The wintertime weather can do a real number on our indoor comfort. Oftentimes, heating your home is only half of the solution. Dry air will continue to be a problem until spring rolls around. For the next couple months, indoor humidity is what really counts for home comfort.
Indiana homeowners tend to think that humidity is a bad thing. But don’t let our hot and extra-humid summers fool you. In reality, a little moisture can help make our air feel great—especially during the colder months.
Problems with Low Humidity Indoors
Dealing with low humidity, or dry air, comes with a slew of problems for you, your family, and even your home. Without a balanced level of moisture in your air, the winter can be a real drag.
1. You can get dry, scratchy skin.
It’s hard to feel your best when your lips are cracked and your hands are looking scaly. Forget the lotion. What your skin really needs is good air. When air has low humidity, it’s a lot easier for our skin to dry out. Moisturizer alone can’t fix the issue. Instead, you have to get the right amount of moisture back in your air.
2. It’s hard on your immune system.
Little known fact: Germs love dry air. It’s easier for microbes to float around when the humidity is low. As a result, more people tend to fall ill in the wintertime. Indoor humidity plays a big role in keeping your family healthy. Because viruses have a harder time moving in moist air, bumping up your indoor humidity can help give you an extra line of defense.
3. Dry air adds to sinus pain.
The moist membranes in your throat and nose work to filter out microbes, and proper humidity helps keep your body’s respiratory system in check. But when the air is dry, it can be hard on our sinuses. Itchy nasal passages get to be pretty painful, and might even cause nosebleeds if your environment isn’t balanced.
4. Your home’s wood might warp and crack.
Low humidity can impact the items in our homes, too. Wood furniture, instruments, and even our flooring can start to take a hit when dry air pulls out the moisture they’ve been holding. That’s why you might find your floorboards creaking more, or that you’re getting some unexpected damage to your belongings. It can also make doors get stuck in their frames.
5. Low humidity creates annoying static.
Although static might not have the same long-term effects like the other dry air problems, this issue is probably the most noticeable! Getting shocked by your pet, the couch, or doorknobs doesn’t have to be a hallmark of the winter season. Static only tends to build up in homes that have excessively dry air.
Reversing the Dry Air Symptoms
There are many different aspects of your health and lifestyle that are impacted by dry air. Fortunately, there’s one easy fix. Instead of trying to address each issue individually, why not tackle them all at once? That’s where a whole-house humidifier can help.
Because these units are installed with your existing ductwork and furnace, they can deliver the right amount of moisture all throughout your home. Whole-house humidifiers are great for homeowners that really want to maximize their comfort—and their health—all year long. Plus, they’re easy to maintain. Once installed, you can have a real fuss-free setup.
There’s no reason to put up with dry air problems this time of year. If you’re ready to have a home that you can really breathe easy in, give LCS Heating and Cooling a call at (317) 238-3961. We love helping homeowners find the right units for their home comfort. Contact us today to schedule an in-home consultation. Then we can make sure a whole-house humidifier makes sense for you and your lifestyle.