As temperatures plummet during the winter season, you might notice the air in your home becoming drier. This is because relative humidity in your indoor space can drop by up to 30% during the cold season. Plus, while you rely on your furnace to warm your house, it removes the already depleted moisture. That’s why you need a humidifier to increase moisture levels. Below are six reasons why a humidifier is essential during winter.
1. Prevent the Spread of Bacteria and Airborne Viruses
Increasing humidity levels in your living space to between 30 and 60% reduces the risk of infections caused by airborne viruses. The potential of virus-induced illnesses can increase by about 70% when the air is too dry. When there is a significant drop in humidity levels, airborne pathogens will stay in the air longer and travel further than in a humid environment. At the same time, breathing dry air negatively affects our bodies’ natural immune systems.
2. Prevent Dry Skin
Your skin is the first place you’ll likely notice the effects of dry conditions. Water content in the human body is about 50 – 60%. Cold and dry air may pull moisture from your skin, causing it to become dull, dry, itchy, and inflamed. You may also have chapped lips, more frequent nose bleeds, and bloodshot eyes. Increasing the moisture in your environment can help your skin stay supple.
3. Better Sleep
The cold and dry conditions during winter can also irritate your throat and nose. This results in sleep disruptions, or you could wake up with a dry and itchy throat. A humidifier helps to combat the dry conditions in your room, which keeps your nose and throat in good condition. For people who snore while sleeping, it’s almost impossible to prevent dryness. A humidifier increases indoor moisture levels, which reduces inflammation in the throat and nasal passage. This helps soothe irritated airways, which might prevent or reduce the frequency of snoring.
4. Protect Wood
Cold and dry air can damage wood and furnishings in your home. These dry conditions pull out moisture from wooden furniture, woodwork, hardwood floors, or musical instruments like violins and guitars. Furniture may start to crack, the legs on chairs may wobble, and wooden doors adjust in size, making them difficult to close or open. Wood needs humidity to remain at about 30% – 50% to be at its best. In fact, some wood manufacturers may require you to have a humidifier to validate their warranty.
5. Reduce Static
Static shock often increases in the cold months. You may experience a sharp static shock when you touch your skin, brush your hair, or touch a metal surface. These cases are particularly annoying in the winter because you’ll need to wear scarves and coats, which invite more shocks.
In addition to annoying shocks, static can damage sensitive electronic devices. Increasing the humidity levels can help keep static electricity build-up at bay.
6. Improve Comfort Levels
Humidity levels make a significant difference in your living space. Higher relative humidity levels in the air make your home feel warmer. This is because more water in the surrounding air results in slower sweat evaporation, which makes you feel warmer and makes your space more comfortable. It also helps you save on heating bills because you can lower your thermostat settings and retain the same comfort level.
Your Humidifier Installation Experts
Dry air during the cold months can negatively affect your health and those of your loved ones. It can also damage your home and other possessions, especially wood and furnishings. That’s why humidifiers are vital to keep your wood looking better, improve comfort, and prevent static.
We care about your comfort, so we work hard to ensure that we provide the best services every time. If you need to add a humidifier to your home, the professionals at Queen City Heating & Cooling can help with the selection and installation. From the moment you call our technicians to when we complete the job, we perform every task professionally. We are an A+ rated company with a BBB accreditation, so you can trust our team to deliver exceptional services.
Our services include air filtration, water heater repair and installation, smart thermostat installation, and AC and furnace repair, installation, and maintenance services in the Springfield, MO area. Get in touch with our experts at Queen City Heating & Cooling to book a service.
