With the cold season underway and the air drying out the way it does during Ohio’s winter, a lot of homeowners ask us if a whole-home humidifier would be beneficial.
It’s been our experience that while humidifiers are great for brutal winters and dry climates, they can also be beneficial during other seasons as well. Standard, single-room humidifiers are cheap and easy to buy. However, whole-home humidifiers are excellent solutions we offer and install to improve a home’s overall Indoor Air Quality. This benefits you, your loved ones, and your home itself in a variety of ways.
The following is a list we at Lancaster Furnace & Air Conditioning put together of Six Major Benefits of Whole-Home Humidifiers:
Improved Sleep
When the air in our homes is excessively dry, it creates unhealthy breathing conditions that can lead not only to illness and discomfort, but also to snoring and other sleeping problems. Because loud snoring from housemates can interrupt the sleep of others, this can cause problems for everyone. Snoring can prevent not only the person snoring from getting deep sleep, but it can also interrupt the sleep of others. Furthermore, coughing from breathing problems caused by dry air can keep people from sleeping soundly, not to mention sore and dried-out throats, which aggravate coughs and causes hacking. For these types of issues, whole-home humidifiers help facilitate quality sleep.
Fewer Allergy Symptoms
Allergies usually mean a person’s immune system is overreacting to foreign substances in the air. When the immune system fights off these airborne invaders, its mucous membranes begin swelling and overproducing mucus in response. When this happens, a person’s nose runs, their eyes water, and they experience “sneezing attacks.” Skin can also respond in the form of hives or other irritation which leads to itching. If you are already experiencing these allergy-like symptoms because of dry indoor air, a whole-home humidifier will help by reducing overly dry conditions in the home.
Improved Skin Health
Anyone suffering from dermatitis or eczema knows that dry, itchy skin is a major annoyance. And they also know these conditions are magnified by cold and dry air. Because a whole-home humidifier puts moisture to your home’s air supply, it helps your skin hold in its natural moisture. When skin is properly moisturized, it retains its elasticity and leads to fewer wrinkles over time.
Dry air, on the other hand, can cause the oil-producing glands in your body to become hyperactive, which leads to a condition that triggers acne. Because the outside air is dryer during the winter, keeping your indoor air warm with adequate humidity or moisture in the air is important for healthy skin during the winter.
Eases You Into Flu Season
Our respiratory systems are lined with a membrane that requires moisture to keep sinuses functioning properly. Because dry air pulls moisture out of this membrane tissue and makes them irritated, the result is often a scratchy, sore throat with painful sinus issues and an overall unhealthy respiratory tract.
Because of this, when cold and flu season arrives, these conditions irritate the membranes further and can make a common cold feel much more intense or more painful. Furthermore, there are certain viruses known to spread faster in dryer conditions while inflamed respiratory systems are more susceptible to sickness. This can create a perfect storm for a miserable season. As such, a whole-home humidifier is often an excellent solution.
Added Convenience
Although the standard, smaller, single-room humidifiers help improve air quality in smaller areas, whole-home humidifiers are more convenient and far more beneficial. To maintain moist air throughout a whole house, you would require numerous of these smaller humidifiers running at the same time. This would require time and attention to set up, not to mention a lot more electricity and the constant need to refill them with water.
Whole-home humidifiers are far more convenient because they are installed in your air ducts close to your actual HVAC system. You won’t have to fill them with water because they are connected directly to your water supply. Humidity is added to the air inside the air ducts, and it gets pumped through vents throughout your home.
Protects Wood and Furniture
Old woodwork in a home such as trim and antique furniture lasts longer and looks a lot healthier in homes where humidity levels are properly maintained. This is because dryer air not only pulls moisture out of your body, but it also pulls it out of wood. Because of this, tables, hardwood floors, cabinetry and chairs are far more prone to split, crack and warp. Window frames and doorways are damaged by dry air as well. Because of this, having a whole-home humidifier installed is good for your belongings in addition to your health and well-being.
Call Us Today For More Information!
Maintaining a healthy level of humidity in your home keeps everyone happier, healthier, and far more comfortable. Because we care about the quality of the air in your home, we want you and your family to live comfortably. If you’re interested in having a whole-home humidifier installed, please call Lancaster Furnace & Air Conditioning today at (740) 625-2320 or schedule an appointment now by clicking here!
