Our experienced Comfort Consultants are trained in the benefits of indoor air quality products, including the innovative technology that can constantly control both temperature and humidity, day and night, in any season, even when there’s no need for heating or cooling. When your home’s humidity level is properly managed, you will be more comfortable at higher temperatures during the summer and lower temperatures during the winter. As a result, you can potentially save money on your cooling and heating costs.
Why is humidity so important? When the air outside is warm, high humidity gives you that hot, sticky feeling everyone hates. Air that is too humid allows faster growth of bacteria, viruses, dust mites, mold, and mildew. High humidity can also cause painted surfaces to peel and woodwork to warp, buckle, and rot.
Alternatively, when it’s cold outside, the humidity is low so moisture evaporates from your skin leaving you feeling cooler. In addition, dry skin and nasal passages, growth of bacteria and viruses, static electricity, damaged woodwork, and more can be caused by low humidity. You can maintain proper humidity levels by using humidifiers and dehumidifiers, allowing you to feel more comfortable all year long.
A humidifier is a machine that increases moisture (humidity) in a single room or in your entire home. The two main classifications of humidifiers are point-of-use machines and whole-home systems. Point-of-use humidifiers are commonly used to humidify a single room, while whole-house or furnace humidifiers connect to your home’s HVAC system, providing humidity to the entire house.
Steam vaporizers are an electric appliance that heats water, and then cools it before expelling it into the air. These are the most affordable and portable humidifiers. You can purchase them at drugstores. This type can cause burns, so it’s not the most kid-friendly.
While these types of humidifiers are the most expensive, they are also the most effective in covering a large area. They are the biggest humidifiers you can buy. These are built into the home’s HVAC unit. If you are able to invest in one, they will add humidity to an entire home easily. There’s no risk of anyone getting burned with these since they don’t emit any steam. Maintenance is pretty simple; drain water and/or stop airflow to the humidifier when not in use. You also should replace the water panel once a year and clean drum and tray once a month if you have the drum style.
Evaporators push moisture through a damp filter. Fans power the unit and release the humidity into the air from a single-unit system. These are more affordable than central humidifiers, but the downside is that they only work in a single space. They may also deliver too much moisture into the air, which can be problematic for people with asthma, as it raises the likelihood of mold growth.
Ultrasonic humidifiers use a metal or ceramic diaphragm vibrating at an ultrasonic frequency, much like a speaker. This creates water droplets that are then put in the air via a fan. These units tend to be virtually silent and usually create a cool fog. As with whole home humidifiers, you can get the “white dust” with these units, but if you use distilled, filtered, or bottled water, this is usually avoided. Also, these tend to require less maintenance and are rather easy to own and care for.
Sometimes called a cool mist humidifier, impellers are the most common type of humidifier. They have a rotating disc that sends water through a diffuser which breaks the water droplets into smaller ones and disperses them into the air as a cool mist. These should be cleaned after each use on the inside and replace filter whenever you see that it is becoming discolored. Without regular cleaning, there is a risk of spreading bacteria or mold into your home’s air. People choose these humidifiers because of their price, cleanliness, low power usage, coverage of large rooms, and its ability to add mineral-free moisture to the air.
Humidifiers are often classified as console or portable/personal. Console units are meant to humidify the entire house. Usually, they are very large, but most have wheels so you can easily move them from room to room. Console units are meant to add moisture to one room. Personal/portable humidifiers are the smallest and are the best choice for use while traveling.
When it comes to selecting the right humidifier for your home, it’s all about personal preference. Do you have children? If so, steam humidifiers probably aren’t right for you. Do you want a portable humidifier, or do you want one that impacts your entire home? Our Comfort Consultant will speak with you about your preferences and recommend the best option to meet your needs.
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