Air Care

Winter is on the way. and its cold, dry air means lots of cracking and peeling. But we're not just talking about your lips here. The lack of moisture can wreak havoc on your home as well.

Once you turn on the heater, the relative humidity drops even lower and the air becomes even thirstier, sucking the moisture out of everything from floors to furniture. and that's where a humidifier comes in handy. not the steamy, portable one Mom kept at your bedside when you had a cold as a child. But what they call a central humidifier that's built into your home's heating and air-conditioning unit.

Don't have one? Don't worry. Companies like Aire Serv can easily add one to your existing unit for less than the cost of a new fur coat. It might even save you a little on your electric bill because by keeping the humidity higher, the air feels warmer, which means you can turn the thermostat down a few notches.

Of course, as with any kind of home improvement, there are issues you should familiarize yourself with. For one, too much moisture can be a bad thing. "never go above 50 percent humidity," says Steve Witt, an Aire Serv franchise owner in St. Charles, Missouri. "any more than that encourages the growth of bacteria and biological organisms like dust mites. So be sure your unit includes a humidistat that regulates healthy levels."

Secondly, says Witt, it's important that the water in your unit drains itself after each cycle, and that your unit includes some kind of device to minimize mineral buildup.

JILL BECKER