There’s a reason why air seems drier during cold weather than when it’s warmer. That’s because warmer air holds more moisture, or humidity, than colder air.
The same is true inside your the U.S. house. Turning on your gas furnace makes your house feel warmer but can also dry out the indoor air. Dry air can bring a whole host of ailments, such as dry skin, cracked lips and make you more likely to get sick.
Here’s why your gas furnace dries out your home’s air and what you can do to resolve it.
The fuel your furnace consumes isn’t the thing responsible for making your home’s air appear dry. Rather, it’s the combustion procedures.
There are two different kinds of gas furnaces, standard and high efficiency. With an older standard furnace, you can detect light from the burners when it’s heating. A newer, high-efficiency furnace is entirely sealed.
A standard furnace, also known as an atmosphere furnace, pulls air from inside your house to work. Because the furnace continuously needs air to burn, it will also pull cold, dry air from outdoors, which in turn reduces your house’s humidity.
High-efficiency furnaces, also known as a sealed combustion furnace, are best for keeping your humidity balanced. They take all their combustion air from outside, but it stays contained in the sealed furnace. As an added bonus, they keep your house more comfortable while consuming 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®.
Besides combustion, cold air also naturally drifts into your home during the winter. Reduced humidity means the air will snatch 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 comfy at a time, a whole-house humidifier will spread that comfort across your house.
These are just a couple humidifier benefits you’ll get when you upgrade to a whole-home system.
It’s common that cooler weather is the worst time for colds, flu and other sicknesses. That’s due to the fact you’re more apt to get sick when your nose and throat are dry. Under certain airflow conditions, air at the right humidity level might also restrict the spread of some viruses. Additionally, it can combat year-round allergy symptoms.
If you have consistent dry skin or eczema, you know just how aggravating those conditions can be during winter. Installing a whole-house humidifier will help your skin retain more moisture.
Preserving your bedroom at the preferred temperature and humidity level will keep you comfortable at night. It can also reduce loud snoring, since your throat and nose will be better hydrated.
Cabinets, flooring, furniture and basically 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 fracture. Balancing your residence’s humidity at the correct level will keep your residence’s furnishings looking their best.
Between steady filter changes and continual 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 least amount of maintenance since it doesn’t require a pad. It holds water in a canister and boils it into steam that gets distributed through your ductwork. As it’s independently powered, it can work when the furnace isn’t running.
If your home’s air feels less than pleasant during the winter, Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing can help. Call us at 866-397-3787 to schedule a free home comfort consultation. There’s no sales tactics, just free Expert advice on how you can keep your residence’s humidity at just the correct level. And, like our other services, our work is protected by our famous 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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