Set Your Whole-House Humidification System To Increase Furnace Efficiency During Cooler Weather
In a world of tough economic times and rising energy prices, it’s important to try to cut costs wherever you can. One of the best ways to lower your energy costs is to make your furnace work more efficiently while turning your thermostat down. There are a number of methods to do this, but one surprising way that many people may not think of is through the use of a whole-house humidification system.
When you install a whole-house humidification system, you can turn your thermostat down and still feel the same level of comfort in your home. This works because dry air actually makes you feel colder.
Dry air makes you feel colder because of a phenomenon called “latent heat transfer.” The moisture that is naturally present on your skin will evaporate more in dry air, and you will lose heat from your body as it does. A dramatic example of this is the way you feel when you stop out of a hot shower into the bathroom and immediately get chilled; this is caused by both the temperature and humidity change.
Latent heat transfer is going on all the time in a dry home, meaning you need to crank your thermostat up to feel comfortable. A 10 percent increase in humidity will allow you to turn down your thermostat by 1 degree and still feel just as comfortable
Installing a whole-house humidification system is a simple and easy way to bring your humidity to recommended levels (usually between 45 to 55 percent). Once it is installed, you can simply set it and enjoy the energy savings. Better yet, because your furnace is more efficient and doesn’t have to work as hard, the unit will also last longer.
For more information on humidification, contact us at Smoky Mountain Heating & Air.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about humidification systems and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Smoky Mountain Heating & Air services Asheville, North Carolina and the surrounding areas. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!