Considering a Whole-Home Humidifier? Know These Three Things

Does that air in your home feel dry? If so, a whole-home humidifier may be the solution. It can help with problems such as dry skin, nose bleeding, and cracked lips. Here are three things you should know about a whole-home humidifier.

Whole-Home Humidifiers Require Little Maintenance

A humidifier works by spreading moisture throughout your home using the existing furnace. The humidifier directs warm air over a moist pad before it pushes the air out through the ductwork.

Drum-style humidifiers have a pad that spins through standing water, constantly keeping it moist for when warm air passes over it. Flow-through units have a moist pad, but a water line feeds water through the pad rather than using standing water. Many homeowners prefer a flow-through model because the water is fresh, and there is a smaller chance of problems with mildew. With a flow-through humidifier, you'll only need to clean that pad one or two times every year.

Whole-Home Humidifiers Require the Heat to Be On

Whole-home humidifiers will add moisture to air that comes from your furnace, so you only see the benefits of it when the heat in your home is on. This could be a problem if you live in a climate that doesn't use the heat in your home that often. If your home has plenty of humidity during the warmer months, then this could be perfectly acceptable.

If you do require moisture in your home throughout the entire year, it may be best to look into alternative solutions that does not go through your furnace. This could be a steam or electric-powered humidifier.

Whole-Home Humidifiers Can Save You Money in Energy Costs

You may not realize air that has a higher humidity level will actually feel warmer than dry air. This could result in you feeling like you can turn the thermostat down a couple degrees, and that will cut back on how much energy you spend to heat your home.

Whole-Home Humidifiers Monitor Humidity

A problem with standalone units is that they do not measure the humidity in the house. They just run until you tell them to stop running, and that can cause more humidity to be put into the air than necessary. A whole-home humidifier can measure how humid your home is and reduce the amount of humidity it puts into the air to keep the home feeling more comfortable.

For info about having a whole-home humidifier installed on your furnace, reach out to an HVAC contractor in your area, such as Sullivan Super Service.

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