There’s a reason why air seems drier during colder months than in the summer. That’s because warmer air holds more moisture, or humidity, than colder air.
The same is true within your the U.S. residence. 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, like dry skin, cracked lips and make you more vulnerable 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 needs isn’t the source responsible for making your house’s air appear dry. Rather, it’s the combustion process.
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 working. A newer, high-efficiency furnace is totally sealed.
A standard furnace, also known as an atmosphere furnace, takes air from inside your home to function. Because the furnace continuously needs air to burn, it will also use cold, dry air from outdoors, which in turn affects your home’s humidity.
High-efficiency furnaces, also called a sealed combustion furnace, are better at keeping your humidity balanced. They take all their combustion air from outdoors, but it stays trapped within the sealed furnace. As another advantage, they keep your residence more comfortable while needing 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®.
Other than combustion, cold air also naturally flows into your home during cold weather. Decreased 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 transport that comfort around your house.
These are just a few humidifier benefits you’ll acquire when you switch to 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 particular airflow conditions, air at the right humidity level can also resist the spread of some viruses. Also, it can combat year-round allergy symptoms.
If you have consistently dry skin or eczema, you know just how aggravating those conditions make you during winter. Getting a whole-house humidifier will help your skin hold onto more moisture.
Preserving your bedroom at the preferred temperature and humidity level will keep you comfortable at night. It can also help with loud snoring, since your throat and nose will be better hydrated.
Cabinets, flooring, furniture and generally anything in your home that’s wood is affected when humidity is too low. This is due to the fact dry air pulls moisture from the wood and causes it to fracture. Keeping your residence’s humidity at the correct level will keep your residence’s furnishings looking their best.
Between frequent filter changes and constant refilling, portable humidifiers rely on a lot of upkeep. A whole-house humidifier only needs servicing about once a year, which can be completed in tandem with your furnace tune-up.
A steam humidifier has the smallest amount of maintenance since it doesn’t require a pad. It retains water in a canister and boils it into steam that gets distributed through your ductwork. Because it’s independently powered, it can be in use when the furnace isn’t on.
If your house’s air feels less than comfy 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 obligation, just free Expert advice on how you can balance your home’s humidity at just the right level. And, like our other services, our work is supported 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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