Benefits of a Whole House Humidifier

If you’re looking for a way to improve your home comfort, consider the many benefits of installing a whole house humidifier. Here at Barstow & Sons Heating & Cooling in Annapolis and Pasadena, MD, we know how important it is to make sure your indoor air quality improves from summer to winter. With the introduction of a whole-house humidifier, you can reduce numerous allergens while maintaining optimal humidity throughout your home. Whether you want improved respiratory health or just need an extra boost of fellow during cold weathers – there are plenty of reasons to purchase this great product!

What Does a Whole House Humidifier Do?

Before we dive into the benefits, let’s first establish what a whole house humidifier is and what it does. As the name suggests, it hydrates the entire home by adding moisture into the air. It’s an appliance that connects directly to your furnace or HVAC unit and releases water vapor into the duct system. This vapor then spreads throughout the home, benefiting everyone who lives there.

The Benefits of a Whole House Humidifier

Now that you have a better understanding of what a whole house humidifier is and does, let’s focus on the specific benefits:

• Improved Health: The most influential benefit of a whole house humidifier is improved health. Dry air can cause various health issues such as dry skin, cracked lips, dry nasal passages, and static shocks. It also makes your home more hospitable to cold and flu viruses. By adding moisture back into the air, you can alleviate these issues and increase your overall health. This is especially important during the dry winter months when indoor heating dries out the air.
• Energy Savings: Secondly, investing in a whole house humidifier can actually save you money on your energy bills. Dry air doesn’t contain moisture, so it feels cooler than damp air at the same temperature. This makes people turn up the thermostat to feel warm, increasing energy usage. By adding moisture to the air with a whole house humidifier, you can feel comfortable at a lower temperature, ultimately saving you money on heating bills.
• Increased Comfort: A whole house humidifier increases overall comfort. Dry air makes you feel colder, thus decreasing your comfort level. Adding moisture back into the air keeps you feeling warmer and more comfortable. It also helps to reduce static electricity which can be a nuisance during the dry winter months.
• Better for Your Home: Overly dry air can cause serious damage to your home. It can shrink, warp, or crack wood floors, framing, molding, and furniture. It can even dry out and cause peeling in paint. In addition, dry air can damage delicate electronics due to an increase in static electricity. All of these problems can be alleviated by striving for a 30-50% relative humidity range in your home. Whole house humidifiers are perfect for this because they can regulate the humidity level in every room of your home. Plus, they’re better for your houseplants too. Most indoor houseplants tend not to do well in dry air. Adding a whole house humidifier will help you maintain a healthy environment for your houseplants, leading to healthier plants.
• Promotes Healthier Skin: Dry air can also take a toll on your skin during the winter months. You may notice your skin becoming itchy and dry, or even painful in extreme cases. Humidifiers can relieve dry skin by adding moisture to the air, which can help keep your skin soft, smooth, and hydrated. Plus, they can help alleviate other winter woes such as scratchy throats, coughs, and nosebleeds.
• Needs Little Hardware Maintenance: Another benefit of a whole house humidifier is the low maintenance required. Unlike a standard portable humidifier, which needs to be filled and cleaned regularly, a whole house unit is connected directly to your HVAC system. This means there’s no need to refill water tanks, and it only requires minimal cleaning and maintenance. Plus, it operates quietly, so you can enjoy a comfortable home environment without any noise disturbances.

Whole House vs. Portable Humidifiers: Which is Right for You?

With so many humidifier options available, it can be tricky to know which type is best for your home. Read on as we discuss the difference between whole house and portable humidifiers, and help you decide which one is right for you.

Types of Whole House Humidifiers

Whole house humidifiers are installed directly into your HVAC system and provide moisture to every room in your home. There are two main types of whole house humidifiers: bypass and fan powered.

Bypass Humidifiers

Bypass humidifiers work by directing a portion of the heated air from your HVAC system through a damp pad or sponge. The moisture from the pad evaporates into the air, adding humidity to your home. Bypass humidifiers are typically less expensive than fan-powered humidifiers and require less maintenance.

Fan-Powered

Fan-powered humidifiers work by using a fan to blow air over a wet pad, which then evaporates into the air to add moisture. Fan-powered models are typically more efficient and can add more moisture to your home than bypass models. However, they are also more expensive and require more maintenance.

Portable Humidifiers

Portable humidifiers are smaller devices that you can move from room to room. They work by using either ultrasonic or evaporative technology to add moisture to the air. Ultrasonic models use high-frequency vibrations to create a fine mist, whereas evaporative models use a fan to blow air over a wet wick. Portable humidifiers are typically less expensive than whole house models and are a good option if you only want to humidify a small area or if you’re on a budget.

However, portable humidifiers require more maintenance than whole house models. They need to be cleaned and filled with water frequently, so they do not distribute bacteria into the air. They also only humidify a single room at a time, so they may not be the best choice if you need to add moisture to your entire home.

Why Choose Barstow & Sons for Your Whole House Humidifier?

At Barstow & Sons Heating and Cooling, we recommend and install the top-quality humidifiers to our customers. We have a large selection of whole house humidifiers that are designed to work with your specific HVAC system. Our technicians are skilled in this area and can help guide you to the best choice for your home. They will also install and test your new humidifier to make sure it is working properly. Contact a member of our team today to schedule a whole home humidifier consultation!