Humidity and bed mites
Bed mites and Lincoln humidity: what Lincoln Airport's air does indoors
- 30 to 50% LLCHD's recommended indoor relative humidity
- 84% Our estimate for Lincoln Airport's average July air at 70°F indoors
- 13% Our estimate for Lincoln Airport's average January air at 70°F indoors
LLCHD recommends 30 to 50 percent indoor humidity; Nebraska Extension's G2069 says 30 to 45 percent to control house dust mites, the bed mites people ask about. Lincoln Airport's 1991 to 2020 NOAA normals show why both are hard to hold: the average dew point is 17°F in January and 65°F in July. By our calculation, that July air at 70°F indoors would sit near 84 percent and the January air near 13 percent.
What humidity range do local agencies give?
LLCHD's air quality page gives 30 to 50 percent as the generally recommended relative humidity for homes and notes that house dust mites grow in damp, warm environments. Nebraska Extension's G2069, published on UNL's extension site, sets 30 to 45 percent for dust mite control. We haven't found humidity measurements from Lincoln bedrooms published by LLCHD or UNL, so a meter by the bed is the only local figure you'll have.
What does Lincoln's air read outdoors and at 70°F?
The dew point columns are our monthly averages of NOAA's 1991 to 2020 hourly normals for Lincoln Airport. The 70°F column is our own estimate, using the standard Magnus approximation, of the relative humidity that month's average outdoor air would have if it were warmed or cooled to 70°F with no moisture added or removed.
| Month | Dew point | At 70°F indoors | Month | Dew point | At 70°F indoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 17°F | 13% | July | 65°F | 84% |
| February | 20°F | 15% | August | 64°F | 81% |
| March | 28°F | 21% | September | 54°F | 57% |
| April | 38°F | 31% | October | 40°F | 34% |
| May | 50°F | 49% | November | 29°F | 22% |
| June | 60°F | 71% | December | 20°F | 15% |
On this estimate, only April, May and October land inside LLCHD's 30 to 50 percent at 70°F, and only April and October inside G2069's 30 to 45 percent. These are estimates from Lincoln Airport's outdoor normals, not measurements of any house: air conditioning pulls water out in summer, and showers, cooking and humidifiers add it in winter.
What do the steam studies show for bedding?
G2069's bedding steps and the two published steam studies are covered in our Lincoln guide to bed mites, so this page sticks to Lincoln Airport's air.
What does our bed mite sensor do?
Our UV-C vacuum's built-in bed mite sensor is one of the two checks in every visit, with a moisture check after the job; neither measures room humidity. 72-hour bedroom CO₂ testing is a separate optional service, booked on its own or added to a visit and priced by quote; it isn't a medical test. Sleep Sanitation's bed mite and bed bug comparison sorts out the names.
What steps help a Lincoln bedroom?
- 1Put a hygrometer by the bed Lincoln Airport's normals describe outdoor air; only a meter in the room shows where the bedroom sits against LLCHD's 50 percent or G2069's 45.
- 2Watch June to September In Lincoln Airport's hourly normals, the dew point is 60°F or higher in all 744 July hours and in 426 of 720 June hours.
- 3Watch December to March too Lincoln Airport's January dew point of 17°F works out to about 13 percent at 70°F, under the 30 percent floor both LLCHD and G2069 use.
What do Lincoln households ask?
Which range should a Lincoln bedroom use?
Both start at 30 percent. LLCHD's range for homes tops out at 50 percent; G2069, written with dust mites in mind, tops out at 45. Against Lincoln Airport's July dew point of 65°F, the 45 percent ceiling is the harder one to hold without air conditioning or a dehumidifier.
Is a Lincoln winter too dry?
By our calculation from Lincoln Airport's January dew point of 17°F, outdoor air warmed to 70°F indoors sits near 13 percent relative humidity, under LLCHD's 30 percent floor. Showers, cooking and a humidifier change that in a real house, so a hygrometer is the only way to know.
When is Lincoln most humid?
In our monthly averages of NOAA's 1991 to 2020 hourly normals for Lincoln Airport, the dew point peaks at 65°F in July and 64°F in August and bottoms out at 17°F in January.
Source notes
- Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department: Air Quality (biological pollutants and allergens), checked October 3, 2026
- Nebraska Extension G2069 (2011): Indoor Air Quality, Know the Asthma Triggers in the Home, checked October 3, 2026
- NOAA NCEI: U.S. Hourly Climate Normals 1991 to 2020, Lincoln Airport (USW00014939), checked October 3, 2026
Changelog
- October 3, 2026: First published with LLCHD's and Extension's ranges and Lincoln Airport's dew point normals.
- October 3, 2026: Revised: cut the restated G2069 bedding list, added our 70°F indoor estimates from Lincoln Airport's normals.
- October 5, 2026: Wording: the included check is now called the built-in bed mite sensor.
Published October 3, 2026, updated October 5, 2026. Written by Lincoln Mattress Cleaning, operated by Sleep Sanitation. General information, not medical advice.
Prices and what a Lincoln visit includes
See the allergy season hub or call (402) 512-5658, Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm.