It’s no secret that furnaces are an important home appliance needed to distribute heat throughout your home during the colder months. But, did you know that adding an AprilAire whole-home humidifier to your furnace can help you save money and energy, and much more? We talked with Healthy Air expert Brandon Glancy, in charge of Instructional Development here at AprilAire, to learn more about the relationship between furnaces and humidifiers. The answers might surprise you!

What is the relationship between a furnace and humidifier?

“A lot of people would not know this, but the driest place on Earth is not Death Valley, California, or the Sahara Desert, it’s the average home in the winter when the furnace is running. We must have the heat a furnace provides, but the tradeoff is that we dry out the air in our home to often dangerous levels. To compensate for this, we use an AprilAire whole-home humidifier that’s ducted into the HVAC system. Adding this crucial component helps bring the humidity levels back to a safe, comfortable level.”

How do a furnace and humidifier work together?

“To create humidity in the form of vapor, you need three components: water, heat, and airflow. A water line running to your humidifier trickles water down an evaporative panel so the furnace can provide both heat and airflow. This process turns the liquid into water into vapor, which the HVAC blower then moves through the ductwork and disperses into your home’s air.”

How can a humidifier bring Healthy Air into your home?

“An AprilAire whole-home humidifier is designed to raise absolute humidity in your home, which, at the same time, increases the relative humidity (RH) in the air. Relative humidity is what we need to be concerned with. Too much of it and your home could grow mold, mildew, fungus, etc. and inherit a host of other problems. Too little and your air will start to steal water from any source it can, from the building materials your home is made of to the bodies of you and your family members. It’s one of the main reasons we tend to associate winter with dry, itchy skin, colds/flus, and other discomforts. Truth is, you didn’t get sick because it was cold out. You likely were sick because when it got cold outside, your furnace turned on and heated your home but dried out your air. When that happens, air pulls moisture from your skin, mucus membranes, and more, leaving your body’s defenses against colds/flus/infections low. The result? You get sick.”

“Generally, we want to keep our home’s humidity between 40-60%. We need an AprilAire whole-home humidifier to do that. When the humidifier does its job, the air in your home is safe and healthy.”

What’s the benefit of installing an AprilAire whole-home humidifier?

“By installing an AprilAire whole-home humidifier, you are doing everything you can to ensure your home’s relative humidity doesn’t fall to a level that leaves your body’s defenses weakened against colds/flus/infections. That means less of a chance for you to get sick, miss work, lose income, etc. Maintaining Healthy Humidity in your home protects your family the same way. It protects your body and is the best defense you can have against the dangers dry air brings every heating season.”

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Don't lose sleep over dry air this winter.

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Healthy Humidity plays a key role in our overall wellness. The AprilAire Healthy Air System^® uses humidification, fresh air ventilation, and air purification solutions to help keep you and your family happy, healthy, and comfortable in your home for years and seasons to come. Get started today by finding a Healthy Air Professional in your area to learn what solutions are best for your Healthy Home.

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