If winter has you scrambling for the hand lotion and tea kettle to fight dry indoor air, consider a whole-house humidification system. Besides easing your physical symptoms, adding humidity to dry interior air benefits your home as well. Dry air creates a host of problems for your home, some of which have long term effects and no one likes to experience the physical manifestations of flyaway hair, chapped hands or dry lips.
A whole-house humidification system delivers moist air through your heating system's ductwork. The extra humidity makes your home more comfortable and feel warmer. You can decrease the heating temperature in your home, saving money on your energy bill when humidity levels in your home are close to 35 percent, the ideal level for winter.
Whole-house humidifiers sit next to your furnace and connect to the ductwork. Many of the units have their own thermostats that measure the amount of moisture in the air and turn on or off based on the humidity levels. Central humidifiers eliminate the work associated with room humidifiers by operating automatically and keeping the humidity levels stable throughout your home. A whole-house humidification system does not take up valuable floor space in your home and there's no danger of tipping it over, creating wet furniture or floors.
When the air in your home becomes too dry in the winter, any wood furniture, flooring or windows can shrink, creating cracks and weakening the glued joints. If you have wooden cabinets, the door panels can separate. Physical manifestations include skin cracks, static electricity shocks, nosebleeds and itchy skin. Dry air also creates a favorable environment for viruses and bacteria, which is why winter is also known as the cold and flu season.
Whole-house humidification systems require installation by an HVAC technician to be sure that the system is properly installed and calibrated for efficient use. If you are interested in learning more about increasing the comfort in your home this winter in Lexington, contact Joe Behr Plumbing and Heating. We can show you how to enjoy your home more and save on heating bills.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about whole-house humidification and other HVAC topics, visit our website.
Joe Behr Plumbing and Heating, Inc. services the Mid-Ohio area.
Humidification image via Shutterstock
