There’s a reason why air appears drier during cold weather than in the summer. That’s due to the fact warmer air holds additional moisture, or humidity, than colder air.
The same is true for your Kingwood house. Using your gas furnace makes your home feel warmer but can also dry out the indoor air. Dry air can carry a whole host of ailments, such as dry skin, cracked lips and make you more vulnerable to getting sick.
Here’s why your gas furnace dries out your house’s air and what you can do to combat it.
Your Furnace’s Combustion Process is a Portion of the Issue
The fuel your furnace uses isn’t the culprit responsible for making your home’s air feel dry. Rather, it’s the way it combusts.
There are two different types of gas furnaces, standard and high efficiency. With an older standard furnace, you can see light from the burners when it’s working. A newer, high-efficiency furnace is totally sealed.
A standard furnace, also termed an atmosphere furnace, pulls air from inside your residence to work. Because the furnace consistently uses air to burn, it will also draw in cold, dry air from outdoors, which in turn lowers your house’s humidity.
High-efficiency furnaces, also known as a sealed combustion furnace, are used for keeping your humidity balanced. They draw all their combustion air from outside, but it stays contained within the sealed furnace. As an added bonus, they keep your residence more comfortable while using less energy. Upgrading to an ENERGY STAR® furnace from an old furnace could save you as much as 40% on heating costs, according to Lennox®.
Other than combustion, cold air also naturally drifts into your residence during colder weather. Lower humidity means the air will steal moisture quickly from your skin, lips, nose and throat. It also causes static electricity.
How to Balance Humidity in Your House
Using a humidifier. While a portable humidifier can only make one room comfy at a time, a whole-house humidifier will transport that comfort throughout your residence.
These are just a couple humidifier benefits you’ll receive when you upgrade to a whole-home system.
Better Health During Cold and Flu Season
It’s common that winter is the worst time for colds, flu and other sicknesses. That’s due to the fact you’re more apt to end up sick when your nose and throat are dry. Under particular airflow conditions, air at the specific humidity level may also slow the spread of some viruses. Additionally, it can combat year-round allergy symptoms.
Eases Dry Skin
If you have consistently dry skin or eczema, you know just how aggravating those conditions can be during winter. Adding a whole-house humidifier will help your skin keep more moisture.
Better Sleep
Keeping 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.
Guards the Wood in Your Home
Cabinets, flooring, furniture and generally anything in your residence that’s wood is affected when humidity is too low. This is due to the fact dry air absorbs moisture from the wood and causes it to split. Balancing your house’s humidity at the correct level will keep your house’s furnishings looking their best.
Little Maintenance Required
Between consistent filter changes and continual refilling, portable humidifiers expect a lot of upkeep. A whole-house humidifier only needs maintenance about once a year, which can be done along with 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 moved through your ductwork. Because it’s independently powered, it can work when the furnace is off.
Book Your Free Home Comfort Consultation Right Away
If your residence’s air feels less than comfy during colder weather, Finch Air Conditioning & Heating can help. Call us at 281-407-9478 to schedule a free home comfort consultation. There’s no obligation, just free Expert suggestions on how you can maintain 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.