Are You Using a Humidifier During the Winter Months?

Winter is here and with it comes with plenty of cold and dry days. While many people look forward to the cold weather and bundling up by the fire, few enjoy the negative impacts that dry air can have. When the air is dry, it can lead to irritated skin as well as respiratory issues that impact your overall health and comfort.

You want the air in your home to have around 30 to 50 percent humidity throughout the year. For most, the indoor air is much drier during the winter months. The good news, however, is that you can avoid the issues caused by dry air by using a humidifier, particularly throughout the cold months of the year. This tends to happen mostly during the cold months when you no longer need the use of a dehumidifier, which comes in handy for other seasons of the year. 

Help Reduce Respiratory Symptoms

relaxed woman

Breathing in dry air will cause your throat and sinuses to dry out. This can lead to a scratchy and irritated throat and nose. It also makes it harder for your body to protect you from irritants or infections that you breathe in.

This dryness can cause or worsen symptoms of allergies, asthma, bronchitis, and sinusitis. To help you and your family stay healthy this winter, it’s a good idea to use a humidifier. As a baseline, have a humidifier in each bedroom.

However, if you have family members with allergies, asthma, or respiratory issues, you might want to consider using a whole-home humidifier. It’s an easy way to help prevent illness during the winter months.

Avoid Pesky Dry Skin Issues

dry skin

Dry winter air can wreak havoc on the body’s largest organ, the skin! The natural moisture in the skin, lips, and scalp can easily become depleted and lead to cracking and irritation.

While applying moisturizing products can help alleviate dry and flaky skin, their effects can only go so far to combat dry air. A humidifier can help restore optimum moisture levels in your home and ensure your skin stays healthy and radiant all winter long.

Humid Air Helps Alleviate Snoring

man snoring

Interestingly, dry air is one of the causes for snoring. It’s not a correlation that many people think of, but it actually makes sense. For many, snoring is caused by respiratory or sinus issues. Symptoms of these illnesses are more frequent when the air is dry, so it makes sense that snoring also increases.

Using a humidifier in the bedroom or a whole-home version can help reduce snoring. There are a variety of types of humidifiers, including central, steam, and ultrasonic. All can be effective, so it’s just a matter of finding the one that’s right for you. Talk to your HVAC technician about your options today.

Call HRC Climate Services for Help!

For over 20 years, HRC Climate Services has been the trusted HVAC company for the Spanish Fork area. For indoor air quality solutions and excellent customer service, turn to the area’s most relied upon HVAC team.