Why You Need a Humidifier

It’s no secret that Ohio is home to cold, dry winters. One way to combat the discomfort of a dry atmosphere within your home is to install a humidifier. In addition to making you feel more comfortable, humidifiers are great ways to improve your overall health and preserve your furniture and floors. Our experienced Sloan indoor air quality specialists at Arco Home Services have come up with various reasons why you need a humidifier.

Humid Air Keeps You Warmer

The main purpose of a humidifier is to return moisture to the air within your home. The more moisture in the air, the warmer the temperature will feel. Alternatively, when air is dry, it tends to feel colder. To aid your heater in keeping your home a cozy temperature, we recommend running your humidifier at the same time. This will not only help you stay comfortable all winter long, but it will also help with energy efficiency because your heater won’t have to work as hard to warm your home.

The Health Benefits

In addition to adding moisture to the environment and helping to regulate temperature, humidifiers also grant many advantages to overall health.

Symptom Relief

If you’re suffering from a cold or the flu, dry air will only make your symptoms worse. Having a humidifier can help alleviate anything from nasal congestion to a sore throat. When you experience fewer symptoms, you’ll be able to rest easier, which will help you heal faster.

Prevent Sinus Problems

Dry air is the common culprit for sinus problems. If you’re experiencing congestion, sinus pressure, or pain from a sinus headache, a humidifier can bring you fast relief. Moist air helps keep mucus flowing through your nasal passages, which decreases the chance for a stuffed nose to occur. This will also help prevent bloody noses.

Soothe Your Throat

Have you ever noticed that you lose your voice more in the winter? This is because prolonged exposure to air that lacks moisture has a negative effect on your vocal cords. Adding humidity helps lubricate them, which will prevent the dry, scratchy, or sore throat you might be experiencing.

Halt Germs in Their Tracks

Researchers have found that germs spread easier in climates with dry air. In fact, a recent study conducted by Jeffrey Shaman at Columbia University uncovered the correlation between flu epidemics and drops in humidity levels. Therefore, increasing the moisture in your home will make it more difficult for such viruses and bacteria to thrive and spread, and reduce your risk of exposure to such illnesses.

Additionally, your nose contains microscopic cellular strands, called cilium, which help protect you against many airborne illnesses and contaminants. They work by trapping any dust, mold, mildew, dander, or other harmful particles as you breathe. However, when the air is dry, it decreases their ability to do their job effectively.

Reduce the Amount of Lotion or Chapstick You Need

Dry air leads to dry, itchy skin and painful, chapped lips. This is made worse by staying in environments where the heat is turned on high to combat cold weather. With a humidifier, you can return the moisture to the air, and thus to your skin and lips.

Your Houseplants Need Moist Air Too!

With the growing popularity of houseplants, it’s important to note that dry air makes it harder for your plant babies to thrive. If you have more, leafy, green plants in your home, the lack of moisture could result in stunted growth, leaf loss, or even soil/watering issues.

Preserve Your Floors & Furniture

The last thing you want is to kick off your shoes after a hard day of work and plop down on a chair only to have it crack under you. If you have wood floors or furniture, a humidifier is an easy way to protect them from cracking or splitting due to becoming too dry.

Contact Us Today for Humidifier Installation

If you’ve decided that it’s time to install a humidifier, we’re happy to assist. We provide upfront, honest pricing and guarantee your complete satisfaction.

Give our indoor air quality specialists at Arco Home Services a call today at (216) 202-3778 or contact us online.