There’s a reason why air seems drier during colder months than in the summer. That’s because warmer air holds extra moisture, or humidity, than colder air.
The same is true within your the U.S. residence. Using your gas furnace makes your house feel warmer but can also dry out the indoor air. Dry air can carry 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 home’s air and what you can do to resolve it.
The fuel your furnace needs isn’t the source responsible for making your residence’s air appear 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 detect light from the burners when it’s heating. A newer, high-efficiency furnace is completely sealed.
A standard furnace, also known as an atmosphere furnace, draws air from inside your house to combust. Because the furnace continuously needs air to burn, it will also use cold, dry air from outdoors, which in turn reduces your home’s humidity.
High-efficiency furnaces, also referred to as a sealed combustion furnace, are ideal for keeping your humidity balanced. They take all their combustion air from your home’s exterior, but it stays trapped within the sealed furnace. As an extra advantage, they keep your home more comfy while needing less energy. Upgrading to an ENERGY STAR® furnace from an old furnace might save you as much as 40% on heating costs, according to Lennox®.
Besides combustion, cold air also naturally drifts into your residence during colder weather. Lower humidity means the air will steal 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 throughout your house.
These are just a few humidifier benefits you’ll receive when you install a whole-home system.
It’s common that winter is the worst time for colds, flu and other illnesses. That’s since you’re more likely to get sick when your nose and throat are dry. Under certain airflow conditions, air at the correct humidity level can also resist the spread of some viruses. Also, it can combat year-round allergy symptoms.
If you have chronically dry skin or eczema, you understand just how uncomfortable those conditions make you during winter. Adding a whole-house humidifier will help your skin hold onto more moisture.
Preserving your bedroom at the right temperature and humidity level will keep you more comfortable at night. It can also reduce loud snoring, since your throat and nose will be better hydrated.
Cabinets, flooring, furniture and most anything in your house that’s wood suffers when humidity is too low. This is because of the fact dry air pulls moisture from the wood and causes it to crack. Balancing your home’s humidity at the right level will keep your house’s furnishings looking their best.
Between regular filter changes and continuous refilling, portable humidifiers require 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 lowest amount of maintenance since it doesn’t require a pad. It stores 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 running.
If your house’s air feels less than comfy during cold weather, Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing can help. Call us at 866-397-3787 to schedule a free home comfort consultation. There’s no pressure, just free Expert advice on how you can balance your house’s humidity at just the right level. And, like our other services, our work is backed 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.
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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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