Mold thrives in humid environments.
It can grow when the humidity is above 70% at room temperature, and even at temperatures below 5°C if the humidity exceeds 80%. This is why you can find mold even inside your refrigerator.
Understanding "Feels Like" Temperature and Relative Humidity The comfort we feel, or the "feels like" temperature, isn't just about how hot or cold it is. Humidity plays a huge role too! Our bodies cool down not only from the temperature difference between our skin and the air but also by evaporating sweat. When humidity is high, sweat can't evaporate as easily, which reduces this cooling effect. That's why it can feel much hotter than the actual temperature.
The "feels like" temperature puts a number to this phenomenon. For example, 30°C (86°F) with 20% humidity might feel the same as 24°C (75°F) with 80% humidity – both could feel like 26°C (79°F). This shows that by effectively lowering humidity, we can achieve the same cooling and comfort without having to drastically lower the thermostat
Is Korea's Summer Climate Mediterranean? Not Quite! You might notice that Korea's average summer temperatures are similar to those in the Mediterranean region. So, does that mean Korea has a Mediterranean climate? Not at all! The key difference lies in humidity. In Mediterranean areas, the humidity is low, making shaded spots feel pleasantly cool. However, in Korea, even with the same temperature, the high humidity makes it feel much hotter and far less comfortable. It's that muggy feeling that truly sets our summers apart!
Understanding "Tropical Nights" in Korea
Korea's summer nights are often plagued by what we call "Tropical Nights" (열대야). This refers to days when the lowest temperature overnight stays above 25°C (77°F). When a tropical night hits, it's so hot and uncomfortable that getting a good night's sleep becomes incredibly difficult.
You might wonder why a night with a minimum temperature of 25°C feels so unpleasantly hot, especially since the recommended air conditioning temperature in summer is 26-28°C (79-82°F). The reason, once again, lies in humidity. During tropical nights, humidity levels are extremely high, often soaring to over 70-80%. On these very humid nights, not only does the temperature barely drop, but the relative humidity actually increases, making the "feels like" temperature even higher. This is what truly disrupts deep sleep and makes those tropical nights so uncomfortable
The Lambda House: A Case Study in Indoor Humidity
The Lambda House, one of Korea's leading examples of a Passive House (completed in October 2014, located in Sejong City, with a gross floor area of 245m² and a 1.5 liter/m²year energy consumption rate), often experiences indoor humidity levels above 70% during the summer.
To maintain a comfortable indoor environment while minimizing energy use in a zero-energy building, it's crucial to prevent outdoor humidity from entering during ventilation. Only by using a ventilation system that filters out and minimizes moisture ingress can we truly achieve a zero-energy building.
In highly insulated buildings or densely occupied spaces, a significant portion of the cooling load comes from the occupants themselves and the need for ventilation. This is where humidity becomes a major factor.
1) Human-generated heat: About 40% of the heat our bodies produce is latent heat, which includes moisture (humidity).
2) Summer ventilation: A remarkable 80% of the cooling load from summer ventilation is also latent heat.
As a result, latent heat can account for over 60% of the total cooling load. This means that even if the temperature isn't excessively high, the high humidity creates a sticky, uncomfortable environment, much like a continuous monsoon season. This leads to a dilemma: if you lower your air conditioner's temperature to effectively remove humidity, the space becomes uncomfortably cold. Conversely, if you raise the temperature to avoid being too cold, the dehumidification isn't sufficient, leaving you with that muggy, hot feeling.
Traveling in Southeast Asia? Don't Forget Your Long Sleeves!
Planning a trip to a perennially warm region like Southeast Asia? Here's a surprising tip: be sure to pack long-sleeved clothes for indoors!
You might find that indoor temperatures in hotels, shopping malls, and other buildings are set surprisingly low, often around 20°C (68°F). And due to the high humidity, it can feel even colder. Here's an interesting point: locals don't actually prefer low temperatures to keep their indoors cool. Instead, they excessively lower the air conditioner's temperature to remove humidity. If the AC is set to a more moderate temperature around 25°C, it doesn't dehumidify enough, leading to mold growth everywhere.
Understanding Mold Growth and Humidity
Mold thrives in environments with high relative humidity. This is especially true during the summer: when humid outdoor air enters a cooler indoor space, its relative humidity actually increases, making it even more susceptible to mold growth. In basements or underground areas, the problem can be even worse. Condensation often forms on cold walls, creating ideal conditions for severe mold outbreaks
Precision analytical instruments, relying on sophisticated optical, electrical, and sensor technologies, are highly sensitive to humidity levels. In fact, humidity can significantly impair their performance.
Here's how humidity affects various types of precision equipment:
Therefore, for optimal performance and extended lifespan of these delicate precision instruments, humidity control is absolutely essential.
This is especially critical for ophthalmic lasers (excimer, YAG). These lasers demand micron-level precision for corneal ablation, making them extremely vulnerable to humidity changes that can affect laser beam stability and refraction.
Similarly, surgical lasers (CO2, Nd:YAG), used for precise incisions and minimizing bleeding during operations, also require stable laser output. In humid environments, condensation can form in colder areas, causing output fluctuations and increasing the risk of equipment malfunction. Therefore, strict humidity management is absolutely essential to ensure accurate and safe procedures
Humidity's Role in Preventing Airborne Infections Infections can spread when airborne droplets from an infected person are inhaled. To minimize this type of airborne transmission, it's crucial to maintain indoor humidity levels around 50%.
At about 50% humidity, the water in these droplets evaporates, increasing their salt concentration. This rise in salinity can actually deactivate viruses. However, if the humidity drops too low, the water in the droplets evaporates completely, separating the salt from the virus, which then allows the virus to survive.
Same temperature, no humidity. Humicon features desiccant technology that helps maintain optimal humidity at 40%. It also includes air purification and ventilation functions, ensuring fresh and clean indoor air.
Huzero is an industrial dehumidifier designed for low-temperature and extremely low-humidity environments to improve factory productivity, offering energy efficiency 60% higher than existing market products.
Husheet is an innovative and patented technology, ultra-slim dehumidifier that can control humidity as well as deodorizing. It also has dehumidifying, deodorizing, antibacterial, and anti-fungal functions.
Protect your valuable clothes and belongings from humidity with Huspot, a desiccant dehumidifier designed specifically for dressing rooms in your home. Huspot effectively removes moisture from bathrooms and other areas using advanced desiccant technology, and safely release the humidity outside. Therefore, it is not neccessary to empty a water tank, install pipes, or worry about water leaks. Huspot can be installed on the ceiling, allowing you to maximize the use of your dressing room space while maintaining an optimal humidity level for your clothes and accessories. Keep your dressing room fresh and humidity-free with Huspot.
