# I found the "golden mean" between clammy and muggy **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 14, 2015, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-golden-mean-between-clammy-and-muggy/740396 "2015-12-14T04:27:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-golden-mean-between-clammy-and-muggy/740396/1 "2015-12-14T04:27:58Z")
I am a stickler for keeping my home’s humidity between 35% and 45% year round, using a fleet of dehumidifiers in the summer and another fleet of humidifiers in the winter. In the spring and fall, I have a transition period when both are out and plugged in, to deal with changing weather patterns as needed. This probably sounds weird to a lot of people, but I believe this is an overlooked aspect of indoor climate control, for the sake of comfort and good health. Anyway, I had decided after Thanksgiving to put away the dehumidifiers for the winter. But then this weekend we got a combo of unseasonably high temperatures with unrelenting rain, and it’s currently an insanely high 64% humidity in here. For now, I’m not bothering to dig out the dehumidifiers, so I’m riding it out until normal winter weather returns. Earlier it was about 65 degrees and 68% humidity, and there was a definite clammy, dank, dungeonish feel. Now, with careful application of a little heat, it’s up to 71 degrees and no longer feels like it’s soaking a chill into my bones; nor has it gotten warm enough to feel muggy and make me sweat. But I can definitely feel a sort of “mistiness” or something when I breathe. Kind of an interesting, different sensation…but I will still be glad to get back to my 40% humidity. And yes: I am definitely trying to bring this section of the SDMB back to its core mission! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-golden-mean-between-clammy-and-muggy/740396/2 "2015-12-14T04:30:46Z")
I don’t know – that sounds a little too sciency/analytical for MPSIMS! I wish I could put a dehumidifier in the bathroom but there is only one outlet, up on the wall by the sink. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-golden-mean-between-clammy-and-muggy/740396/3 "2015-12-14T04:31:18Z")
_For my birthday I got a humidifier and a de-humidifier… I put them in the same room and let them fight it out._ -Steven Wright ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-golden-mean-between-clammy-and-muggy/740396/4 "2015-12-14T04:44:18Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > I don’t know – that sounds a little too sciency/analytical for MPSIMS! > > I wish I could put a dehumidifier in the bathroom but there is only one outlet, up on the wall by the sink. My bathroom dehumidifier is plugged in all year, to a power strip connected to that very same outlet. 🙂 Definitely helps keep away mold and mildew, and helps towels dry faster. **Colibri** , who won? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-golden-mean-between-clammy-and-muggy/740396/5 "2015-12-14T05:17:59Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > My bathroom dehumidifier is plugged in all year, to a power strip connected to that very same outlet. 🙂 Definitely helps keep away mold and mildew, and helps towels dry faster. You’ve given me a lot to think about. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-golden-mean-between-clammy-and-muggy/740396/6 "2015-12-14T05:31:50Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > This probably sounds weird to a lot of people, but I believe this is an overlooked aspect of indoor climate control, for the sake of comfort and good health. I’ve never heard of anyone measuring the humidity indoors. But now I’m kind of curious what it would be here. I imagine it would generally be on the low side since the outside also is generally low, what with living in the desert. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-golden-mean-between-clammy-and-muggy/740396/7 "2015-12-14T13:25:39Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > I’ve never heard of anyone measuring the humidity indoors. Musicians, especially those in very humid or very dry climates, sometimes do it to help take proper care of their wooden instruments. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-golden-mean-between-clammy-and-muggy/740396/8 "2015-12-14T13:26:33Z")
From the thread title I thought this was going to be about being disenchanted with New Orleans and Houston, and deciding to move to Corpus Christi. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-golden-mean-between-clammy-and-muggy/740396/9 "2015-12-14T14:58:37Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > I’ve never heard of anyone measuring the humidity indoors. But now I’m kind of curious what it would be here. I imagine it would generally be on the low side since the outside also is generally low, what with living in the desert. My mom had an extreme case of dry eye, where she had to use drops every hour or her lid would rip at her eye. My parents’ house had humidifiers everywhere, and she had to sleep with foam goggles soaked in water. My father always had his eye on the humidity. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-golden-mean-between-clammy-and-muggy/740396/10 "2015-12-14T15:06:35Z")
**Re: I found the “golden mean” between clammy and muggy** “Clummy”? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-golden-mean-between-clammy-and-muggy/740396/11 "2015-12-14T15:18:11Z")
> [@buddha\_david](#): > > **Re: I found the “golden mean” between clammy and muggy** > > “Clummy”? Comfortably damp. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-golden-mean-between-clammy-and-muggy/740396/12 "2015-12-14T15:33:09Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > **Colibri** , who won? 😉 I’ve never tried it myself, but here in Panama the deck is stacked in favor of the humidifier. ---
**Author:** ![CT\_Damsel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CT\_Damsel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CT_Damsel)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-golden-mean-between-clammy-and-muggy/740396/13 "2015-12-14T17:37:54Z")
SlackerInc, If I may ask, what do you use to measure the humidity? I live in a very damp area and have a dirt floor basement. I use a dehumidifier all year round set to come on as it measures the level. But I would like to know the actual indoor level. ---
**Author:** ![BorgHunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@BorgHunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BorgHunter)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-golden-mean-between-clammy-and-muggy/740396/14 "2015-12-14T20:30:57Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > I’ve never heard of anyone measuring the humidity indoors. But now I’m kind of curious what it would be here. I imagine it would generally be on the low side since the outside also is generally low, what with living in the desert. Humidity sensors are actually pretty cheap. I have [one of these](http://www.amazon.com/AcuRite-00325-Comfort-Monitor-Black/dp/B004K8RF10) on my desk at home; as of this writing, it’s a cool nine bucks, with free shipping. It helps me measure how well my humidifier is doing in the winter, as I’m prone to getting very dry lips if humidity dips below 25% or so for a couple days. ---
**Author:** ![CT\_Damsel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CT\_Damsel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CT_Damsel)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-golden-mean-between-clammy-and-muggy/740396/15 "2015-12-14T20:59:14Z")
> [@BorgHunter](#): > > Humidity sensors are actually pretty cheap. I have [one of these](http://www.amazon.com/AcuRite-00325-Comfort-Monitor-Black/dp/B004K8RF10) on my desk at home; as of this writing, it’s a cool nine bucks, with free shipping. It helps me measure how well my humidifier is doing in the winter, as I’m prone to getting very dry lips if humidity dips below 25% or so for a couple days. OMG! I just bought one. I would swear I checked for one and it was $25+ or more! TY BorgHunter 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-golden-mean-between-clammy-and-muggy/740396/16 "2015-12-14T22:38:05Z")
> [@buddha\_david](#): > > **Re: I found the “golden mean” between clammy and muggy** > > “Clummy”? Love it! > [@gigi](#): > > You’ve given me a lot to think about. 🙂 Cool. 🙂 So maybe not as pointless as I thought. My humidity monitor is very similar, though a buck more expensive. I have a bunch of these, all over the house: > **[Amazon.com: AcuRite 00613 Digital Hygrometer & Indoor Thermometer...](https://www.amazon.com/AcuRite-Humidity-Thermometer-Hygrometer-Indicator/dp/B0013BKDO8)** > > Amazon.com: AcuRite 00613 Digital Hygrometer & Indoor Thermometer Pre-Calibrated Humidity Gauge, 3" H x 2.5" W x 1.3" D, Black