There’s a reason why air appears drier in the winter than when it’s hotter. That’s because warmer air holds more moisture, or humidity, than colder air.
The same is true inside your Tempe home. Starting your gas furnace makes your home feel warmer but can also dry out the indoor air. Dry air can transport a whole host of ailments, including dry skin, cracked lips and make you more likely to get sick.
Here’s why your gas furnace dries out your house’s air and what you can do to fix it.
Your Furnace’s Combustion Procedures are a share the Trouble
The fuel your furnace uses isn’t the culprit responsible for making your residence’s air appear dry. Rather, it’s the combustion process.
There are two different styles 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 completely sealed.
A standard furnace, also known as an atmosphere furnace, pulls air from inside your residence to combust. Because the furnace continuously uses air to burn, it will also pull cold, dry air from outdoors, which in turn affects your residence’s humidity.
High-efficiency furnaces, also called a sealed combustion furnace, are best for keeping your humidity steady. They take all their combustion air from outdoors, but it stays trapped within the sealed furnace. As an additional perk, they keep your home more cozy while consuming less energy. Switching to an ENERGY STAR® furnace from an old furnace could save you as much as 40% on heating costs, according to Lennox®.
Besides combustion, cold air also naturally seeps into your home during cold weather. Decreased humidity means the air will rob moisture fast from your skin, lips, nose and throat. It also contributes to static electricity.
How to Balance Humidity in Your Home
Using a humidifier. While a portable humidifier can only make one room comfortable at a time, a whole-house humidifier will transport that comfort around your residence.
These are just a few humidifier benefits you’ll acquire when you upgrade to a whole-home system.
Better Health During Cold and Flu Season
It’s no surprise winter is the worst time for colds, flu and other illnesses. That’s since you’re more likely to get sick when your nose and throat are dry. Under particular airflow conditions, air at the specific humidity level can also slow the spread of some viruses. Also, it can weaken year-round allergy symptoms.
Relief from Dry Skin
If you have constantly dry skin or eczema, you recognize just how irritating those conditions make you during winter. Adding a whole-house humidifier will help your skin keep more moisture.
Enhanced Sleep
Preserving your bedroom at the right temperature and humidity level will keep you more comfortable at night. It can also help with loud snoring, since your throat and nose will be better hydrated.
Protects the Wood in Your House
Cabinets, flooring, furniture and just about anything in your house that’s wood doesn’t like it when humidity is too low. This is due to the fact dry air pulls moisture from the wood and causes it to split. Balancing your residence’s humidity at the right level will keep your residence’s furnishings looking their best.
Little Maintenance Required
Between frequent filter changes and continual refilling, portable humidifiers rely on a lot of upkeep. A whole-house humidifier only needs servicing about once a year, which can be done at the same time as your furnace tune-up.
A steam humidifier has the least amount of maintenance since it doesn’t require a pad. It retains water in a canister and boils it into steam that gets moved through your ductwork. Because it’s independently powered, it can be in use when the furnace is off.
Request Your Free Home Comfort Consultation Right Away
If your home’s air feels less than comfortable during cold weather, Orangutan Home Services can help. Call us at 602-906-0111 to request a free home comfort consultation. There’s no pressure, just free Expert recommendations on how you can balance your residence’s humidity at just the proper level. And, like our other services, our work is protected by our well-known 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.