A whole-house humidifier increases the humidity in a house during the winter. It works with a furnace to blow moist air throughout the house. Humid air in the winter reduces heating costs, and it can also improve your health.
Savings
Moisture in the air reduces the rate of evaporation of moisture from your skin. This means that a higher humidity increases the apparent temperature in your house. A humidifier therefore allows you to feel comfortable at a lower temperature during the winter. Your heating bill may decrease by up to 4 percent for each degree by which you lower your thermostat setting, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
Health
Low humidity can cause a variety of health problems such as the following:
- Sore throats.
- Itchy skin.
- Dry noses.
It can also aggravate more serious conditions such as allergies and asthma. Viruses often thrive in dry conditions, which increases your chances of catching cold and flu.
Dry air can cause plaster and paint to chip. Wooden floors, furniture and molding may also crack from prolonged exposure to dry air. Painful static electricity is also a common result of dry air in the house.
Operation
A whole-house humidifier installs directly to a central heating system and consists of a tray with a distribution panel. The tray contains water, which flows evenly over the panel. This arrangement uses the existing air ducts to distribute water vapor through the house without introducing minerals into your lungs. Advanced whole-house humidifiers measure the humidity in the house and the outside temperature to determine the amount of water vapor to put into the air.
Advantages
A whole-house humidifier has several advantages over a portable humidifier including the following:
- Continually monitors the indoor humidity level.
- Requires infrequent cleaning.
- Uses running water which prevents the growth of microorganisms.
For more expert advice about whole house humidifiers and other issues related to home comfort,
contact us at Russell's Heating & Cooling. We've been serving the Hampton Roads area of southeast Virginia area since 1977.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about whole house humidifiers and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Russell’s Heating & Cooling services the Chesapeake, Virginia and the surrounding areas. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!