There’s a reason why air appears drier in the winter than when it’s hotter. That’s due to the fact warmer air holds additional moisture, or humidity, than colder air.
The same is true within your Waldorf house. Starting your gas furnace makes your house feel warmer but can also dry out the indoor air. Dry air can bring a whole host of ailments, including dry skin, cracked lips and make you more vulnerable to getting sick.
Here’s why your gas furnace dries out your house’s air and what you can do to counter it.
Your Furnace’s Combustion Steps are a Portion of the Issue
The fuel your furnace uses isn’t the source responsible for making your house’s air feel dry. Rather, it’s the way it combusts.
There are two different kinds of gas furnaces, standard and high efficiency. With an older standard furnace, you can notice light from the burners when it’s heating. A newer, high-efficiency furnace is tightly sealed.
A standard furnace, also called an atmosphere furnace, takes air from inside your residence to function. Because the furnace continuously needs air to burn, it will also use cold, dry air from outdoors, which in turn lowers your house’s humidity.
High-efficiency furnaces, also called a sealed combustion furnace, are better at keeping your humidity steady. They pull all their combustion air from your home’s exterior, but it stays locked within the sealed furnace. As another bonus, they keep your house more comfortable while using less energy. Switching to an ENERGY STAR® furnace from an old furnace could save you as much as 40% on heating costs, according to Lennox®.
Other than combustion, cold air also naturally seeps into your residence during cold weather. Reduced humidity means the air will steal moisture rapidly from your skin, lips, nose and throat. It also causes static electricity.
How to Balance Humidity in Your House
Using a humidifier. While a portable humidifier can only make one room comfortable at a time, a whole-house humidifier will spread that comfort around your house.
These are just a couple humidifier benefits you’ll acquire when you install a whole-home system.
Enhanced Health During Cold and Flu Season
It’s no surprise winter is the worst time for colds, flu and other sicknesses. That’s due to the fact you’re more apt to get sick when your nose and throat are dry. Under certain airflow conditions, air at the specific humidity level may also hamper the spread of some viruses. Also, it can alleviate year-round allergy symptoms.
Soothes Dry Skin
If you have consistently dry skin or eczema, you recognize just how irritating those conditions can be during winter. Installing a whole-house humidifier will help your skin keep more moisture.
Better Sleep
Preserving your bedroom at the preferred temperature and humidity level will keep you cozy at night. It can also alleviate loud snoring, since your throat and nose will be better hydrated.
Protects the Wood in Your House
Cabinets, flooring, furniture and just about anything in your house that’s wood suffers when humidity is too low. This is because of the fact dry air draws moisture from the wood and causes it to split. Balancing your residence’s humidity at the correct level will keep your home’s furnishings looking their best.
Little Maintenance Needed
Between regular filter changes and continuous refilling, portable humidifiers rely on a lot of upkeep. A whole-house humidifier only needs maintenance about once a year, which can be done alongside your furnace tune-up.
A steam humidifier has the lowest amount of maintenance since it doesn’t require a pad. It holds water in a canister and boils it into steam that gets distributed through your ductwork. As it’s independently powered, it can run when the furnace isn’t on.
Book Your Free Home Comfort Consultation Right Away
If your residence’s air feels less than comfortable during the winter, A-PLUS Service Experts can help. Call us at 301-747-3140 to set up a free home comfort consultation. There’s no pressure, just free Expert suggestions on how you can maintain your house’s humidity at just the proper level. And, like our other services, our work is supported by our legendary 100% Satisfaction Guarantee for one year.*
*Not applicable to the Advantage Program. See your signed Advantage Program Agreement for full details and exclusions. 100% Satisfaction Guarantee is subject to certain restrictions and limitations as set forth in the applicable Terms and Conditions.