Dry air is a common complaint over the winter months, and this lack of moisture can create many problems for your home and family. Fortunately, there are ways you can combat cold dry air inside your home. The benefits of a humidifier in winter include balanced indoor relative humidity and the elimination of troublesome dry air symptoms! “Doc” Dancer Heating & Air explains the benefits of a humidifier in winter and why you should install one in your Ft. Wayne area home.
Why Is Dry Air Common During the Winter Months?
Dry air is notorious for being a wintertime problem in Indiana due to the cold temperatures common throughout this season. Cold air simply isn’t able to hold as much moisture as warmer air, which results in dry air this time of year. With such a naturally low moisture content, any moisture that exists is quickly absorbed by the cold air.
The body is a major source of moisture, so dry air sucks the moisture from your body and causes irritating symptoms like itchy skin and bloody noses. And it’s not just your body that feels the effects of cold dry air. The woodwork throughout the home holds moisture, too, and cold air can pull moisture from your wooden floors and furniture which can result in cracking or damage. When dry air is a problem inside your home, the symptoms often include:
- Dry, itchy skin
- Chapped lips
- Worsening allergy symptoms
- Cracked skin
- Dry nasal passages
- Dry throat
- Static electricity
- Cracked woodwork
- Creaky wooden floorboards
- Wooden doors that stick or don’t shut correctly
The Benefits of a Humidifier in Winter
Installing a whole-house humidifier will allow you to add moisture to the air and avoid many dry air issues inside your residence. This indoor air quality equipment works with your HVAC system to provide coverage throughout the entire home. The benefits of a humidifier in winter include:
- Add moisture to the home’s air. When relative humidity levels are too low indoors, dry air issues arise. The benefits of a humidifier in cold winter months allow you to add moisture to your home’s air as needed throughout the season so you can avoid dry air symptoms, protect your health and home, and stay comfortable.
- Maintain balanced relative humidity levels indoors. While a relative humidity level between 30 to 50 percent is ideal at most points throughout the year. You don’t want your home to have too much humidity because that can cause issues too. It’s important to have properly humidified air that is appropriate for the season. The benefits of using a humidifier in winter include the ability to control indoor humidity levels according to current needs, so you can adjust output up or down based on current temperatures.
- Stay healthier throughout the season. Viruses and bacteria are able to spread throughout a home more easily when the air is dry. Adding moisture to the home’s air inhibits the spread of these pathogens, and certain viruses decay faster when exposed to higher humidity levels. The benefits of a humidifier in winter aren’t just about comfort, but about helping your family stay healthier.
- Get a better night’s sleep. As mentioned above, exposure to dry air can dry out your sinuses and throat. These tissues can become irritated and inflamed, while mucus also thickens as a response. Dry air and low humidity can make allergy symptoms worse. If you currently have allergy issues, you’ll notice a difference when you use a humidifier. Dry, irritated sinuses can also lead to an increased chance of snoring. Snoring can cause significant disruption to sleep quality, causing you to feel irritable and tired during the day as well as increasing your risk of health issues. The benefits of a humidifier in winter add moisture to your air to help keep the body’s mucus membranes, sinuses, and throat hydrated so you are less likely to snore at night.
- Lower your heating bills. The benefits of a humidifier in winter also include financial savings! With a humidifier adding moisture to help the humidity levels in the interior air of your home, you and your loved ones can stay comfortable while using your heating system less. Moist air feels warmer, so it helps keep your body warm. You naturally feel warmer and don’t rely as much on your furnace or heating unit. The less energy your heater consumes to heat your home, the lower your utility costs will be this season!
Humidifier Installation in Your Home
The benefits of a humidifier in winter are plentiful and offer great value. If you don’t currently have a whole-home humidifier installed in your Ft. Wayne, IN area home, what are you waiting for? Call “Doc” Dancer Heating & Air today to receive a quote for humidifier installation.