Better to leave the dehumidifier off when wildfire smoke is around?
June 28, 2023 8:00 PM Subscribe
I would think it’s probably better to have higher humidity indoors, am I wrong?
I remember reading some COVID viz a viz HVAC stuff a couple of years ago that higher humidity was safer, because it helped weigh down viral particles so they’d be less available for breathing in (rough summary, ha). Does that logic hold for wildfire smoke?
I remember reading some COVID viz a viz HVAC stuff a couple of years ago that higher humidity was safer, because it helped weigh down viral particles so they’d be less available for breathing in (rough summary, ha). Does that logic hold for wildfire smoke?
Dehumidifiers on the other hand, since they blow particle laden air over wet coils, probably would be able to pull some particulates out of the air.
But 2.5 micron and smaller particles are the ones that can get deep into your lungs and cause the worst problems, and if the smoke particles picked up a coating of water from supersaturated air and became bigger and couldn’t go so deep, conceivably that might do some good
posted by jamjam at 8:27 PM on June 28, 2023 [1 favorite]
But 2.5 micron and smaller particles are the ones that can get deep into your lungs and cause the worst problems, and if the smoke particles picked up a coating of water from supersaturated air and became bigger and couldn’t go so deep, conceivably that might do some good
posted by jamjam at 8:27 PM on June 28, 2023 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Oh yeah I’m not assuming a dehumidifier purifies anything at all. Just wondering if humidity might weigh particles down so they’re not as prone to circulate, for as long as if they were lighter.
posted by cotton dress sock at 8:27 PM on June 28, 2023
posted by cotton dress sock at 8:27 PM on June 28, 2023
Dehumidifiers on the other hand,
oops, sorry. I’m evidently too tired.
posted by Silvery Fish at 8:31 PM on June 28, 2023
oops, sorry. I’m evidently too tired.
posted by Silvery Fish at 8:31 PM on June 28, 2023
Me too, Silvery Fish. I thought both you and the OP had only mentioned humidifiers, and I made my answer on that basis. I was not trying to suggest that you made a mistake.
posted by jamjam at 8:40 PM on June 28, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by jamjam at 8:40 PM on June 28, 2023 [1 favorite]
Both particulate matter and viruses are much larger than water molecules, so to get any kind of effect like this, you'd need a lot of water molecules. That means quite high humidity, probably to an uncomfortable degree. If you have a significant amount of condensation going on, you're not going to be comfortable at all.
In my experience living in a smoky area, rain does reduce particulate matter due to wildfire (but part of the effect might be the wind that often accompanies rain), but humidity alone doesn't seem to change anything.
The covid situation is even more complex because the time that viruses survive in the air is affected by humidity, but not in a linear way and not primarily because they are weighed down.
Agreed that keeping your mucous membranes from drying out might have some benefit though.
posted by ssg at 8:56 PM on June 28, 2023 [1 favorite]
In my experience living in a smoky area, rain does reduce particulate matter due to wildfire (but part of the effect might be the wind that often accompanies rain), but humidity alone doesn't seem to change anything.
The covid situation is even more complex because the time that viruses survive in the air is affected by humidity, but not in a linear way and not primarily because they are weighed down.
Agreed that keeping your mucous membranes from drying out might have some benefit though.
posted by ssg at 8:56 PM on June 28, 2023 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Keeping the air dry will enhance the electrostatic effect of high efficiency furnace filters, or if you have an air cleaner that uses an electrical field to attract the smaller particles.
posted by JoeZydeco at 7:01 AM on June 29, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by JoeZydeco at 7:01 AM on June 29, 2023 [1 favorite]
All evidence I’ve seen is that air is healthiest between 40 and 60 percent humidity. If you have the means to keep it there, I would.
posted by meinvt at 3:41 PM on June 29, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by meinvt at 3:41 PM on June 29, 2023 [1 favorite]
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“ HUMIDIFIERS: Humidifiers are not air cleaners, and will not significantly reduce the amount of particles in the air during a smoke event. Nor will they remove gases like carbon monoxide. However, humidifiers and dehumidifiers (depending on the environment) may slightly reduce pollutants through condensation, absorption and other mechanisms. In an arid environment, one possible benefit of running a humidifier during a smoke event might be to help the mucous membranes remain comfortably moist, which may reduce eye and airway irritation. ”
https://lungsrus.org/protecting-yourself-from-wildfire-smoke/
posted by Silvery Fish at 8:08 PM on June 28, 2023 [1 favorite]