Humidity plays a significant role in your indoor air quality. If you’ve ever used a portable humidifier in the winter, you know how much more comfortable a little extra moisture in the air can make you. But, the benefits go much further than that — especially if you invest in a whole house humidifier for your Havertown, PA home.
In this article, we will:
- Review The Benefits Of Humidifiers
- Compare Portable And Whole House Humidifiers
- Weight the Pros And Cons Of Whole House Models
- Give Our Conclusion
Meanwhile, if you have any questions about how to improve the indoor air quality in your Havertown, PA home, give us a call or email us here at John Cipollone! We’re happy to schedule a free consultation and address any of your HVAC-related concerns.
Why You Need A Humidifier In The Winter
Humidifiers come in handy in the winter because cold air is naturally less humid than warm air. But, when you add most heaters into the mix, the air becomes unnaturally dry — to the point where it becomes unhealthy. That’s when dry, cracking skin, nosebleeds, and even getting sick become much more common.
The problem is that your furnace heats the air without adding moisture. That drops the relative humidity even further from the ideal 40 to 60 percent.
Portable humidifiers have been the go-to for addressing this. But, literally, they only go so far. That’s why we’re talking about the whole house humidifiers today. These hook up to your furnace or heat pump.
Three Benefits Of Whole House Humidifiers
Why opt for a whole house humidifier versus a portable model? These are the three big benefits:
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They Cover The Entire House
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They’re More Effective
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They Work On Their Own
They Cover The Entire House
Here’s the big selling point: One machine adjusts the humidity in every room of the house – not just the one where you put it. These models hook directly to your HVAC system and use your ductwork or air handlers to reach every spot that the heater touches.
Compare this feature to a plug-in model that only helps in the room where you put it. Most people opt for their bedroom for when they’re sleeping. But, if you’re home a lot, you’re spending a lot of time in other rooms where the air is too dry.
They’re More Effective
A whole-home solution does a better job both because it’s a more powerful machine and because it reaches every room.
When you’re thinking about more significant problems such as virus transmission, this benefit takes center stage: Now you have peace of mind knowing that the air is cleaner in every room, not just one or two.
And, beyond health considerations, you’re also protecting your furniture, floors, and even musical instruments. Like your skin, wood needs moisture to stay in shape. As a result, couches, floorboards, and acoustic guitars can crack and break in sustained low humidity.
They Work On Their Own
When’s the last time you manually turned on your furnace when it got too chilly? Of course, you haven’t done that: The thermostat tells it when to turn on and off. The same goes for a whole house humidifier.
The best models come with a humidistat (or you can buy your own) that measures the humidity and regulates the appliance. We also hook them directly to your home’s water supply, so you don’t have any tanks to refill.
We’ll touch on some basic maintenance a little later in this article. But, by and large, this is a set-it-and-forget-it proposition.
Drawbacks Of Whole House Humidifiers Vs. Portable Models
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They Cost More
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There’s Maintenance
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Risk Of Mildew And Mold
They Cost More
We’ve gone over all the ways a full-home model outperforms a plug-in humidifier. But, of course, you pay for what you get: A model that attaches to your HVAC system can easily run you $1,000 plus installation.
And, no: This is not an opportunity to flex your DIY muscles. Installing one of these the wrong way can result in water damage to your house. You may also invalidate a warranty on your equipment.
There’s Maintenance
You don’t have to refill the thank, but you do need to do some cleaning at least once a season. There’s a pad in the whole-house models that collects minerals and sediment from the water.
You can clear this out yourself or have your HVAC tech do it when they take care of your annual tune-ups. But, either way, you’re laying out a little bit of money or a little bit of time to keep the system working right.
Risk Of Mildew And Mold
Too much humidity is too much of a good thing. And, in this case, we’re talking about the risk of mildew or mold taking hold in your home. This stuff requires dark, moist spaces to thrive.
Every house has plenty of nooks and crannies that never get any sunlight. We’re talking behind appliances, in the walls, etc. When you increase the humidity for a few months, you increase the chance of creating a perfect breeding ground for mold.
Now, it’s far from a given that this will happen. But, it’s something to be aware of when considering this.
Our Conclusion
If you’ve needed a humidifier at all in the past, then upgrading to a whole home model could be a good move. You’re taking those small benefits and amplifying them through your living space all winter long.
Even if you’ve never used one before, regulating your humidity in the winter can improve your indoor air quality. So, if that’s your goal, you can consider a cheap portable model first. See if that moves the needle a little for you.
If it does, then it’s time to consider the upgrade.
Whole House Humidifier Installation In Havertown, PA
If you have more questions or if you’re ready for whole house humidifier installation for your Havertown, PA home, call or email us at John Cipollone today! Starting with a free consultation, we’ll help you create the best indoor air quality strategy for your home.