Like most things related to your HVAC system, there’s an ideal time to install a home humidifier. You wouldn’t service your furnace in the middle of the summer or have someone out to work on the air conditioner when it’s cold outside. Likewise, you wouldn’t want to install a home humidifier when it’s not necessary or even detrimental to run it. So, when is the right time to install one?
The answer is now, as we’re heading into the time of year where you’ll need it the most.
Install in Fall or Winter
You may have noticed before that it’s in winter that you have the most problems with dry skin and chapped lips. That’s because the air is drier in the winter for a variety of reasons. Cold air holds less moisture in it, for one thing, but forced-air furnaces also tend to dry out the air, making the problem even worse.
By contrast, summer tends to be a pretty humid time of year, at least in our area. There are parts of the country where a humidifier might be beneficial even in the summer, but with Kentucky’s humid heat, homeowners are more likely to run dehumidifiers in the summer than humidifiers. Running a humidifier during the summer would actually undermine your air conditioner’s job of cooling the house, so homeowners are advised to turn off their humidifiers during the warmer months of the year.
If you want to be able to enjoy your home humidifier during the time of year when you will actually use it, fall or winter are the perfect times to install one. The sooner you get your humidifier up and running, the sooner you’ll be able to reap the benefits.
Advantages to Running a Home Humidifier in Winter
Have you wondered what the purpose of a home humidifier is? Sure, it puts moisture back into the air, but why does this matter? You’d be surprised how much a humidifier really does make a difference. Here are a few areas where you’ll benefit.
- Better for your furnace: The more moisture in the air, the better the air holds its temperature and the more comfortable it’ll feel to you—even at lower temperatures. In other words, a humidifier will make your furnace not have to work as hard no matter how you look at it. Your home will maintain its temperature better, plus you’ll be able to set the thermostat lower and still feel comfortable.
- Better for your health and comfort: More humidity in the air will help keep you more comfortable by staving off dry skin and other complaints associated with the dry air in winter, but that’s not all. Dry air also dries out your nose and sinuses and makes you more susceptible not only to nosebleeds, but also to germs that would normally get trapped by your nose and sinuses. Maintaining a proper humidity level inside the home, on the other hand, can actually help to keep your entire family healthier.
- Better for your house: The wild swings in humidity from summer to winter can be very hard on your home and everything in it. Wood expands and shrinks and paint dries out, cracks and peels. Even your furniture and musical instruments are affected by changes in humidity. Running a humidifier helps you to maintain consistent humidity levels in your home year-round for the sake of your home and everything in it.
Install a Home Humidifier Today
The days are slipping away, and before you know it, winter will be almost over and you’ll have lost your opportunity to reap the benefits of having a home humidifier. Save yourself and your family the discomforts and the energy expenses usually associated with winter and benefit your home at the same time. Call Maeser today to have a whole house humidifier installed in your home.