwork or Other Paper Products

Paper products are some of the hygroscopic materials most susceptible to damage due to humidity levels. High humidity can lead to swelling, warping or mold/mildew growth. This type of damage is often irreversible and can reduce the value of those possessions. Conversely, low humidity can make paper brittle and lead to cracking.

Wood and Upholstered Furniture and Floors

Excessive humidity can lead to warping of flooring or sticking in wood doors, chests or any other furniture that has joints or moving parts. Low humidity can cause wood to shrink and crack. Glued joints in furniture may loosen due to the effects of low humidity.

Musical Instruments

Musical instruments made of wood are susceptible to the same effects as wood flooring or furniture. Moving parts or glued joints can be damaged if the instrument is subjected to excessively high humidity for too long. Low humidity can potentially be more problematic, as wood instruments that are cracked or shrunk may experience an irredeemable degradation of sound quality and playability.

Leather Furniture or Clothing

Leather, like paper, is susceptible to mold and mildew growth in high-humidity environments. If stored in a space with low humidity, leather clothing or furniture can dry out and crack.

Clothing and Other Textiles

Natural fibers like cotton and wool are also vulnerable to mold and mildew if stored in a place with high humidity. Although low humidity is less of a problem for most natural fibers, it can potentially lead to brittleness in natural fibers and static electric buildup in synthetic fabrics.

Photographs

Many families in Texas still have photo albums with real photographs. Physical photographs can be damaged by both high and low humidity, with high humidity causing sticking and even leading to running colors and low humidity causing the photographic paper material to become brittle and easily cracked.

Electronics

Even homes that don’t contain antiques, collectibles, instruments or other vulnerable personal property do typically contain some expensive electronics. Everything from computers to televisions can potentially suffer corrosion and short circuits if subjected to excessive humidity for prolonged periods of time. Low humidity can result in static buildups that have the potential to damage vital circuitry and components. 

Food

Food spoilage and mold growth are a concern for every household – and humidity levels can play a significant role in the rate of spoilage. High humidity can also lead to clumping of certain hygroscopic ingredients commonly found in kitchens (sugar, baking powder, cornstarch, flour – really any fine or powdered ingredients). Excessive dryness could cause those same ingredients to harden.

Do Arlington Homes Really Need Extra Humidity Control to Prevent the Previously Listed Problems?

It depends on who you ask. The truth is many homeowners who don’t have collectibles, antiques, instruments or other property that’s sensitive to humidity will only require a properly functioning HVAC system to maintain adequate humidity control and prevent damage. However, personal comfort and health issues related to indoor air moisture levels can justify the investment in enhanced home humidity control.

If you’re worried about humidity in your Arlington home, don’t hesitate to contact the experts at Tom’s Mechanical. Our HVAC technicians have extensive experience in all things related to indoor air quality and home comfort, and we would be happy to explain your humidity control options. Call us at 817-277-4493 for a consultation or service.