There’s a reason why air appears drier in the winter than when it’s hotter. That’s since warmer air holds more moisture, or humidity, than colder air.
The same is true for your Edmonton residence. Starting your gas furnace makes your residence feel warmer but can also dry out the indoor air. Dry air can carry a whole host of ailments, including dry skin, cracked lips and make you more susceptible to getting sick.
Here’s why your gas furnace dries out your home’s air and what you can do to fix it.
Your Furnace’s Combustion Steps are Part of the Problem
The fuel your furnace needs 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 on. A newer, high-efficiency furnace is tightly sealed.
A standard furnace, also called an atmosphere furnace, takes air from inside your home to work. Because the furnace constantly relies on air to burn, it will also use cold, dry air from outdoors, which in turn reduces your residence’s humidity.
High-efficiency furnaces, also referred to as a sealed combustion furnace, are best for keeping your humidity steady. They take all their combustion air from outside, but it stays trapped in the sealed furnace. As an extra perk, they keep your residence more comfy while needing 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®.
Other than combustion, cold air also naturally seeps into your house during cold weather. Lower humidity means the air will snatch moisture rapidly from your skin, lips, nose and throat. It also contributes to static electricity.
How to Balance Humidity in Your House
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 couple humidifier benefits you’ll acquire when you install a whole-home system.
Better Health During Cold and Flu Season
It’s common that cold weather is the worst time for colds, flu and other ailments. That’s due to the fact you’re more likely to become sick when your nose and throat are dry. Under certain airflow conditions, air at the specific humidity level might also hamper the spread of some viruses. Additionally, it can help with year-round allergy symptoms.
Soothes Dry Skin
If you have consistently dry skin or eczema, you realize just how uncomfortable those conditions can be during winter. Adding a whole-house humidifier will help your skin hold onto more moisture.
Enhanced Sleep
Maintaining your bedroom at the preferred 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 Residence
Cabinets, flooring, furniture and most anything in your house that’s wood is affected when humidity is too low. This is a result of the fact dry air absorbs moisture from the wood and causes it to crack. Keeping your home’s humidity at the right level will keep your residence’s furnishings looking their best.
Little Maintenance Necessary
Between frequent filter changes and continual refilling, portable humidifiers require a lot of upkeep. A whole-house humidifier only needs maintenance about once a year, which can be performed along with your furnace tune-up.
A steam humidifier has the lowest amount of maintenance since it doesn’t use a pad. It stores water in a canister and boils it into steam that gets moved through your ductwork. As it’s independently powered, it can work when the furnace isn’t running.
Schedule Your Free Home Comfort Consultation Today
If your house’s air feels less than cozy during cold weather, McKinley Heating Service Experts can help. Call us at 780-800-7092 to schedule a free home comfort consultation. There’s no pressure, just free Expert suggestions on how you can maintain your home’s humidity at just the proper level. And, like our other services, our work is protected by our legendary 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.