Humidifiers provide a variety of benefits including improving overall air quality. Photo courtesy shuttershock.com
Having the right humidity levels in your home makes a huge difference. Owning a humidifier – which primary’s purpose is to give air moisture – is a worthwhile investment. That said, there are many kinds of humidifiers in the market, so you want to make sure that you get one that meets your unique needs. When considering a humidifier for a home, whole-home humidifiers are the best option since it covers the entire area of your house. You can contact a professional HVAC technician to do a humidifier repair in your home.
4 Benefits of Owning a Humidifier
There are many pros in having a humidifier:
1. A humidifier can decrease the chances of dust mites, bacteria, mildew and mould formation. A dry and humid environment can cause these things to thrive, which no one wants.
2. A humidifier can alleviate symptoms such as bloody noses, cracked and dry lips and an itchy throat.
3. Humidifiers can also reduce static electricity. This is because moisture in the air can prevent static electricity from forming.
4. Humidifiers maintain the freshness in your home and preserve plant life, wood floors, paint and wallpaper.
Some Humidifiers to Consider
Ultrasonic humidifiers release cold mist due to its vibration. This option can be safe for children and can be cheaper than other humidifiers.
Impeller humidifiers only supply cool mist and use high-speed rotating disks. These devices can prevent children from getting burnt. The downside of these kinds of humidifiers is that they can only work in one space.
Commercial humidifier assist in regulating the humidity levels of larger spaces like industries, offices, hospitals, etc. This ensures better health for the employees by preventing dry air discomfort and promoting a comfortable, healthy, and productive workspace for everyone.
Evaporators can be cheaper than whole-home humidifiers. Air is blown through a damp filter using a fan. Like impeller humidifiers, they can only be used in one room at a time. Further, the moisture allocation is not closely monitored (it can release too much moisture) there is an increased chance of mould forming, which can be bad for people with asthma.
Steam vaporizers are inexpensive and mobile. They are normally found in drug or department stores. These can cause burns so it’s not the safest option if you have children.
Whole-home Humidifiers
A whole-home (central) humidifier attached to a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) heating duct. Photo courtesy shuttershock.com
Central humidifiers are built directly in your home’s HVAC system. The positive aspect of this kind of humidifier is that it works throughout the entire home and not just a room. However, these central humidifiers can be quite costly.
An example of a whole-home humidifier is a furnace humidifier. It uses water tanks to diffuse water throughout the home. Furnace humidifiers can be maintained on an annual basis which is better than others that need to be maintained on a more frequent basis. The steam is also warm and can decrease the use of heat during winter. That said, there are three kinds of furnace humidifiers to choose from.
- Bypass/drum humidifiers are placed into your central HVAC system. Using your home’s water supply, the water moves from the water line into a designated space located in the humidifier. Typically, these kinds of units are controlled by a humidistat (a device that maintains and monitors the humidity in the air). This kind of humidifier requires regular maintenance to prevent mould formation.
- Flow-through humidifiers need a nearby floor drain for the removal of extra water. When the humidistat determines more humidity is needed, water is taken to wet an aluminium or foam pad. Warm air passes through and spreads throughout your home via your ductwork. Costs of maintenance are reduced since there is no water reservoir. Filter pads are changed on a seasonal basis.
- Steam can produce the most moisture among the three furnace humidifiers. Using a humidistat, the device can detect your humidity levels and make adjustments as needed. It is linked to your unit’s water source and gathers liquid into a reservoir. When it is determined the humidity level is below the desired level, the humidifier will turn on and heat water in the reservoir. The water transforms into steam which is spread throughout your home by a furnace fan. The humidifier will turn off once the optimum level is reached. These types of humidifiers are very easy to maintain and don’t create mould.
Read More: Ways to Select Humidifier- A Buying Guide
Call Professional Technicians for Humidifier Installation Needs
Now that you have an overview of humidifiers you can choose one that best suits your needs. There are many humidifiers to consider, but we recommend whole-home humidifiers as it covers the entire area of your home and can be maintained yearly. Again, humidifiers have many benefits such as improving air quality and reducing static electricity.
With the upcoming winter season, it’s important to have the best air quality for your family and prevent unnecessary damage.
