PRACTICAL GUIDE
Where to place a hygrometer, how to track readings and what window condensation means before adding moisture to a Canadian rental.
Too damp or too dry?
Check room humidity before buying another appliance.
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Is your air too dry?
Consider only for measured dry air and a realistic cleaning routine.
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Check temperature and relative humidity in the same location over several days. Feeling dry or seeing a fogged window is not enough to pick an appliance. A hygrometer helps track a pattern; it cannot diagnose a building problem.
For a room reading, avoid positioning the meter directly against a cold window, above a heater or in humidifier mist. Keep the position consistent and follow the manual. After moving it, allow the reading to settle before recording it.
Record time, temperature, humidity and events such as showering, cooking or drying laundry, morning and evening. As a practical example rather than a lab protocol, observe three ordinary days. A post-shower spike does not describe the whole day.
Health Canada generally recommends 30–50% relative humidity. That range is not a fixed target for every window: during cold weather, condensation also depends on surface temperature and the building. Do not keep adding moisture to reach 50% while windows are wet. A comfort icon is not a diagnosis.
If readings stay low, consider a humidifier together with its instructions, placement and cleaning needs. If windows already collect water, first investigate moisture sources and ventilation. Report leaks, mould or persistent defects to your landlord; a purchase does not replace a repair.