A helpful tool for your home, your health and your wallet

(WIFR) – Between frigid winter temperatures and dewpoints hovering in the single digits, you may have noticed it’s been exceptionally dry.

When humidity levels are low, our bodies lose moisture rapidly, regardless of how much water you drink. This can cause dry skin, chapped lips and sore throats.

Here’s where humidifiers come in.

While there are a few different types, shapes and sizes of humidifiers, they’re all designed to add moisture back into the air.

For best results, put a humidifier in rooms where you spend the most time, like a bedroom, office or living room.

However, you don’t want to go over the top. Ideally, your home humidity should be between 30-50 percent. If there is too much moisture, it can condense and create breeding grounds for mold and bacteria.

For this reason, humidifiers also need frequent cleanings. Ideally, you should empty your humidifier once every three days and let it dry before using it again. After a month of use, empty the water and add a mixture of one part white vinegar and four parts water. Let it sit for 30 minutes before pouring it out to disinfect it.

If your humidifier has a filter or wick, follow the manufacturer’s instructions and make sure to change the filter regularly.

Furnace experts say using a humidifier, particularly a whole-home humidifier, may help reduce your energy bill. Because air that has more moisture retains more heat, you may not need to crank the heat as high.