There’s a reason why air appears drier during cold weather than in the summer. That’s because warmer air holds additional moisture, or humidity, than colder air.
The same is true inside your Fort Worth home. Turning on your gas furnace makes your residence feel warmer but can also dry out the indoor air. Dry air can bring 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 home’s air and what you can do to combat it.
Your Furnace’s Combustion Process is a Portion of the Trouble
The fuel your furnace needs isn’t the culprit responsible for making your house’s air seem dry. Rather, it’s the combustion process.
There are two different kinds of gas furnaces, standard and high efficiency. With an older standard furnace, you can see light from the burners when it’s running. A newer, high-efficiency furnace is completely sealed.
A standard furnace, also termed an atmosphere furnace, takes air from inside your residence to combust. Because the furnace consistently relies on air to burn, it will also draw in cold, dry air from outdoors, which in turn lowers your residence’s humidity.
High-efficiency furnaces, also known as a sealed combustion furnace, are used for keeping your humidity even. They pull all their combustion air from your home’s exterior, but it stays contained in the sealed furnace. As an extra perk, they keep your home more comfortable while using less energy. Moving to an ENERGY STAR® furnace from an old furnace could save you as much as 40% on heating costs, according to Lennox®.
In addition to combustion, cold air also naturally flows into your residence during the winter. Decreased humidity means the air will steal moisture fast from your skin, lips, nose and throat. It also causes static electricity.
How to Balance Humidity in Your Residence
Using a humidifier. While a portable humidifier can only make one room pleasant at a time, a whole-house humidifier will generate that comfort across your house.
These are just a small number of humidifier benefits you’ll acquire when you upgrade to a whole-home system.
Better Health During Cold and Flu Season
It’s no surprise cold weather is the worst time for colds, flu and other ailments. That’s because you’re more apt to end up sick when your nose and throat are dry. Under certain airflow conditions, air at the right humidity level might also hamper the spread of some viruses. Also, it can weaken year-round allergy symptoms.
Eases Dry Skin
If you have consistent dry skin or eczema, you recognize just how uncomfortable those conditions make you during winter. Installing a whole-house humidifier will help your skin retain more moisture.
Improved Sleep
Preserving your bedroom at the right temperature and humidity level will keep you cozy at night. It can also help with loud snoring, since your throat and nose will be better hydrated.
Defends the Wood in Your Residence
Cabinets, flooring, furniture and generally anything in your home that’s wood doesn’t like it when humidity is too low. This is due to the fact dry air absorbs moisture from the wood and causes it to crack. Keeping your residence’s humidity at the right level will keep your house’s furnishings looking their best.
Little Maintenance Required
Between steady filter changes and constant refilling, portable humidifiers demand a lot of upkeep. A whole-house humidifier only needs a tune-up about once a year, which can be completed alongside your furnace tune-up.
A steam humidifier has the least amount of maintenance since it doesn’t use a pad. It retains water in a canister and boils it into steam that gets distributed through your ductwork. Since it’s independently powered, it can be in use when the furnace isn’t on.
Request Your Free Home Comfort Consultation Today
If your house’s air feels less than cozy during colder weather, Stark Services can help. Call us at 817-668-6689 to set up a free home comfort consultation. There’s no sales tactics, just free Expert advice on how you can keep your residence’s humidity at just the right level. And, like our other services, our work is protected by our famous 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.