Keeping balanced levels of humidity in your home is a very simple and yet important thing you should do, especially during the wintertime. Having too much moisture in the air can trigger the growth of mold and mildew and attract unwanted pests inside. On the other hand, without enough moisture in the air, dry conditions during the winter can cause health problems, skin problems, sleeping and comfort problems and damage to your home that will cost you money.
So what is the ideal level of humidity indoors and how do you maintain it during the winter?
Experts say the healthy level of relative humidity in a home should be somewhere between 30 and 50 percent. Maintaining this is level is easy and affordable if your home is outfitted with a whole-home humidifier.
To explain this in more depth, we at Mason Heating & Air put together the following list of 6 Major Benefits of Whole-Home Humidifiers:
Sleeping Conditions
During the wintertime, dry breathing conditions are known to cause illness, discomfort and sleep problems. Because of the dry air, people who don’t usually snore begin snoring, and those who snore become louder as other sleep problems arise. As many of us know, snoring is known to interrupt sleep cycles. Snoring can create sleeping disturbances for the person snoring in addition to others in the home. To make matters worse, dry air can make other coughing and breathing problems crop up that disrupt sleep as well. Furthermore, dry throats can aggravate this problem. Fortunately, having a whole-home humidifier installed will improve sleep quality and resolve other problems as well.
Protecting Furniture & Wood From Dry Air
Your wood furniture, cabinetry, molding, trim and other woodwork doesn’t do well in dry conditions. Wood inside a home will last a lot longer and look much better if the proper humidity levels are maintained during the winter. When levels drop below 30 percent, as it does during the winter, the dry air will pull moisture from not only our bodies, but also the wood in our house. Over time, this damage shows up as cracking, splitting and warping. Window frames and doors are known to shrink and warp making them harder to open and close. Because moisture is needed in our homes, having a whole-home humidifier installed would not only be good for you, but it would also be good for many of your belongings and the house itself.
Cold & Flu Season
Keeping humidity levels from drying up in our homes during the winter is beneficial for when cold and flu season arrive. The human respiratory system is lined with membrane tissue that needs moisture to function properly. When the air is too dry, the dry air removes moisture from this tissue and causes irritation, often making a person’s throat sore and scratchy while causing painful sinus problems and other respiratory tract irritation. Once cold and flu season arrives, these otherwise mild issues can become painfully magnified. Worse yet, there are a lot of common viruses known to spread faster in dry homes. Meanwhile, people who suffer from inflamed respiratory systems caused by dry air are more susceptible to getting these viruses. The result is a sort of double-edge sword, metaphorically speaking, or a recipe for misery. Fortunately, whole-home humidifiers are effective solutions to all these issues.
Decrease Allergy Symptoms
Allergy symptoms are usually caused when a person’s immune system overreacts to stuff in the air, and this is especially the case when the air is dry. When the immune system is fighting against airborne pollutants and fighting dry air, its mucous membranes swell and generate too much mucus. Typical symptoms are things like sneezing, runny noses, watery eyes and dry skin. When the skin is dry, hives and other irritations lead to excess itching. If you or your loved ones are experiencing problematic allergy symptoms and your home’s humidity levels are low, installing a whole-home humidifier is something you should give some serious consideration.
Skin Health
For people struggling from eczema or dermatitis, dry and itchy skin can be painful, and dry conditions make these problems worse because low levels of humidity causes skin problems. If you experience skin problems during the winter, getting a whole-home humidifier would help a lot by maintaining humidity. Humidifiers keep conditions from drying out so that skin can hold its natural moisture. Moisture gives skin its elasticity. Without the moisture skin needs, it will form wrinkles at a much younger age. Furthermore, dry air makes oil-producing glands in the body hyperactive, which triggers acne problems or makes acne worse. Because the outdoor air is dryer during the winter months when it’s cold, sustaining optimal indoor humidity levels helps keep skin from drying out.
Save Energy and Money
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, homeowners can save up to 4 percent of their overall heating bill for every single degree they can lower their thermostat. Fortunately, homes with higher humidity levels will feel warmer. This enables you to keep your thermostat at lower temperatures easily and this will save you money, as many others will tell you.
We can solve dry air problems in your home!
Keeping the air from drying out in your home will make sure everyone is more comfortable and healthy. As Indoor Air Quality and HVAC specialists, we care about the quality of the air in your home, we want you and your loved ones to live comfortably and enjoy the holiday season! If you’re interested in having a whole-home humidifier installed, please call Mason Heating & Air at 513-496-2477, or schedule an appointment right now by clicking here!
