Can a Whole-House Humidifier Benefit Your Health?

Humidity levels fluctuate depending on the season, and during the winter, they can become especially low. Indoors, dry air may become more of an issue because of home heating, which can dry out the air even more. It’s important to learn how low humidity can effect your health and how a whole-house humidifier can alleviate these problems.

Dry Nasal Passages

Your nose and throat are coated with a thin, protective layer of mucus. This helps protect your respiratory passage from viruses, bacteria and small particles of irritating debris in the air. When humidity is too low, your nose and throat can become dry and irritated.

Not only is dry air uncomfortable, but it can also leave you more susceptible to germs, including the flu virus. Instead of becoming trapped in mucus to be ferried naturally from the body, germs can settle in your nose, throat or enter your body through tiny breaks in dry membranes.

Flu Viruses Live Longer

Low humidity can dry out your nasal passages, leaving you more susceptible to viruses, while providing a friendly environment for viruses. The flu virus can live longer in dry homes, increasing the chance that other inhabitants will become infected. A whole-house humidifier can solve this by keeping humidity at an optimal level.

Dry Skin

Dry air robs your skin of moisture, which can cause itchiness, irritation and sometimes cracked, painful skin. Using moisturizers can help temporarily, but balancing the humidity level in your home with a whole-house humidifier can bring longer-lasting and more satisfactory results.

Dry Eyes

Your eyes may suffer when indoor humidity levels get too low. Dry eyes feel itchy and are prone to redness and infections.

Allergies

Winter allergies often occur due to excess dryness in the home. Low humidity means dust and other allergens can become more easily airborne and inhaled.

At Sobieski Services, Inc., our goal is to help our customers in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey learn more about energy and home comfort issues – especially HVAC and plumbing issues – so that they can save money and live in healthier, more comfortable homes.

Photo Credit: mcfarlandmo via Compfight cc