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Why You Need a Humidifier This Winter

Have you ever experienced dry, cracked skin when the weather cools off? Does it seem like you’re constantly reaching for lip balm or healing lotion to alleviate the stinging, dry feeling that seems to follow the drop in temperature? You’re not alone. Millions of people suffer from this problem every winter, and it can be extremely frustrating when you can’t seem to get rid of the problem permanently. What causes this phenomenon and how can you prevent yourself from yet another uncomfortable and even unhealthy winter season?

It turns out, the answer to this question is remarkably simple: increase humidity in your home. “But wait,” you might say. “The weather report says the humidity is just as high outside today as it was during the height of summer.” That may be true, but the truth is that there isn’t nearly as much actual moisture in the air, and that means there is far less for your skin, eyes, and hair to utilize. The humidity measurement you’re reading is actually a measurement of “relative humidity,” meaning that it’s the amount of water in the air, relative to the temperature of the air itself. Air that is hotter can absorb more moisture, while cooler air simply can’t hold as much. Thus, even though the humidity reads high, there simply isn’t as much moisture in your air.

This in turn impacts your home as well. The air outside will eventually be used to replace the air inside, and your HVAC system will simply warm it up to bring it to a comfortable temperature. However, when it does this, the relative humidity level plummets because the air didn’t gain any sort of humidity from your heating system. Thus, the air in your home becomes warmer, but is still just as dry and unpleasant as the air outside. That’s when you develop the problems we have described above.

The Solution: In-Home Humidifiers

When the air inside your home is too dry, as is often the case during the winter season, the solution is to use a humidifier system. Humidifiers create water vapor and then release it into the air, improving the quality of your indoor air in the process. Humidifiers come in many different forms—some are small and work great for a single room. Others are larger and can impact up to half of your home. Others can be directly integrated into your existing heating system in order to provide you with precise humidity control while your heater runs. The last option is typically by far the best, as they require the least maintenance, are easy to control, and operate automatically so you never have to worry about turning the system on or off to adjust it.

While a humidifier is an investment in your home, many of these systems are more affordable than you might think. And it just might be the best investment you make in your home this winter. Here at Blazer Heating and Air, we’re proud to recommend and install the Aprilaire® 800 Whole Home Steam Humidifier. These systems offer a variety of outstanding features that make operation easy, and cutting-edge technology to ensure that your air is always at the perfect level of humidity.

The Aprilaire 800 features an in-unit water purification system, so you never need to stress or worry about keeping the system topped off with expensive purified water. It doesn’t leave any film or dust behind like other steam humidifiers do, and its digital control interface allows you to set your system to operate exactly as you want it to. These systems are great for even large homes too—up to 6,200 square feet in most cases!

Want to learn more about bringing the power of an Aprilaire humidifier into your home? Call Blazer Heating and Air at (804) 277-2458 now to find out if one of these options is right for you!