With the cold winter months right around the corner, most of us aren’t looking forward to the upper respiratory problems that usually accompany winter. Dry nose and throat, itchy skin and cold symptoms don’t always mean you have a virus. These irritating symptoms could mean that the humidity level in your home is just too dry. Don’t believe it? The relative humidity of the Sahara Desert is 25 percent; Death Valley is 23 percent. In the winter months the average humidity in a heated home in Indianapolis is as low as 13-16 percent. Your home in the winter months is dryer than the desert!
Adding humidity to your home may be the solution. A new whole house humidifier installed on your home heating system will add moisture during those drier months, and keep you feeling more comfortable. Not only will the added humidity ease the dryness that causes upper respiratory symptoms, but your home will benefit as well. Walls and ceilings crack, furniture joints loosen, and wood shrinks when dryness occurs. Increasing humidity in the winter months will actually help preserve your home and its furnishings. Getting shocked whenever you touch a television or light switch is your homes way of telling you it’s too dry- it needs humidity.
Lowering utility bills during the winter is another benefit of adding humidity to your home. Ever heard the saying “it’s not the heat but the humidity”? That’s because moist air is heavier, and warmer than dry air. This means you can turn down your thermostat a few degrees, thus reducing your energy bills, and still stay warm and comfortable.
Humidifiers come in many different sizes and models and are made by various manufacturers such as Aprilaire, Honeywell, Lennox Healthy Climate and many more. Choosing the right brand and unit for your home should be done with the help of your local Heating and Air Conditioning contractor. Most contractors give free estimates on this type of service, and will be happy to assess your existing system to determine the compatibility of the right humidifier for your home.