There’s a reason why air feels drier during cold weather than when it’s warmer. That’s since warmer air carries additional moisture, or humidity, than colder air.
The same is true inside your the U.S. house. Turning on your gas furnace makes your residence 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 consumes isn’t the source responsible for making your house’s air seem 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 see light from the burners when it’s on. A newer, high-efficiency furnace is totally sealed.
A standard furnace, also called an atmosphere furnace, pulls air from inside your house to function. Because the furnace constantly relies on air to burn, it will also use cold, dry air from outdoors, which in turn reduces your house’s humidity.
High-efficiency furnaces, also called a sealed combustion furnace, are used for keeping your humidity steady. They pull all their combustion air from your home’s exterior, but it stays locked inside the sealed furnace. As an additional bonus, they keep your residence more comfortable while needing less energy. Moving to an ENERGY STAR® furnace from an old furnace may save you as much as 40% on heating costs, according to Lennox®.
Besides combustion, cold air also naturally seeps into your residence during colder weather. Decreased humidity means the air will rob moisture fast from your skin, lips, nose and throat. It also causes static electricity.
Using a humidifier. While a portable humidifier can only make one room pleasant at a time, a whole-house humidifier will spread that comfort around your residence.
These are just a small number of humidifier benefits you’ll receive when you put in a whole-home system.
It’s common that cold weather is the worst time for colds, flu and other illnesses. That’s due to the fact you’re more susceptible to get sick when your nose and throat are dry. Under specific airflow conditions, air at the correct humidity level may also resist the spread of some viruses. Also, it can weaken year-round allergy symptoms.
If you have consistent dry skin or eczema, you recognize just how uncomfortable those conditions can be during winter. Adding a whole-house humidifier will help your skin keep more moisture.
Maintaining your bedroom at the preferred temperature and humidity level will keep you cozy at night. It can also decrease loud snoring, since your throat and nose will be better hydrated.
Cabinets, flooring, furniture and just about anything in your residence that’s wood doesn’t like it when humidity is too low. This is because of the fact dry air moves moisture from the wood and causes it to fracture. Balancing your house’s humidity at the correct level will keep your home’s furnishings looking their best.
Between consistent filter changes and continual refilling, portable humidifiers expect a lot of upkeep. A whole-house humidifier only needs servicing about once a year, which can be completed alongside your furnace tune-up.
A steam humidifier has the lowest amount of maintenance since it doesn’t require a pad. It holds water in a canister and boils it into steam that gets moved through your ductwork. Because it’s independently powered, it can work when the furnace isn’t on.
If your home’s air feels less than comfy during cold weather, Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing can help. Call us at 866-397-3787 to set up a free home comfort consultation. There’s no sales tactics, just free Expert suggestions on how you can balance your house’s humidity at just the proper 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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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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