To measure the level of humidity in an apartment or private house, you need special equipment. Today, purchasing a device that will show the relative or absolute humidity of the air is not a big problem, but how to make the right choice?
What humidity do we measure
Humidity is not temperature or time. There are some nuances when measuring it. Therefore, before going to the store for the desired device, the topic is worth exploring a little. First you need to understand the basic concepts. Air humidity is absolute and relative. Absolute is the density of water vapor in the air. At different temperatures, this value will not be the same. But the relative humidity is exactly what is constantly talked about in the weather forecast and weather reports. In simple terms, this value shows how much moisture the air lacks until the moment when it begins to condense. It is the device for determining the relative humidity of the air that is needed for a child's room, office or other household use.
Hygrometers
A device that measures air humidity is called a hygrometer. Today, in stores, you can most often find electronic hygrometers of various modifications. For a child's room and a simple systematic control over the humidity in the house, such a device may be quite enough, especially since its price is acceptable. However, the readings of such a hygrometer do not differ with high accuracy. Sometimes they can give an error within 20%.
A mechanical hygrometer will cost more than an electronic one, but it will also work more accurately. The device is a scale with an arrow. There are hair and film modifications of such a device. In the first, a long female hair, connected to a meter, reacts to changes in air humidity. In a film hygrometer, a special thin film plays the role of a measuring element. However, it should be borne in mind that both hygrometers will give fairly accurate information at low temperatures, but in the heat their readings can be distorted.
Psychrometer
The most accurate instrument for determining the relative humidity of air at different temperatures is a psychrometer. Its work is based on the difference between the temperature on two thermometer scales - dry and wet. True, to get the result, you will have to make some efforts: moisten the cloth with water, place it in the device and wait for a while, and then calculate the answer using a special table. However, if you are looking for really reliable data on humidity and fluctuations of 15-20% do not satisfy you, buy a psychrometer with two scales. He won't let you down.
