One of the least comfortable aspects about winter is how dry the air gets. Without the help of some kind of a humidifier, the condition could become more than an inconvenience.
The ideal range for indoor humidity lies between 30 and 50%, and when levels fall below 30, both your health and that of your home fall. Both portable and central humidifiers increase the moisture, which helps you:
- Lower heating bills. Dry air feels cooler because the moisture from your skin evaporates faster, cooling you down quickly. Increasing the temperature wonandrsquo;t improve the comfort, but adding humidity will.
- Stop static electricity. If youandrsquo;re like many others, your home is full of electronic devices that static electricity can damage. Any computers, cell phones and appliances with low-voltage components can be harmed by static shocks.
- Minimize damage to your home and possessions. As air dries, the retained moisture in the products and structural materials made from wood will evaporate. Wood floors, cabinets, furniture, art work and musical instruments will shrink and could crack, and require professional repair.
- Maintain your comfort. Dry, itching skin is not only annoying, it can lead to skin infections should the skin crack.
- Prevent illness. When the humidity drops, bacteria and viruses develop a protective shell that extends their lifespan. They have a better chance of invading your body and surviving when the air is too dry, which is why winter is the cold and flu season.
Unless your home is fairly small, a central humidifier offers the most energy efficiency and convenience. It attaches to your homeandrsquo;s HVAC system, uses little energy, uses tap water, fills automatically, and requires little cleaning or maintenance. Central systems also allow you to select and maintain the level of humidity you want throughout the heating season
If you find that the dry air in your home is becoming a problem and you could benefit from a humidifier, contact Valley Heating, Cooling, Electrical, providing trusted HVAC services for Santa Cruz and South Bay Peninsula homeowners or call us at (408) 868-5500.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in the South Bay Peninsula and Santa Cruz areas of California about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).