Dry air in your home can make your throat feel dry, and cause or aggravate respiratory ailments. The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) recommends that your home maintain a humidity level between 30-60%. During extremely cold weather, your home loses humidity to the outdoors and may drop to as low as 10%. A humidifier adds moisture to your indoor air, and can help relieve ailments related to dry respiratory membranes.

HEALTH CONCERNS

Conditioning the amount of moisture in the air is necessary for your family’s health. One of the major causes of respiratory infections is inadequate humidification during cold weather. The start of the heating season each fall causes many people to begin having repeated attacks of winter colds. Winter weather is blamed for these problems, but the actual cause may be dryness which develops in the membranes of the nose, throat and bronchial tubes. Relative humidity also has a significant effect on controlling the occurrence of airborne infections.

OTHER CONCERNS

Dry air can cause more than health problems. Static electricity is a direct result of very dry air. And houseplants can suffer from the “winter drought” caused by low humidity levels. A humidifier can help keep the indoor air comfortably moist, despite conditions of low outdoor humidity.

HUMIDIFIER BENEFITS

With central heating, people are confined indoors with unnaturally dry air for many months each year. Humidifiers help to keep comfortable levels of moisture in the air, and properly maintained levels of humidity are beneficial for your respiratory system.

Whole-house humidifiers work like old-fashioned room humidifiers: they put moisture into the air, making harsh, dry air easier to breathe. And whole-house humidifiers use water mist instead of hot steam, which keeps the entire house at a desired humidity level. No more carrying a humidifier from room to room in the winter.

A humidifier is installed in the ductwork, right beside your furnace. Just select the desired amount of humidity and enjoy the moist air that circulates through your home this winter.

HOW MUCH WATER DOES A HUMIDIFIER USE?

Depending on the model you choose and the size of your home, a humidifier uses from 1.5 to 12 gallons per day when the furnace is operating. This minimal amount of water is enough to raise the humidity to your desired level, but not enough for you to even notice a difference on your water bill.