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Air circulation issues in your home? If you are experiencing this, check the vents in those warmer rooms. Vents bringing hot or cool air into the house winter/summer accumulate dust, pet dander, whatever, and should be vacuumed on a regular basis to ensure good air flow. At the same time make sure that your return air vents are not blocked by furniture or other items pushed up against them.

Maintaining the proper humidity level in your Edmonton home is essential! If the humidity level in your house is too low or too high, your home will be uncomfortable – and you could run into a host of health issues.

Proper indoor humidity is critical in the winter, as Edmonton gets extremely cold, forcing residents to stay inside the majority of the day.

If your skin feels dry and it’s more difficult to breathe than usual, you may have improper humidity levels in your Edmonton home. In this case, the humidity level is likely too low. Thus, you and your family are breathing stale, dry air instead of crisp, refreshing air. 

Luckily, there are several ways to fix the low humidity level in your Edmonton home.

• Hang-dry wet clothes or towels in exceptionally dry rooms
• Place a container of water near your heating system
• Use a room humidifier
• Install a whole home humidifier

Furnace filters should be changed every three months. Regularly changing your filter will ensure the air quality inside your home, as well as the safety and comfort of you and your family. In addition, regularly changing the filter will ensure your furnace doesn’t overheat, resulting in damage or an unexpected breakdown.

Preventative maintenance like this extends the longevity of your furnace and helps reduce maintenance and repair fees.

Not sure how long ago your filter was changed or if it needs to be replaced? A heating services provider can take a look at your filter and let you know if it should be replaced with a new one.

When it comes to choosing a humidifier, Edmonton homeowners have two options:

• Portable humidifier
• Whole home humidifier

Portable units are the cheapest option – they are easy to find and use and require no installation. However, most portable humidifiers can only maintain proper humidity levels in one or two rooms. As well, portable units require a lot of maintenance. This includes regularly filling the water reservoir and consistently cleaning the unit to maintain optimal air quality and minimize bacteria and viruses.

A whole-home system, although more expensive up front, requires much less maintenance and can maintain optimal humidity levels throughout your home. 

For Edmonton homeowners, whole-home humidifiers (also known as furnace humidifiers or in-duct humidifiers) are the best option. 

Whole home systems can be installed in residential homes with forced-air heating systems. These humidifiers use the air ducts and plumbing system to deliver consistent humidity levels. Best of all, once installed, a whole home humidifier will provide reliable home comfort without needing to lift a finger!

Some of the best whole-home humidifier brands in Edmonton include:

• Carrier
• Comfortmaker
• Ducane
• RunTru
• Goodman
• AirEase
• Daikin, etc.

In Edmonton, winter home humidity should be between 35% and 45%. In general, indoor humidity levels below 30% are too dry, and anything above 50% is too damp.

If the indoor humidity level in your home is too high in the winter, you may see condensation accumulating on the inside of your windows – or even your walls. If your home has single-pane windows or insufficient insulation, this will make matters worse. 

As a result of high humidity, mould, mildew, and rotting can occur. Therefore, it is vital to maintain appropriate humidity levels in your home, as improper humidity can lead to an uncomfortable, unhealthy, and damaged home.

Experts like ProSolutions will tell you that it’s best to have at least two-thirds of your vents left open for best operation of your AC system. It is far harder to cool down a house versus keeping it at a constant temperature. 

Wondering how to check the humidity level in your Edmonton home? Good news – it’s simple to do! You’ll just need one of two things:

1. Hygrometer or
2. Humidifier

If you want to check the humidity level in your home by hand, you’ll need a tool called a hygrometer. This tool can be purchased at your local hardware store for about $10 to $20.

To use a hygrometer to check the humidity in your home, simply place it in the room you want to check. It’s important to note that humidity levels won’t be consistent throughout your home – some rooms may have more or less humidity than others. Therefore, placing the hygrometer in a room you are concerned about or where your family spends most of their time is best. Also, ensure you don’t put your hygrometer near a heat source. For example, a radiator, heat register, chimney, etc.

Once the hygrometer is placed, wait up to two hours (it can take a couple of hours for the tool to get an accurate and stable reading).

If you have a humidifier in your home, it will have a built-in hygrometer. Therefore, you won’t need to buy a handheld tool. Instead, this internal hygrometer will automatically monitor and adjust the humidity level in your home, keeping your Edmonton home comfortable all year round.

If humidity is too low in your house, this can lead to many different issues. Some of the most common problems created by low humidity in Edmonton homes include:

• Itchy, dry, cracked skin
• Sore, dry throat and nose
• Frequent nose bleeds
• Respiratory issues and difficulty breathing
• Lung and sinus problems
• Increased chance of colds
• Dust irritation
• Increased shocks from static electricity 

In addition to these physical effects, low humidity can damage hardwood flooring, wood furniture, paint, and wallpaper (causing it to crack/peel). Low humidity also makes it more challenging to maintain proper air temperature. Dry air is more difficult to heat. Therefore, your furnace will be forced to work harder to keep your home warm. As a result, you’ll have higher heating bills, and your furnace may experience more frequent repairs and a shorter lifespan