It doesn't take long for the humid air in your home to dry out once you turn on your system's heating for fall and winter. People who increase humidity inside their homes in the heating months find that they feel better and can even set the thermostat lower, since a little more humidity in the air helps it feel warmer.
A whole-house humidifier is the ideal way to humidify your home because the systems deliver the air to each room, instead of individual units that add water vapor to just a single space. Dry air in the winter can be unhealthy because it spreads cold and flu viruses, causes dry, chapped skin and can be harmful to electronics by creating static electricity. When you use a whole-house humidifier to increase humidity in your home, these problems are eliminated. Most central humidifiers attach to your furnace and keep the humidity levels around 35 percent, the ideal amount for healthy and comfortable living. The units tap into the home's plumbing, and fill automatically, so there's never a need to worry about filling them. They use little electricity, and considering that you can lower the heat in your home, reduce your energy bills without any loss of comfort. Besides feeling more comfortable, when you increase humidity, structural components of your home fare better. Dry air can crack wooden cabinets and flooring, along with weakening glue joints in furniture. Any wooden artwork frames are adversely affected by dry air; if you have any wood musical instruments in your home, dry air can not only change the sound, it can cause them to go out of tune or need expensive repairs. If you think you and your home could benefit with increased humidity, contact Russell's Heating and Cooling, servicing the Hampton Roads region. Besides installing and maintaining your HVAC equipment, we can show you the best systems to increase humidity in your air this winter, making your life simpler and your air more breathable. Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Russell’s Heating & Cooling services the Chesapeake, Virginia and the surrounding areas. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today! Humidifier image via Shutterstock