Is 70% Humidity High Outside and Inside the Home? It’s Sweaty and Uncomfortable
Anything that surpasses the indoor relative humidity level, which is thought to be between 30 and 55% is high.
If it is lower than that, it is too low, and it can make your indoor living spaces too uncomfortable.
But is 70% humidity high outdoors? Indoors, 70 is too high and uncomfortable. Outside, the level of discomfort from 70% humidity depends on the temperature or the dew point. At high temperatures, the air holds more moisture and feels uncomfortable on your skin.
When talking about humidity, there is something that we call the dew point. The dew point is the main determinant of comfort when it comes to relative humidity.
In simpler terms, as long as the dew point stays below 65 degrees Fahrenheit, you will be comfortable.
Since the dew point is the temperature at which the air needs to be cooled down to attain 100% relative humidity, a lower dew point means lower relative humidity and more comfort for you.
What is relative humidity?
Relative humidity, always expressed in percentage, is the amount of water vapor that the air can hold at a given temperature.
If the air has the amount of water that it can hold at that temperature, the relative humidity is 100%. Also, if the water vapor is half what the air can hold at that temperature, we would say the relative humidity is 50%, and so forth.
Thus, if we say the best relative humidity indoors is 35 percent, it means that the air can hold 35 percent water vapor at room temperature.
Is 70 percent humidity high outside and in the house?
Looking at the hygrometer and seeing the figures for the humidity going up is just not enough to tell you whether it is okay or not.
The most important thing to keep in mind when going outside is the dew point. This is the temperature at which the relative humidity level reaches 100%.
The air becomes fully saturated with moisture, and dew (water or condensation) forms on surfaces.
So:
70 percent outside is not necessarily high
70 percent humidity outside can be bearable, and it can also be uncomfortable. It depends on the dew point temperature.
If the dew point temperature is low, it means there are fewer water molecules in the air. This also means that even in high humidity, there is likely to be less condensation.
In that light, it is perfectly possible to feel comfortable outside when the outdoor humidity is 90%, as long as the dew point temperature is low.
Lower dew point temperatures are better and more comfortable than high dew point temperatures.
But:
When the dew point temperature is higher than 65 degrees Fahrenheit and the outdoor humidity is 70%, you are going to feel super uncomfortable outside. Your skin will feel damp and sticky.
Thus, 70 percent humidity is uncomfortable at high dew point and perfectly okay at lower dew points.
70 percent humidity in the house
The relative indoor humidity is thought to be between 30 and 55%. If it is higher than that, it will lead to the proliferation of dust mites, mold, and other indoor allergens.
Because of the heat contained in your house, any humidity level higher than 55 percent starts to feel uncomfortable. At and above 60 percent, mold grows. High humidity also causes damage to electronics.
It can also cause damage to your books, furniture, paintings, and clothing. Mold and mildew will start growing in the dark and damp spots. Remember, too, that high humidity is not good for leather.
If you live in a high-humidity place such as Seattle, you will want to keep an eye on your hygrometer. You can switch on the dehumidifier to lower the indoor humidity level.
Is 80 relative humidity high?
80 percent relative humidity is high, whether it is indoors or outdoors. It means that the water vapor content in the air is 80 percent of what it can hold at that temperature.
If this is your indoor humidity, you will not be able to sleep or stay in that house.
80 percent relative humidity is also too heavy for pets and, to some extent, even for your potted plants. It will cause the growth of mold, and it can harm your clothing and other items.
Is 90% humidity bad?
If 80 percent RH is bad, you can bet that 90 percent RH is even worse. Let’s just say that anything that is above the recommended indoor humidity level is terrible.
In my article on how high humidity affects the body, we saw that there are serious effects on your health.
Can you breathe 90% humidity?
When the humidity is too high, there are fewer molecules of oxygen in the air. Thus, the high water content in the air is going to hamper your ability to breathe properly.
Thus, if you engage in any type of physical exercise or activity in a humidity of 90, you will find it hard to breathe. If you have asthma, you will find it harder to inhale.
If you have a cold, such humid air can make your nose runny. Of course, high humidity will also cause excessive sweating and discomfort.
Is 80 percent humidity high outside?
80 percent humidity is very high, both inside and outside. It can hamper how you breathe, and it can get your body to start sweating excessively. High humidity traps heat, and as a result, your body thinks it needs to engage the cooling mechanism.
The body’s cooling mechanism includes sweating. In this case, the sweat will not evaporate. Water can only evaporate from, say, a point of high concentration (your skin this time) to a point of less concentration (dry air).
However, because the air is very damp at 80 percent humidity, the sweat stays on your skin. It makes you feel clammy, makes your clothes stick to your back, and is very uncomfortable.
Unless you close the windows and doors, the high humidity outside will eventually find its way into your indoor space. It will lead to the development of mold. Also, high humidity makes the dust mites to thrive.
Is 50 percent humidity high outside?
In several places in this blog, we advocate keeping the humidity level indoors between 30 and 50 percent.
Okay, some people prefer to keep theirs at 55 percent. This is still okay, but any higher and mold, dust mites, and other allergens will thrive.
But is 50 percent humidity high outside? We could go straight to the point and say no, since we have been advocating for this as the optimal humidity level everywhere.
However, humidity can feel okay or nasty, depending on the heat level. So, the answer can also be yes. This level of humidity can be high outside if the temperature is higher than 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18 degrees Celsius).
Remember, heat holds more dampness. Therefore, at high summer temperatures in summer, a 50 percent humidity level can feel punishing.
Wrapping Up
If there is no wind and the temperature is high, then this is too high for you to engage in physical activity.
Indoors, this is way above the recommended RH of 55%. Thus, it can cause damage to your books, furniture, paintings, and clothing.
It can also cause the growth of mold and mildew, which might in turn cause a musty smell in your room.
You can also read my other articles on:
Air Purifier or Dehumidifier for Musty Smell?
Why Does Dehumidifier Blow Hot Air?
Why Does Dehumidifier Blow Cold Air?
Can mold cause sinus infection
