I'm worried I am trying to keep the humidity level too high. I'm seeing condensation on my windows.

What % do you try to maintain?

48% is supposed to be perfect, but my understanding is that anything between 40 and 50 % is good.

I just like to refer to mine as steamy! Sometimes my windows get condensation as well. But when its dry I cant breathe so I know the babies are uncomfortable too.

Can I sound dumb? I think you use a humidifier...but how do you know what the level is? Is there a gauge?

Yes, there are gauges for relative humidity, but they are often inaccurate. Karen, I've been struggling to maintain 25 to 30 percent lately, this morning its 4 below zero, and in spite of the humidifier running 24/7 the humidity is 22 percent. Even then there is condensation. If it were up in the high forty percent range, there'd be water dripping off the ceiling and walls. High humidity can be damaging to your house.

We have a Weather Station that tells all inside and outside. Ours stays between 40 - 45%. In the summer it was lower with the AC, but we added two large waterfalls to raise the humidity.

Weather Instruments, Weather Radios & Cupolas - The Weather Store

I turn on the humidifier in the morning and it's always set at 55%. It runs for about 12 hours and then turns itself off automatically when the water runs out so the humidity goes down at night and, in the morning, we start the same cycle all over again.

I keep it by the parrots side of the room because the canaries don't need that much humidity.