Ask the Expert: A Prescription for Dry Air

You know how too much humidity outdoors feels, but do you know what too little humidity indoors can do? Inside your home, the right amount of humidity can be a good thing, especially during the winter when your furnace tends to dry out the air inside your home. “Too little humidity during the winter can actually increase your heating costs and damage your furniture,” explains Hardy HVAC. “If your home suffers from dry air in the winter, a humidifier is a reliable solution.”

What is a humidifier?

A humidifier is connected to your heating and cooling system and adds moisture to the air your furnace distributes throughout your home.

Why would I want to add moisture to my home’s air?

Your furnace tends to remove moisture from the air—so much so that your home’s air can actually be dryer than the air in the desert. Air that is too dry makes you feel cooler than the heated indoor air. This chilled feeling may cause you to turn up the thermostat a few degrees, which means higher utility bills. And the higher you adjust your thermostat, the dryer and less comfortable the air becomes.

What other benefits to humidifiers offer?

Not only does properly humidified air keep you warmer, it may also provide relief if you suffer from dry sinus/throat/nose conditions and dry, itching skin in the winter. Static electricity and shock are reduced in a properly humidified home, and wood furniture, wallpaper and paint are less likely to dry and crack.

Are table-top or room humidifiers effective?

Table-top or room models humidify only one room, but a whole-home humidifier installed by your local heating and cooling dealer distributes moist air throughout the entire home. Since people live in several rooms of the house, it makes sense to humidify all of them. A whole-home humidifier is also good for your wood furniture, which needs some humidity in the air whether the room is occupied or not.

Have more questions about humidifiers and your home? You can contact Hardy HVAC at 631-287-1674 or visit them online at www.hardyhvac.com.