There’s a reason why air feels drier during cold weather than in the summer. That’s because warmer air retains extra moisture, or humidity, than colder air.
The same is true within your the U.S. home. Starting your gas furnace makes your house feel warmer but can also dry out the indoor air. Dry air can transport a whole host of ailments, such as 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 fix it.
The fuel your furnace needs isn’t the culprit 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 see light from the burners when it’s on. A newer, high-efficiency furnace is totally sealed.
A standard furnace, also known as an atmosphere furnace, takes air from inside your residence to combust. Because the furnace continuously uses air to burn, it will also draw in cold, dry air from outdoors, which in turn affects your residence’s humidity.
High-efficiency furnaces, also referred to as a sealed combustion furnace, are best for keeping your humidity steady. They draw all their combustion air from your home’s exterior, but it stays trapped in the sealed furnace. As an extra bonus, they keep your home more warm 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®.
Other than combustion, cold air also naturally drifts into your residence during cold weather. Decreased humidity means the air will snatch moisture rapidly from your skin, lips, nose and throat. It also contributes to 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 across your residence.
These are just a small number of humidifier benefits you’ll get when you put in a whole-home system.
It’s no surprise cooler weather is the worst time for colds, flu and other illnesses. That’s due to the fact you’re more susceptible to become sick when your nose and throat are dry. Under particular airflow conditions, air at the right humidity level might also slow the spread of some viruses. In addition, it can alleviate year-round allergy symptoms.
If you have consistently dry skin or eczema, you know just how aggravating those conditions are during winter. Getting a whole-house humidifier will help your skin hold onto more moisture.
Keeping your bedroom at the ideal 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 most anything in your home that’s wood suffers when humidity is too low. This is a result of the fact dry air absorbs moisture from the wood and causes it to split. Balancing your house’s humidity at the proper level will keep your house’s furnishings looking their best.
Between frequent filter changes and constant refilling, portable humidifiers require a lot of upkeep. A whole-house humidifier only needs servicing about once a year, which can be performed alongside your furnace tune-up.
A steam humidifier has the smallest 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 work when the furnace isn’t on.
If your home’s air feels less than comfortable during cold weather, Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing can help. Call us at 866-397-3787 to request a free home comfort consultation. There’s no obligation, just free Expert recommendations on how you can keep your residence’s humidity at just the correct 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.
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