Can A Humidifier Damage Electronics?

What would we do without our electronic devices and appliances? For some of us, the world would literally collapse. From the average UK household all the way to workplaces and businesses, there’s not a single place that doesn’t have at least a few electronic devices.

It’s our computers, phones, life-support machines, televisions, gaming consoles, sound systems, and about a million other gadgets that make our day to day lives more convenient. But whether you’re at home or work, your electronics are a bit more delicate than most people like to think.

Almost all types of electronics are vulnerable to temperature and humidity changes, but only when in high extremes. In today’s segment, we’ll be shedding light on one of these factors and how it’s likely to affect your electronics.

Now, like most people, your home or office probably has a humidifier to combat the moisture-butchering effects of the average UK HVAC. By now, you all know the ill effects of living and breathing in dry air.

Not only does it do all sorts of damage to your skin, but it wreaks havoc on your entire respiratory system. This is where a humidifier comes in to make the indoor air quality much more bearable for all inhabitants and guests.

But honestly speaking, just how many of you think about how the humidity might be affecting your electronics? A high humidity environment is never a good thing for electronics, but just how high is too high? And can a humidifier damage electronics?

Let’s find out all the answers to these and more questions.

Effects Of Humidity On Electronics

Depending on where you live and what the air around you is like, having a humidifier in the same room as your electronics could either be helpful or harmful.

On the one hand, high levels of humidity can damage several components in your electronics. On the other hand, low humidity levels also come with their own risk factors. Let’s break it down a bit more, shall we?

How High Humidity Affects Electronics

Now, the main issue with high levels of humidity is that the excess moisture tends to find places to condense and collect. If the temperature difference is cold enough, then the moisture will definitely settle there.

If there are any items and electronics nearby, then a thin film of water might collect on the surfaces and lead to short-circuiting, loss of data, or even physical damage. If there are exposed metallic parts on your appliances and devices, then corrosion could occur.

With time, the corrosion develops into rust which leads to loss of conductivity, increased resistance, short circuits, and other malfunctions on different electronics.

How Low Humidity Affects Electronics

That’s right; it’s not just high levels of humidity that can damage your electronics. If the moisture content in the air becomes too low, damaging static discharges are far more likely to occur in many electronics.

This could lead to electrical short circuits and damage to electrical components that were never meant to handle such high loads. The dry air makes the electric current susceptible to taking unintended paths within your electronics.

That’s why having a humidifier can actually help in this case. The droplets of water alter the path of electricity and offer a route with less resistance to avoid damaging short circuits and electrical discharges.

Verdict

So, can a humidifier damage your electronics and should it be used anywhere near them? Well, it all boils down to how high or low the atmospheric water levels are. According to the experts, it would take a very high humidity level of about 70 – 85% to cause any substantial damage to electronics such as computers.

And even then, the electronics would have to be exposed to the humidity for quite an extended period of time. At such staggering levels, the humidity will actually cause far more damage to you, your family, and colleagues than to any electrical appliances.

This is why experts recommend that you monitor the humidity levels in your home and ensure that they remain between 40 – 60%. This is the optimum level required to not only keep you and your family healthy but also ensure that your electronics are running efficiently. It will also guarantee that there’s no risk of mould build-up and other health risks due to poor air quality.

So to answer your question; a humidifier will not damage your electronics in any way when used properly. And if it comes down to making the choice, I’d like to think that your health and comfort matter more than any electronic device or home appliance.