What is a Hygrometer?

A hygrometer is an instrument used to measure humidity. Humidity refers to the amount of moisture or water vapour in the air. A hygrometer can measure relative humidity, which indicates how much water vapour the air contains in relation to the maximum amount the air can hold at a given temperature.

How does a Hygrometer work?

A hygrometer is an instrument used to measure humidity in the home. Modern hygrometers, such as the digital hygrometer or thermo-hygrometer work with electronic sensors that react to moisture in the air. These sensors, such as a digital hygrometer, detect changes in electrical resistance, capacitive changes or resonant frequencies. Using a humidifier with hygrometer, you can accurately measure and manage indoor humidity.

When you place the hygrometer indoors, the sensor records the moisture content in the air. It then sends a signal to the hygrometer's display, where you can read the current humidity. This is essential for measuring indoor humidity and maintaining a healthy indoor climate.

Why is it important to measure humidity?

Measuring humidity is very important as it has a significant impact on our health, comfort and the quality of our living environment. A good balance in humidity can provide a pleasant and healthy living environment, while extreme levels can cause both physical and material problems.

• Health: Ideal humidity, measured using a hygrometer or thermo-hygrometer, promotes good breathing and can help prevent respiratory problems such as asthma, allergies and colds. It can also reduce symptoms of conditions such as sinusitis and dry cough. Measuring humidity with an indoor hygrometer can make you aware of conditions that affect your health.


• Comfort: Suitable humidity, read with a digital hygrometer, ensures a comfortable indoor climate. It helps prevent discomfort caused by dry skin, irritated eyes, dry lips and an itchy throat. Moreover, good humidity feels more pleasant, making you feel more relaxed and comfortable in your own home. A humidifier with hygrometer can help you regulate humidity and maintain a comfortable indoor climate.


• Preservation of furniture and interiors: Optimal humidity helps preserve wooden furniture, floors and other interior elements. If humidity is too low, wood can dry out, shrink and crack, while if humidity is too high, mould and moisture problems can occur. By measuring and tracking the humidity in your home with a humidity meter or humidity meter in the house, you can take proactive action to prevent damage to your furniture and interiors.

• Mould formation: Excessive humidity can lead to mould growth in your home. Mould thrives in humid environments and can cause allergies, asthma and other respiratory problems. Moreover, mould can affect the structure of your home and give off unpleasant odours. By measuring and tracking humidity, you can take timely measures, such as using a dehumidifier, to reduce humidity and prevent mould growth.



• Allergies: A humid environment promotes the growth of allergens, such as house dust mites and mould spores. This can lead to allergic reactions, such as sneezing, itchy eyes and tightness of the chest. By measuring the humidity in your home, you can understand the conditions that can cause allergic reactions and take appropriate measures, such as using a humidifier or dehumidifier, to keep the humidity at optimal levels.



• Condensation: Excessive humidity can lead to condensation on windows, walls and other surfaces. This can result in moisture problems such as water damage, mould growth and premature wear of materials. By measuring humidity and taking the right measures, such as ventilating rooms or using a dehumidifier, you can reduce condensation problems and extend the life of your home and belongings.


By regularly measuring the humidity in your home using a hygrometer, thermo-hygrometer or humidity meter, you can maintain the balance between optimal humidity and its benefits in terms of health, comfort and preservation of your interiors.








Where do I place a hygrometer?

Hygrometers have several applications in our daily lives. Here are some examples of where you can place a hygrometer to measure humidity:

• Central living spaces: For an overall assessment of the humidity in your home, it is recommended to place the hygrometer in a central living space, such as the living room or kitchen. This way, you can get a good understanding of the average humidity in the main living areas. However, avoid placement near direct heat sources or humid areas, such as the kitchen or bathroom, as this may affect the measurements



• Bedroom: Since we spend a lot of time in our bedrooms, it is important to check the humidity here too. Place the hygrometer in a location representative of the room, such as a bedside table. This can help you maintain proper humidity levels for a good night's sleep and prevent problems such as dry air or mould.



• Specific areas: Depending on your needs, there may be specific areas where you want to pay extra attention to humidity. For example, in a baby's room, a home office or a conservatory. In such rooms, place the hygrometer where you can best judge the humidity, for example on a desk or shelf.


It is important to place the hygrometer in a representative place, where the humidity can be easily observed. This gives you an accurate picture of the humidity in the room in question and allows you to take appropriate measures if necessary.

While we have discussed where to position a hygrometer, it is also important to be aware of some locations that are better to avoid:


• Directly near heat sources: Avoid placing a hygrometer right next to heat sources such as radiators, fireplaces or stoves. The heat from these sources can affect the measurements and give inaccurate results.



• Near humid areas: While it is important to monitor humidity in humid areas, it is not ideal to place the hygrometer right next to the kitchen, bathroom or other humid areas. High humidity in these areas can interfere with measurements.



• Near doorways and windows: Do not place the hygrometer directly near doorways or windows, as these areas are often prone to draughts. Draughts can affect humidity and lead to incorrect measurements.




How do I use a hygrometer?

Once you have placed the hygrometer in the right place, such as a hygrometer inside your home or in a specific room, you can follow the following steps to accurately read the humidity and take action if necessary. Using a thermo-hygrometer or hygrometer, can help you measure humidity and get relevant information.

Let the hygrometer adjust: After placing the hygrometer in the right place, for example next to your humidifier with hygrometer, leave it for a few minutes to adjust to the environment. This gives the device time to obtain a stable reading and display accurate results.

Read the humidity: Look at the hygrometer display and read the indicated humidity. This is usually shown as a percentage, such as 45% or 55%. Regularly measuring the humidity in your home using a hygrometer will give you an insight into the amount of water vapour present in the air.

Compare the measurements with the ideal range: Compare the read humidity with the ideal range of 40% to 60%. If the humidity falls within this range, your home is in an optimal level of humidity.

Take action based on measurements: Depending on the humidity reading, you can take appropriate measures to balance the humidity in your home.

When humidity is high: If the humidity is higher than 60%, consider using a dehumidifier. A dehumidifier helps remove moisture from the air, reducing humidity. This can be particularly useful in damp rooms where mould growth and other moisture-related problems can occur.

At low humidity: If the humidity is below 40 per cent, consider using a humidifier. A humidifier adds moisture to the air, increasing humidity. This can help relieve symptoms caused by excessively dry air, such as dry skin, cracked lips and irritated airways. Moreover, a humidifier can also help protect wooden furniture and other interior elements from drying out and cracking.

Using a hygrometer or thermo-hygrometer, allows you to accurately measure the humidity in your home and make adjustments if necessary. By proactively acting on the information obtained, you can maintain a healthy humidity balance and enjoy a comfortable living environment. Regularly measuring the humidity in your home using a hygrometer allows you to take the right measures to optimise the humidity and prevent any problems.





In conclusion

A hygrometer is a handy tool for measuring and monitoring humidity. Whether you are at home, at work or in a specific environment, monitoring humidity can contribute to a healthy and comfortable indoor environment. By using a hygrometer, you can prevent problems such as mould growth, allergies and respiratory problems.





Frequently asked questions about hygrometers





What is a hygrometer and what is it used for?

A hygrometer is an instrument used to measure humidity. It provides information about the amount of water vapour in the air.

How does a hygrometer work?
There are different types of hygrometers, but the most common work on the basis of measuring changes in physical properties affected by moisture, such as resistance, capacitive response or expansion of a material.
Where should I put a hygrometer in my house?
It is ideal to place a hygrometer in a central location in your home, away from direct sources of moisture, such as the kitchen or bathroom. A representative place is, for example, the living room.
What is the ideal humidity in your home?
Generally, humidity levels between 40% and 60% are considered optimal for a comfortable and healthy living environment.
What should I do if the humidity is too high or too low?
If the humidity exceeds 60%, you can use a dehumidifier to reduce excess moisture. With humidity below 40 per cent, you can use a humidifier to add moisture to the air.
Do I need to calibrate the hygrometer?
Some hygrometers may show anomalies over time. If you want to be sure of accurate readings, you can calibrate your hygrometer using a calibration kit or by comparing with a reliable reference hygrometer.
Can a hygrometer help prevent mould growth?
Yes, a hygrometer can help you monitor humidity and, if necessary, take measures to reduce excessive humidity. By keeping humidity in the optimum range, you can help prevent mould growth.
Can I use a hygrometer in environments other than my home?
Yes, hygrometers are used in various environments, including offices, greenhouses, storage rooms, laboratories and more. They can help monitor humidity in any room where it is relevant.