A Humidifier Can Contribute to Better Comfort and Savings in Winter
When it’s cold and wet or snowy outside in the winter, it’s comforting to stay warm and dry inside. But, is your home too dry? Learn the benefits a whole-house humidifier will provide you and your loved ones through the heating months, including a better home-comfort experience, more healthful indoor air quality (IAQ), and even reducing the heating load on your furnace (and household budget).
Benefits of Whole-house Humidification
Optimal indoor humidity (35 to 50 percent) offers benefits for comfort, protecting valuables and home structure, and maintaining healthful IAQ.
- Comfort – As air is heated by the furnace, the air expands, making it feel like there’s less moisture. This natural occurrence lends to dry skin, itchy eyes and aggravated throat and nasal passages. Dry indoor conditions also can make it feel colder, since heat and moisture are removed from the skin more quickly.
- IAQ and Health – Dry air provides a sustainable environment for the flu virus and other contaminants. When occupants are suffering from dry nasal passages and sore throat, they are more susceptible to infection.
- Home and possessions – Wooden structures, fixtures and furniture, and porous household objects may be damaged by dry air. Wood flooring, frames, molding and cabinetry may warp and split over time. Musical instruments, documents and photographs may also be damaged by the effects of dry air. Static electricity, which can damage sensitive electronics, is another issue in homes with dry air.
Humidifying Your Home
A whole-house humidifier maintains optimal humidity by, in essence, moisturizing indoor air as it circulates through the ductwork. A whole-house system is attached to the ductwork near the furnace, and is connected directly to the plumbing system for automatic water supply and drainage. A humidistat controls humidity levels, much like a thermostat controls temperature. Moreover, maintenance is relatively simple, making whole-house humidifiers a blessing for comfort, health and home.
If you think a whole-house humidifier would benefit your household, contact Sobieski Services for more information. Our goal is to help educate our customers in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC & plumbing systems).
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