Keep Your Home Healthy This Winter

hand turning on humidifier

Humidifiers can help you maintain the health of your family. Find out more by reading this.

During cold winters, your heating system can make the air in your home dry, making it uncomfortable for you and your family. Maintaining proper indoor air quality during the winter months is important for your comfort and well-being.

Dry and cold air combined with a running furnace can reduce the amount of moisture in the home. To improve the air quality, you can add stand-alone humidifiers to those areas where you spend the most time, or you can install a whole house humidifier to your heating system to maintain proper moisture levels.

Here are some ways that a humidifier can be good for your health and your home according to Dave Walton, Director of Home Ideas at Enercare Home Services:

  • A humidifier can help the body’s immune system guard against irritants, keeping your family healthy. Dry air can be the cause of various illnesses and respiratory conditions.
  • When the air is dry, static electricity is often the cause of frizzy hair, static cling, shocks from touching metal objects and even nosebleeds. Increasing the home’s humidity level can help reduce these nuisances.
  • Maintaining proper humidity can prevent your hardwood floors, wood moulding and furniture from shrinking and cracking.
  • Using a humidifier helps to keep the home feel more comfortable and may allow you to turn the thermostat down one or two degrees which can potentially lower your heating bills.

Keeping the correct humidity level in your home is important. Humidity levels below 20% are associated with increased discomfort, static electricity and dry skin. High humidity levels can result in condensation within the home and on interior surfaces such as windows.

Dave recommends that the average relative humidity level be between 20%-40%1. This range will provide the best comfort for your family, while protecting wooden furniture, floors and many belongings and materials in your home. To measure the relative humidity in your home, you can purchase a hygrometer from most home improvement stores.

For more information on humidity, please visit the following website:

http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/energy/efficiency/housing/home-improvements/keeping-the-heat-in/how-your-house-works/15630#a2-4