If a building has too much humidity, not only will its occupants tend to be more uncomfortable, there’s also a higher risk of mold and fungi growth, resulting in poor indoor air quality (IAQ). And if humidity is too low, occupants can experience static shock, their sinuses may become too dry, and their wood furniture may split.
Now that the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) has set aside funds to study the interaction of humidity control technologies with Standard 62 on ventilation (see sidebar below), The News decided this is a good time to look at some of the newer humidity control products hitting the market.