Low humidity can cause adverse health effects by drying out mucous membranes, such as the lining of the nose and throat and it can cause respiratory distress.
Low humidity also can affect wooden furniture, causing shrinkage and loose joints or cracking of pieces. Books, papers and artwork may shrink or warp and become brittle in very low humidity.
In addition, static electricity may become a problem in conditions of low humidity, destroying semiconductor devices and causing annoying static cling of textiles, and causing dust and small particles to stick stubbornly to electrically charged surfaces.