Dry air sucks moisture out of people and furniture. That's when throats start feeling scratchy, noses dry out, static electricity sparks start flying and, in drastic cases, furniture can become loose or even fall apart. Dry air results in warping and splitting of furniture, woodwork and hardwood floors.

Dry air also makes you feel colder than the actual thermostat setting because evaporating moisture on your skin causes a cooling effect. A humidifier can help lower heating bills because humidified air feels warmer.

A humidifier can bring moist balance back into your home and health. It's simply a device that puts water vapor into a home's air. Depending upon its water output capacity, it may serve a single room or the entire house. Room-size humidifiers are referred to as "tabletop" units. To humidify a whole house, you need either a freestanding cabinet "console" unit or a "central" humidifier that ties into the home's forced-air heating system.

-- Tips courtesy of HomeAdvisor.com