Ask any metrologist, and you’ll likely get quite a diatribe about the challenge of making a good measurement of humidity. There are, however, some specific steps or best practices you can follow that will help improve your measurement of humidity through better accuracy, better repeatability, and fewer errors.

Best practice No. 1: Choose the correct instrument

One of the more common problems with humidity measurement is choosing the wrong instrument for a specific application. For example, using an aluminum oxide sensor for very dry air (–100°C dew point) is the correct choice, but this type of sensor will yield inaccurate results when the air is both wet and dirty. There are many factors to consider when choosing the correct instrument, such as temperature of the environment and ambient pressure, external factors that will affect the sensor, and its range of measurement. Rely on the expertise of your hygrometer vendor to help make the proper choice. Or sign up for the free webinar, “How to Choose a Best-fit Hygrometer.” The next one is scheduled for Thurs., Dec. 15, 2011, at 10 a.m. PST.

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