Do I Need A Whole-House Humidifier?
- December 18, 2019
- Posted by: AtelAir
- Category: Heating, Home Comfort
During these cold winter months, surrounding ourselves with warm air and blankets is every Canadian’s priority. But, avoiding cold air can steer our focus away from other factors winter brings, like your home humidity levels.
Controlling your living area’s humidity is crucial for a healthy lifestyle. The Government of Canada recommends setting your indoor humidity above 30% during the winter and no higher than 55% during the summer. Humidity measures the amount of moisture in the air. The higher the humidity, the more moisture that’s in the air.
When the temperature drops, your home is at risk of attributing dry air. Even with your heating system working at top efficiency, there are still high chances of catching a cold, dry skin, ageing furniture, and higher heating bills. Installing a whole-house humidifier can fix all those issues.
What Is A Whole-House Humidifier?
Not to be confused with portable humidifiers, whole-house humidifiers do exactly how they sound, humidify the whole house. The difference between the two is a whole-home humidifier prevents emitting pollutants back into the air. Portable humidifiers are only a temporary solution to optimal indoor humidity.
A whole-house humidifier should be utilized in the winter months when the air is dry and cold. This type of humidifier is directly connected to your home’s air duct, allowing for air from your heating and cooling system to pass through.
Once your heating system is turned on, the warm air interacts with your humidifier, sending portions directly inside the humidifier. There the warm air engages with water pads, which are connected to your water supply. The water pads allow the air to evaporate the water and ultimately distribute additional moisture throughout the house.
What Are The Benefits Of A Whole-House Humidifier?
Lingering dry air can have a direct effect on your health and the condition of your home. With minimal moisture throughout your house, your body isn’t able to consume moisture to protect itself from the viruses winter throws at us. This lack of protection makes us vulnerable. But with a whole-house humidifier, you can keep your home healthy.
Even though there are plenty of benefits of installing a humidifier, maintaining and cleaning it should be done annually, or there are risks of mould growth and dirty air.
1. Prevent Dry Skin
Is your dandruff acting up? Are your wrists itchy and dry? If so, then you’re experiencing a reaction to low humidity.
Maybe those moisturizers and shampoos can help temporarily, but installing a humidifier can create consistency for your skin and scalp. When your humidifier is in use, your home is filled with the proper quantity of moisture your skin needs to absorb.
2. Prevent Colds
Did you know your winter cold is connected to dry air? The way our immune system combats viruses is by using natural moisture barriers (also known as snot) to protect our body. When your indoor air is producing low humidity, all the vapour in the air is absorbed, leaving your nose, sinuses and throat unprotected.
Also, dry skin can be a gateway for colds. Moisture on your skin acts as a protective shield against those unpleasant factors. When your skin dries out, you are no longer protected, leaving you vulnerable to viruses and respiratory infections.
3. Prevents Respiratory Issues
Poor indoor air is directly linked to chronic breathing issues, allergies and asthma. All these problems occur through your breathing system. When your indoor air has low humidity, your breathing muscles begin to compress, leaving less room in your throat to breathe. Dry air can also inflame your airways, which can potentially cause asthma attacks.
Balancing the humidity in your home with a humidifier will keep your breathing system well-hydrated and comfortable. A whole-house humidifier will open up your airways, preventing them from drying up and any other respiratory issues from occurring.
4. Protects Wooden Furniture
Not only does low humidity affect your body, but it can also create problems for your home. You can say wood and low humidity aren’t on good terms. From wooden furniture, hardwood flooring to even instruments, low humidity can cause shrinking, warping and cracking.
Wood is continuously absorbing and releasing moisture to create a balance in the atmosphere. When it’s exposed to low humidity, it won’t absorb much moisture resulting in shrinking. By restoring proper indoor humidity with your humidifier, your wood products will be exposed to a stable level of humidity and protected from damage.
5. Reduce Static Electricity
Although static electricity seems harmless, it can be dangerous when it’s exposed to flammable gases or a large electrical charge. Static discharges can also be genuinely harmful to various electrical components, especially computers and home electronic systems that occupy today’s home.
With the increase in moisture due to your whole-home humidifier, the vapour in the air will separate any static charges from occurring.
Do Humidifiers Reduce Heating Costs?
Your heating system and humidifier are the energy-saving dynamic duo. Using your whole-home humidifier will save you money on heating costs. Not only does your humidifier balance moisture, but it also contributes to heating your house.
When increasing humidity in a home, you’re also increasing the heat. Your humidifier will take some weight off your heating systems shoulders, allowing you to turn down your thermostat to save energy.
Trust The Professionals Who Know Best!
With all the health and energy-efficient benefits, installing a whole-house humidifier just makes sense. If you’ve decided on taking control of your home’s air quality, choose ATEL Air.
Our team is ready to answer any questions you may have. They all contain extensive knowledge on everything HVAC, giving all our customers accurate information and providing efficient installs. Request a free quote with us and get your very own whole-home humidifier today!
