There’s a reason why air feels drier during colder months than when it’s warmer. That’s because warmer air retains extra moisture, or humidity, than colder air.
The same is true for your the U.S. house. Turning on your gas furnace makes your home feel warmer but can also dry out the indoor air. Dry air can carry a whole host of ailments, such as dry skin, cracked lips and make you more likely to get sick.
Here’s why your gas furnace dries out your residence’s air and what you can do to combat it.
The fuel your furnace consumes isn’t the source responsible for making your residence’s air seem dry. Rather, it’s the combustion procedures.
There are two different styles of gas furnaces, standard and high efficiency. With an older standard furnace, you can notice light from the burners when it’s on. A newer, high-efficiency furnace is completely sealed.
A standard furnace, also termed an atmosphere furnace, pulls air from inside your residence to work. Because the furnace consistently needs air to burn, it will also use cold, dry air from outdoors, which in turn reduces your house’s humidity.
High-efficiency furnaces, also known as a sealed combustion furnace, are best for keeping your humidity even. They take all their combustion air from outdoors, but it stays locked in the sealed furnace. As an added bonus, they keep your home more cozy while using less energy. Switching to an ENERGY STAR® furnace from an old furnace can save you as much as 40% on heating costs, according to Lennox®.
Besides combustion, cold air also naturally seeps into your house during the winter. Reduced humidity means the air will snatch moisture rapidly from your skin, lips, nose and throat. It also causes static electricity.
Using a humidifier. While a portable humidifier can only make one room comfortable at a time, a whole-house humidifier will spread that comfort across your residence.
These are just a few humidifier benefits you’ll acquire when you put in a whole-home system.
It’s typical that cooler weather is the worst time for colds, flu and other ailments. That’s since you’re more apt to become sick when your nose and throat are dry. Under specific airflow conditions, air at the right humidity level may also slow the spread of some viruses. Additionally, it can alleviate year-round allergy symptoms.
If you have constantly dry skin or eczema, you know just how uncomfortable those conditions are during winter. Adding a whole-house humidifier will help your skin keep more moisture.
Preserving your bedroom at the preferred temperature and humidity level will keep you more comfortable at night. It can also help with loud snoring, since your throat and nose will be better hydrated.
Cabinets, flooring, furniture and basically anything in your residence that’s wood doesn’t like it when humidity is too low. This is due to the fact dry air draws moisture from the wood and causes it to fracture. Keeping your home’s humidity at the right level will keep your home’s furnishings looking their best.
Between steady filter changes and continuous refilling, portable humidifiers require a lot of upkeep. A whole-house humidifier only needs servicing about once a year, which can be completed along with your furnace tune-up.
A steam humidifier has the least amount of maintenance since it doesn’t use a pad. It holds water in a canister and boils it into steam that gets moved through your ductwork. Since it’s independently powered, it can run when the furnace isn’t on.
If your home’s air feels less than cozy during colder weather, Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing can help. Call us at 866-397-3787 to arrange a free home comfort consultation. There’s no pressure, just free Expert recommendations on how you can balance your home’s humidity at just the proper level. And, like our other services, our work is backed 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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There’s no reason to skip your seasonal maintenance that saves energy and helps ensure your air conditioner and heater will work reliably all season long.
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