Did you know that operating your furnace may not be enough to keep you and your family safe and comfortable during the cold months? Just because you breathe in warm air doesn’t mean it’s healthy. Healthy air is both free from harmful substances and is properly humidified.
Marsh Heating and Air Conditioning is your trusted HVAC company in New Brighton MN that offers a wide variety of whole-home humidifiers engineered to give you greater control over your home’s humidity levels.
The Importance of Proper Humidification
In a broader sense, the air we breathe in and out consists of nitrogen and oxygen. In addition to these two elements, the air also holds traces of important gases, carbon dioxide gas, and water vapor. Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air, which varies depending on a number of factors.
Proper humidification isn’t only beneficial to your home, it is also important for your throat, skin, and your overall wellness. Exposure to insufficient humidity can dry out and inflame the mucous membrane lining your respiratory tract, increasing your risk of colds, the flu, and other infections. In addition, when humidity levels are low, flu viruses can develop and spread more easily.
Also, when a home is less humid, the air will feel cooler which means you need to turn up your furnace to get your desired heat. Low humidity is also attributed to dry skin and a higher risk of catching airborne diseases.
On the other hand, when your home is overly humidified, it will soon develop damp problems. This results in the development of mold, condensation, and musty smells.
The relative air humidity in your home should be somewhere between 40 and 60 percent.
How to Control Your Home’s Humidity
A lot of household activities can impact your home’s humidity. You can increase moisture levels by creating water vapor like when you’re cooking or having a hot shower. But we all know these won’t be enough nor practical to humidify your whole house.
What is a Humidifier?
A humidifier is a device that adds moisture to an individual room or an entire building. In residential uses, portable humidifiers are commonly used to add humidity to a single room, while whole home or furnace humidifiers are connected to a home’s HVAC system, providing moisture to the entire house.
How a Humidifier Can Help
There are a number of ways in which a humidifier can be beneficial to you.
Solution to Dry Air
Dry air can cause moisture to evaporate from the skin and aggravate respiratory symptoms over time. A humidifier can help counteract these problems and is useful for those who have:
- dry skin
- dryness in air passages
- cracked lips
- irritated eyes
- allergies
- bloody noses
- sinusitis
- headaches
- incessant coughs
Minimizing Snoring
We tend to snore harder if our sinuses and throats are dry. This happens when the air is dry and our airways are less likely to be properly lubricated. If anyone in your home always snores, a humidifier can be found useful by relieving some symptoms.
Avoid Catching the Flu
According to a study, humidifiers may help lower your chances of developing influenza. After adding the flu virus to the air with a simulated cough, researches found that humidity levels over 40 percent shut off virus particles, making them less infectious.
Relief from Respiratory Illnesses
If you have a cold, an infected sinus, or the flu, a humidifier will help shorten your suffering. Keeping your nasal passages and your throat humidified will help you heal faster, and will reduce symptoms like coughing and sneezing.
Lower Energy Costs
When a home is properly humidified, it is also warmer. Low humidity levels can reduce the feeling of warmth in the air, causing you to crank up that thermostat. You can easily save on your heating bills by setting your thermostat at a lower temperature while running a humidifier, which uses far less energy compared to a furnace.
Professional HVAC Services from Marsh Heating and Air Conditioning
If you’re looking for a whole-home humidifier, call us or visit our store. We are proud dealers of Lennox humidification systems. We are your reliable Roseville heating and air conditioning contractor that aims to be your partner in creating a more comfortable home.