During the winter, the temperature isn’t the only thing that changes. You may also notice that the air is drier. Cold air has low humidity because it can’t hold much moisture. If the air in your home is too dry, you’re more likely to experience respiratory problems, nosebleeds, and dehydration. Dry skin is also common. You can effectively curb most of these issues by installing a humidifier in your home. These systems are able to add moisture to the air, which could improve your health in many ways.
What Does a Humidifier Do?
Humidifiers are designed to increase humidity, which is the amount of water vapor that’s in the air. The humidity in your home should range from 30%-60%. By maintaining the ideal moisture content, you should be able to avoid issues like dry air, dust mites, mold, and mildew.
Humidifiers are highly varied systems. Along with whole-house humidifiers, you can also obtain steam vaporizers, evaporators, impeller systems, and ultrasonic units. The main advantage of installing a whole-house humidifier is that it can be integrated with your HVAC system to add moisture to the entire home.
Primary Health Benefits
Humidifiers can be beneficial for your respiratory system as well as your skin. If your indoor air is too dry, you should notice improvements almost immediately after you install a humidifier.
Prevents Dry Skin
Skin requires moisture to remain healthy. When the air dries out, so does your skin. By increasing your home’s humidity levels, you should be able to relieve any cracking, flaking, or itchiness that comes with dry skin.
May Relieve Sinus Issues
Humidifiers can also relieve various sinus issues. When your indoor air is dry, your nasal passageways can become irritated, which means that they will create more mucus. Eventually, your mucus may become thicker, which means that blowing your nose may not be enough to get rid of it. Humidifiers add moisture to the air, which can effectively thin out mucus and reduce your irritation.
Keeps Viral Infections at Bay
Installing a humidifier in your home can also help you prevent viral infections like the flu. When moisture content is above 40%, influenza particles may be less infectious. Airborne virus particles spread more readily in dry air.
Can Ease Asthma Symptoms
Asthma symptoms are often at their most irritating when the air is dry. Since humidifiers are able to soothe your throat tissue, asthma symptoms like chest tightness, coughing, and wheezing can be alleviated. Keep in mind that these symptoms may worsen when humidity is too high. In this scenario, mold and dust mites can spread. Regularly monitor your home’s humidity to ensure it never dips too low or gets too high.
Can Reduce Snoring
The cause of your snoring can determine how effective a humidifier is at relieving this issue. If you’re snoring because of nasal congestion, a humidifier can loosen the mucus that keeps your airway constricted. On the other hand, snoring that’s caused by sleep apnea won’t go away when you use a humidifier. In this scenario, you’ll need to speak with a healthcare professional.
How to Properly Use a Humidifier
While dry air is bad for your health, high humidity levels can be dangerous as well. If you buy a humidifier, it should come with manufacturer’s instructions that inform you of how to operate the system. You likely won’t need to use your humidifier for the entire year. It should only be turned on when your home’s humidity levels are low.
It’s also highly recommended that you avoid adding tap water to your humidifier. Because of the high mineral content in tap water, scale buildup might occur, which can cause breathing problems. While it’s important to maintain optimal humidity levels, you should never keep your humidifier running for too long. This can also lead to breathing issues.
When you clean and empty the humidifier’s tank, make sure the system is unplugged. You should also refill the tank daily. If the unit comes with a filter, consider changing it every two months. To measure the moisture content in your home, consider pairing your humidifier with a hygrometer.
Trust the Professionals
If you wish to improve your health as well as the quality of your home’s indoor air, you may benefit from installing a whole-house humidifier. At Sturm Heating & Air Conditioning, we have experience installing these systems in residential homes throughout Spokane. If your indoor air contains too much moisture, we can also install a dehumidifier to ensure the humidity level oscillates between 30%-60%. Some of the other services you can request from our team include sheet metal fabrication, ac maintenance, and plumbing.
Call Sturm Heating & Air Conditioning today to find out if a whole-house humidifier is right for you.
