During cold winter months, the air naturally becomes drier. When your furnace runs, it strips whatever moisture remains in the air, making your home feel completely arid. This can create a burden for your family, with dry skin, sore throats, and static shocks becoming common issues. Fortunately, you have an effective option for countering dry air: install a humidifier.
Humidifiers not only help maintain a healthier indoor environment but also protect your home and belongings. From improving comfort to preserving furniture, using a humidifier during winter offers numerous benefits, as outlined below. If you’re wondering, “should I use a humidifier in the winter?” then keep reading!
Understanding Indoor Humidity Levels in Winter
Heating systems are a necessity during winter, but they tend to dry out the air inside your home. Forced-air systems, in particular, remove moisture as they heat, leaving indoor humidity levels much lower than ideal.
The recommended relative humidity for indoor spaces is between 30% and 50%. Levels below this range can cause skin dryness, respiratory irritation, and even damage to wood or leather furniture. A whole-house humidifier can regulate moisture, maintaining these ideal levels and providing a comfortable environment for everyone in your home.
Health Benefits of Using a Humidifier in Winter
Prevent Dry Skin
You’re probably familiar with the itchy skin, chapped lips, and dry nasal passages that come with cold winter weather, especially if you live in an arid climate. Running a humidifier prevents these uncomfortable symptoms, helping to keep your skin, lips, and nasal passages moist and healthy.
Additionally, using a humidifier during winter can reduce the frequency of nosebleeds and relieve the discomfort of cracked skin on your hands and feet. It also supports your body’s natural moisture levels, which are crucial during the dry winter months.
Sleep Better
It’s common for your mouth to fall open when you sleep, which quickly dries out your mouth and throat. You may even wake up every couple of hours with an intense need for a drink of water. Adding moisture to the air helps you sleep more comfortably and may even help cut down on snoring, which is great news if you share your bed.
Ease Allergy Symptoms
It’s important to humidify indoor air the right amount. Too much humidity could allow mold to grow and dust mites to thrive. However, too little humidity irritates your nose and throat, which makes your allergy symptoms appear worse. Whole-house humidifiers have a built-in humidistat to achieve the ideal relative humidity level, which is typically between 30 and 50 percent. At this level, the increased humidity soothes your airways to make your allergy symptoms less pronounced.
Get Over Colds Faster
Winter is cold and flu season because microscopic bacteria and viruses thrive at lower humidity levels. They travel through the air with greater ease when water vapor doesn’t hamper their movement, making colds and influenza more contagious. Increasing the humidity level in your home dramatically reduces the presence of airborne germs and helps your body fight illnesses faster.
Make Your Home Feel Warmer
You may worry about the increased costs of operating a whole-house humidifier, but it can actually save you money! After all, humid air is already saturated with moisture, so less water evaporates from your skin. Evaporation has a cooling effect, so by limiting it, you feel warmer when the air is humid. This increased comfort allows you to turn down the temperature by a degree or two without feeling uncomfortable, lowering your heating bills in the process.
Reduce Static Buildup
Static electricity increases in dry conditions. It makes your clothes stick to your body and your hair stand on end, and if you touch something metal, you get a nasty shock. You might even accidentally short out your computer or create dangerous sparks with the static buildup in your body. Properly humidified air limits static shock so you can avoid these unpleasant scenarios.
Protect Wood Belongings in Your Home
Dry air affects you because your body is comprised primarily of water. As an organic material, wood responds to low humidity as well by drying, shrinking, and cracking. This means dry indoor air could loosen wood floorboards, prevent wooden doors from shutting tightly, and make your grand piano go out of tune. When used properly, a humidifier ensures the wood in your home always looks and functions its best.
Prevent Static Electricity
Static electricity increases in dry conditions. It makes your clothes stick to your body and your hair stand on end, and if you touch something metal, you get a nasty shock. Properly humidified air limits static shock so you can avoid these unpleasant scenarios.
You’ll also notice less static cling on your clothes and smoother laundry management, saving you from the frustration of separating fabrics stuck together.
Types of Humidifiers Suitable for Winter Use
Cool Mist and Warm Mist Humidifiers
Cool mist humidifiers release room-temperature moisture, while warm mist models create steam that cools before being dispersed. Cool mist options are better for larger areas, while warm mist models often help with sinus issues and colds.
Ultrasonic and Evaporative Humidifiers
Ultrasonic humidifiers use vibrations to create fine water droplets, making them quiet and efficient. Evaporative humidifiers, on the other hand, rely on fans to distribute moisture and are excellent for larger spaces.
When selecting a humidifier, consider the size of the room and your specific needs. For instance, a whole-house humidifier is perfect for maintaining consistent humidity levels throughout your home.
Tips for Effective Humidifier Use During Winter
Regular Cleaning and Maintenance
Humidifiers can become breeding grounds for mold and bacteria if not cleaned properly. Be sure to empty, rinse, and dry your humidifier daily and deep-clean it weekly to keep it safe and effective.
Monitor Humidity Levels
Too much humidity can create problems like mold growth and dust mites. Invest in a hygrometer to monitor indoor humidity levels and keep them between 30% and 50%. Whole-house humidifiers often come with built-in humidistats for precise control.
Using distilled water in portable units can also help reduce mineral buildup and improve the longevity of your humidifier.
Humidifiers for a Healthier Winter
Using a humidifier during winter transforms your home into a healthier, more comfortable sanctuary. The benefits of a humidifier during winter are many—better skin, improved sleep, reduced illness spread, and even protection for your belongings.
So, why use a humidifier in the winter? To learn more about the benefits of humidifiers during winter, or to schedule whole-house humidifier installation, contact Aire Serv® today.
