Soon, the cold weather will be back in the St. Albert area. If you had difficulty keeping your home comfortably warm last winter, you now might be wondering if you really need a furnace replacement this year. However, it might not be your furnace that is the problem. Instead, it could be that your home has a humidity issue that needs to be addressed. Call us today for a consultation.
Higher humidity levels during the summer can make your home uncomfortable. During the summer, the key to keeping your home cool is having a properly working air conditioning system that removes the heat and moisture from the air in your home. But during the winter, when you rely on your furnace to keep you warm, a lack of humidity could prevent that from happening.
The reason why many homeowners struggle with keeping their homes warm and cozy during the winter may not be caused by the need for a furnace replacement. Lower humidity levels in your home during colder weather can make your home feel cooler, just as it does during the summer as your air condition decreases humidity levels. You may find yourself turning up the heat more often, but not really feeling warmed. As a result, your monthly heating costs increase since you are running your furnace more and may convince you that you need a furnace replacement.
A low humidity level in your home can do more than make you feel colder. It can cause uncomfortable symptoms such as:
It is not just your health that suffers from dry air in your home. Your home could actually be damaged from the dryness. Wood furniture and flooring can dry out, splinter, shrink, or crack.
While the goal is to remove humidity from your home during the summer, adding moisture into your home is essential to keep it comfortable during the winter. This can be accomplished by using a humidifier, not a furnace replacement.
An effective strategy for better humidity control is to maintain and indoor humidity level between 30-40% during the winter. This can make your home feel warmer and more comfortable while keeping your energy bills under control.
Just like a dehumidifier, a humidifier can be installed directly to your home’s heating and cooling system to improve its performance in maintaining humidity levels during colder and drier months. The humidifier adds moisture to the air before it is blown through your HVAC system’s air ducts.
If adding a humidifier to your HVAC system is not an option, there are stand-alone humidifiers that can also add humidity to your indoor air. Keep in mind these units may not be as efficient as a whole-home solution and you may need multiple units throughout your home to make your entire home more comfortable.
Do not spend another winter feeling cold in your St. Albert home. We can help you determine whether you need a furnace replacement or need to install a humidifier to your existing system. Contact A-1 Heating & Cooling to schedule an appointment with one of our heating experts today.
