A stuffy nose, dry skin, and static electricity are just some of the problems associated with dry indoor air. Left unchecked, it can also pose a serious threat to your home and your belongings.

Follow along as we explore just some of the negative effects of dry indoor air and share ideas for adding the right amount of moisture to help combat them.

Wood Window Frames

If indoor air becomes too dry, the frames of wood windows can shrink, making them difficult to open and close. This can lead to cracks or gaps that allow warm indoor air to escape and more cold, dry air to enter. Place a few sun-loving houseplants on the windowsills or close by. Choose those that are draught tolerant and mist them once or twice a day. The moisture from the leaves will evaporate into the air, adding a touch of humidity.

Wood Floors

You may find a creaky, old floor charming and nostalgic, but for other’s it’s downright annoying. Wood floors can become especially creaky in the winter months when indoor air dries out the planks, causing shrinking and gaps. If the noise bothers you, try running a humidifier.

Wood Furniture

Like wood floors, wood tables, chairs, armoires, and other pieces can fall victim to dry indoor air and bend, crack, and even break. A humidifier, whether portable or whole-house, will be your best line of defense.

Instruments

Are your wooden instruments sounding a little off-key no matter how much fine tuning they receive? Dry air could be the culprit. Pianos, cellos, violins, violas, and guitars are all susceptible to tuning issues. Try placing a few bowls of water near your instruments (being careful not to knock them over) or add a room humidifier to keep the music playing.

Books

Your collection of books can become brittle in the dry winter months, but remember, they don’t do well in humid conditions either. Keep humidity levels between 30 and 50 percent and never run a humidifier near your bookshelf.

Leather Furniture

While one of the toughest materials around, leather is susceptible to damage in a low humidity environment. Dry indoor air can cause it to stiffen and crack. Keep your leather furnishings looking like new by applying a specially-formulated cream or conditioner at the start of winter.

Wine

You don’t have to be connoisseur to enjoy a good glass of wine. Whether your collection includes 2 bottles or 200, dry air can eat away at the cork, allow air to enter, and ruin all those notes of chocolate, berry, and oak. If you plan to drink a recently purchased bottle within a couple of weeks, you don’t need to worry about humidity levels. But if you want your wine to sit until just the right occasion, keep it in an area where the humidity level is at 60 percent.

Now, C&D Cooling & Heating can help put an end to your dry indoor air problems with a whole-house humidifier. Working in tandem with your furnace, you can control humidity levels and change them at will. Your home and belongings will be better off for it and so will you. Contact us for a free new system proposal today.