Now that we’re fully into the fall and the Halloween decorations are up, we’re also into the season for readying homes for the winter. We’ve previously discussed how important it is to schedule heating maintenance (whether you have a furnace or a heat pump) as part of winter prep. But there are some new installations to consider as well. For example, many homes can benefit tremendously over the winter with a whole-house humidifier. We’ll explain the reasons for this, as well as whether you should have a humidifier installed for your house.

The Problems with Dry Air in Winter

The summer is the season when humidity often soars. The opposite is true in winter: moisture freezes out of the air, and furnaces can contribute to further lowering indoor relative humidity levels. This is a problem for a number of reasons:

• Low humidity makes cold temperatures feel colder. The lack of moisture in the air makes it easier for heat to escape from the human body, and this puts an extra cold edge to the already sharp blade of winter.
• The additional discomfort that low humidity causes means a home heating system will have to run much longer… and that in turn means much higher energy bills.
• A health side-effect of low humidity is dried sinuses and mucus membranes. This is annoying enough on its own—but it also takes away a body’s best defense against the spread of colds and flus around a home.
• Dry air isn’t good for wood and painted surfaces. Wood warps and cracks and paint peels.

If you have noticed the problems above occurring in your home during winter, give serious thought to a humidifier. A portable humidifier won’t do the job: let our professionals install a quality whole-house humidifier into your HVAC system. There’s no better way to balance the humidity levels without making a home too humid.

Bud Matthews Services serves Durham, NC and the surrounding areas. Arrange for humidifier and other indoor air quality services with us today.