There’s a reason why air feels drier in the winter than when it’s hotter. That’s since warmer air retains extra moisture, or humidity, than colder air.
The same is true inside your the U.S. house. Using your gas furnace makes your home feel warmer but can also dry out the indoor air. Dry air can bring a whole host of ailments, such as dry skin, cracked lips and make you more susceptible to getting sick.
Here’s why your gas furnace dries out your residence’s air and what you can do to resolve it.
The fuel your furnace consumes isn’t the source responsible for making your house’s air appear dry. Rather, it’s the combustion process.
There are two different types of gas furnaces, standard and high efficiency. With an older standard furnace, you can see light from the burners when it’s heating. A newer, high-efficiency furnace is tightly sealed.
A standard furnace, also known as an atmosphere furnace, takes air from inside your house to work. Because the furnace consistently 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 ideal for keeping your humidity steady. They draw all their combustion air from outside, but it stays contained inside the sealed furnace. As another advantage, they keep your house more comfy while needing less energy. Upgrading to an ENERGY STAR® furnace from an old furnace can save you as much as 40% on heating costs, according to Lennox®.
In addition to combustion, cold air also naturally moves into your home during the winter. Reduced humidity means the air will snatch moisture quickly from your skin, lips, nose and throat. It also causes static electricity.
Using a humidifier. While a portable humidifier can only make one room comfy at a time, a whole-house humidifier will generate that comfort throughout your home.
These are just a couple humidifier benefits you’ll receive when you install a whole-home system.
It’s typical that cooler weather is the worst time for colds, flu and other illnesses. That’s because you’re more apt to get sick when your nose and throat are dry. Under specific airflow conditions, air at the specific humidity level may also restrict the spread of some viruses. Additionally, it can combat year-round allergy symptoms.
If you have chronically dry skin or eczema, you know just how aggravating those conditions can be during winter. Getting a whole-house humidifier will help your skin hold onto more moisture.
Keeping your bedroom at the preferred temperature and humidity level will keep you cozy at night. It can also help with loud snoring, since your throat and nose will be better hydrated.
Cabinets, flooring, furniture and just about anything in your residence that’s wood suffers when humidity is too low. This is because of the fact dry air absorbs moisture from the wood and causes it to crack. Having your home’s humidity at the correct level will keep your home’s furnishings looking their best.
Between steady filter changes and constant refilling, portable humidifiers rely on a lot of upkeep. A whole-house humidifier only needs a tune-up about once a year, which can be completed at the same time as your furnace tune-up.
A steam humidifier has the least amount of maintenance since it doesn’t use a pad. It stores water in a canister and boils it into steam that gets transported through your ductwork. Since it’s independently powered, it can run when the furnace is off.
If your residence’s air feels less than comfy during the winter, Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing can help. Call us at 866-397-3787 to request a free home comfort consultation. There’s no pressure, just free Expert suggestions on how you can keep your home’s humidity at just the right level. And, like our other services, our work is protected by our famous 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.
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