Are you waking up with a sore throat or carrying lotion around your house for your hands or feet? That is probably because it is Winter and the air is getting dryer and your furnace is not helping. In fact, it has been found that often viruses like the low humidity! Humidifiers help to add moisture to your home which can reduce sickness, dry skin etc… and many heating and cooling systems can come with a whole house humidifier built right in!
These whole house humidifiers are located near your furnace unit and contain a pad that should be changed about once a year. If you have any questions about changing your pad, be sure to ask Flame! In the humidifier there is also a damper and when it comes to winter time you should turn the switch to the “winter position” which will open the damper and allow the moisture to flow. Also, there will be a “Humidistat” which is a control (much like a thermostat) for the humidity in your home. For Michigan winters, typically one wants to set the humidistat at about 30-35%, however that can be changed based on your preferences!
Humidifiers for the whole house are not the only ways to add moisture to your home, you can also buy single-room portable humidifiers, which are typically less expensive, from a local hardware store. These are also effective, but they only humidify one room so you would need multiple for your whole house and you often have to constantly re-fill the water in it. If you have any questions about whole house humidifiers, be sure to contact Flame!
Also-check out this video about humidifiers from “Ask the Furnace Doctor! (scroll down to “One Minute Tips from Flame Furnace about Humidifiers”)
