Stop Suffering! Why a Whole-Home Humidifier Is Your Winter Must-Have
The winter air outside is cold, but the air inside your home might be even more problematic. When your furnace kicks on, it warms the air, but also drastically dries it out, turning your cozy home into a desert that can be bad for your health, your home, and your wallet.
While your body is healthiest at about 35% relative humidity, dry winter heating can drop indoor humidity to single digits! A whole-home humidifier attached to your furnace is the single best way to fight back, improving your family’s health and lowering your heating bills.
Protect Your Health from Dry Air
That uncomfortable, dry feeling you get in the winter isn’t just annoying—it’s a health risk. Dry air attacks the wettest, most fragile parts of your body first: your sinuses, throat, eyes, and skin.
The Sinus-Sickness Connection
Your sinus cavities are protected by delicate mucous membranes. When these membranes dry out, they can crack, creating a direct path for germs and sickness to enter your bloodstream.
Weakened Defense: Mucus is designed to trap and wash viruses and other invaders into your stomach, where acids kill them. When your sinuses are dry, this vital defense system is compromised.
Airborne Threat: In dry winter air, cold bacteria and flu viruses linger longer after a cough or sneeze. Maintaining comfortable humidity helps purify the air and keeps your throat and nasal passages hydrated, helping you breathe better, sleep more soundly, and protect yourself against airborne viruses.
ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers) recommends a comprehensive Healthy Air System to prevent the spread of airborne viruses. This system includes a high-performance Air Cleaner or Purifier, a Whole-Home Humidifier, and Ventilation for fresh air.
The Cycle of Cold and Heat
Dry air also tricks your body’s temperature regulation:
Your body cools itself by evaporating moisture from your skin (perspiration).
The drier the air, the faster this evaporation happens, making your body feel chilly even if the ambient temperature is fine.
You feel cold, so you turn up the thermostat, which dries the air out even more, causing your body to evaporate moisture even faster, and the cycle continues!
A humidifier helps you feel warmer and more comfortable without having to crank up the heat.
Save Money and Protect Your Home
Lower Your Energy Costs
This is where your whole-home humidifier pays for itself.
Moist air feels warmer! When the air in your home is properly humidified, you can turn your thermostat down a few degrees and still feel just as comfortable.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) notes that for every degree you lower your thermostat, you can save four percent off your heating bill.
Adding humidity is an easy way to stay healthy and lower those costly winter heating bills!
Prevent Damage to Your Home and Belongings
Dry winter air doesn’t just affect people—it can also cause real, expensive damage to your home and possessions.
Structural Damage: Woodwork, beautiful hardwood floors, and even walls can dry out, shrink, and crack.
Static Electricity: Electronics are susceptible to static electric charges, which can cause them to malfunction and require costly repair or replacement.
Protect Your Treasures: Your leather furniture, musical instruments, houseplants, and valuable woodwork will all stay healthier and look better in a properly humidified environment.
Get True Comfort with PDM
Since 1885, PDM Plumbing, Heating & Cooling has been helping the Joliet SW Chicago suburbs control indoor comfort, particularly during the harsh winter months. We have the experience to assess your needs and install the right Aprilaire or Honeywell humidifier to automatically control your indoor relative humidity.
Jake Mahalik, PDM VP, states, “We’ve built our business and reputation over the past 140 years by giving our commercial and residential clients superior service and the latest technologies for added comfort and guaranteed service.”
After a whole-home humidifier installation, you’ll immediately feel the difference in your health and comfort.
Don’t suffer through another dry winter!
Contact PDM online or call [phone_link] today for an estimate and to learn about adding a whole-building air humidifier and furnace tune-up.
