If your skin is constantly dry during January or you keep waking up with a scratchy throat, you might be wondering whether or not your furnace is drying out your house. Instead of just dealing with it, a whole-home humidifier could help make your home feel more comfortable.
Our team at Shafer Heating, Cooling, Electrical & Plumbing can help you figure out how much of the problem is indoor humidity and whether a whole-home humidifier makes sense for your heating system.
Why Heating Your Home Makes Dry Air More Noticeable
Your furnace usually doesn’t remove moisture from the air, but cold outdoor air can get into your home through doors, windows, and small gaps. That air is dry and contains little moisture. But once your furnace warms it, the relative humidity drops, and you start noticing dry skin, static electricity, or irritated sinuses. Homes that let in a lot of outdoor air can have a harder time keeping humidity steady. If you feel cold air around your windows or attic access, sealing those leaks can help before you add any equipment.
How a Whole-Home Humidifier Works
A portable humidifier can help in a bedroom, but it won’t necessarily make much difference in the rest of the house. A whole-home humidifier connects to your HVAC system and adds moisture to the air circulating through your ductwork. Depending on the model, it uses a water panel or steam to do that.
Most models will also connect to a water supply, so you aren’t filling tanks every day. You’ll still need to maintain the equipment because a water panel can collect mineral deposits and may need to be replaced periodically, depending on the model.
Getting the Winter Humidity Setting Right
More humidity isn’t always better for your home. Many homes are comfortable at around 30% to 50% relative humidity and need to stay toward the lower end of the range in very cold weather. You can also check to see if your windows are collecting moisture on the inside of the glass or along the sill. This could mean the humidity is too high for those cold surfaces, and leaving the moisture there could damage trim and encourage mold. A small digital hygrometer can tell you what the humidity is in different rooms. Check it over several days, not just once after someone takes a shower or cooks dinner.
When Adding a Humidifier Makes Sense
If your entire house stays dry through the winter, a whole-home system may be more convenient than running several portable units. If the issue is limited to one room, we’d also want to look at airflow and drafts. Adding moisture throughout the house won’t correct a room that isn’t getting enough warm air. We’d also check whether your ductwork and heating system can accommodate a humidifier, along with where the water connection and drain would go. Those details help us recommend equipment that fits your home instead of guessing. We can also show you how to adjust the control as outdoor temperatures change.
Whole-Home Humidifier Installation in Hillsboro, OH
If you’re tired of dealing with dry indoor air, give us a call. We’ll go over your options and help you decide whether a whole-home humidifier is right for your house.
Call us at Shafer Heating & Cooling, LLC today to learn more about whole-home humidifier installation. You’re just one call away from the comfort and savings you deserve!