| Summary: | The impact of dry indoor air on comfort and health in winter was investigated in a crossover intervention study in two floors of an office building in northern Sweden. The indoor air humidity (normally 10-20% RH) was raised to 23-24% RH, one floor at a time, using steam humidifiers. Questionnaires and objective (clinical) measurements were applied. The following effects of increased humidity were significant, though small: the air was evaluated as less dry (though still on the dry side of neutral), eyes smarted less (by 10% of full scale) eye irritation decreased (by 11%), symptoms of dry throat, mouth, lips and skin were reduced, and it was easier to concentrate. The results confirm similar laboratory findings in 5-hour exposures (Fang et al. 2003, reported at this conference) to 2-week field exposures, but as the effects observed were again small, they do not provide sufficient justification for installing humidifiers.
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