Using a humidifier to raise the indoor humidity level in your home to between 30% and 50% can make your house feel warmer inside during cold, winter weather without raising the thermostat or increasing your heating bills.

Use a hygrometer to monitor the humidity level in your home, and don’t overdo it since too much humidity can cause windows to sweat and mold to form.

Watch the video above to find out more.

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

Danny Lipford: You know when the temperatures fall outside, like they have this winter, it unfortunately means that some things go up—like our monthly utility bill. So it only makes sense to maximize every dollar you spend to heat your home. And one of the best ways to do that is to make it feel warmer inside without actually having to raise the thermostat.

You know you remember back to the warm days of summer when the weatherman said “the temperature today will be 85 degrees but the heat index will make it feel like 90 or 95.” Well, that same principle can work inside your home. By increasing the humidity inside your house with a humidifier you can make it feel warmer than it actually is.

Now, some forced air furnaces have a built-in humidifier; but if yours doesn’t, you can buy a stand-alone unit for the frequently used areas of your home—like the family room. The added moisture that a humidifier provides will increase your indoor heat index so that 68 degrees feels more like 78.

However, this isn’t one of those “more is better” situations because too much humidity can cause problems, like sweating windows and eventually the growth of mold in your home. So, ideally you want to have the relative humidity inside your house at about 30 to 50 percent and a household hygrometer will help you keep track.

That way, the heat index can be a good thing for you, at least until summer rolls back around.


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Danny Lipford

Founder

Danny Lipford is a home improvement expert and television personality who started his remodeling business, Lipford Construction, at the age of 21 in Mobile, Alabama. He gained national recognition as the host of the nationally syndicated television show, Today's Homeowner with Danny Lipford, which started as a small cable show in Mobile. Danny's expertise in home improvement has also led him to be a contributor to popular magazines and websites and the go-to source for advice on everything related to the home. He has made over 200 national television appearances and served as the home improvement expert for CBS's The Early Show and The Weather Channel for over a decade. Danny is also the founder of 3 Echoes Content Studio, TodaysHomeowner.com, and Checking In With Chelsea, a décor and lifestyle blog.

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