The sudden drop in temperature during the winter months is never unexpected, but can cause the humidity levels inside your house to veer from pleasant to stifling. Home humidifiers are a great way to control this. Humidifiers are designed to add water or moisture to the air indoors in order to prevent dryness from causing allergies, sinus infections, and dehydrated skin.
What Is A Ideal Humidity Level?
The recommended moisture levels for a typical household ranges from around 30 to 40%, which is why it’s imperative that you select the right type of humidifier to suit your individual needs. Factors to consider when deciding to purchase one include
- Size of the area you’re looking to cover
- Whether you have children or pets you need to take into consideration
- Your budget.
Below are the four most common types of home humidifiers, with a short outline of each of their benefits and features.
1. Portable Warm Mist
Portable humidifiers are standalone devices that usually target a specific area or space, as opposed to one that is built directly onto your home furnace. Warm mist humidifiers use an internal heater that boils water before releasing it into the room as a fine mist. These types of appliances are considered healthier and better for the body because the boiling process purifies the mist and kills waterborne bacteria and mold. They don’t use fans to operate, which makes them quiet and ensures that you won’t be distracted or bothered by continuous noise. However, it’s also important to note that warm mist humidifiers are better suited for smaller rooms like home offices or bedrooms. They are also more costly and harder to clean. Warm mist humidifiers come in miniature versions that run off USB power and can be directly connected to your laptop, which can come in handy for those who travel often during the winter.
2. Portable Cool Mist
As the name states, cool mist humidifiers emit a cooler vapor into the air. Before being released, the water inside will travel through a filter that clears out any impurities. These kinds of devices are best for households with children and pets because you are certain that the air being inhaled is clean and clear. And unlike the warm mist humidifiers, the water isn’t heated before being dispersed, which is a great means of saving electricity. However, because they run on fans, they are noisier and bulkier than their warm mist counterparts, which make them best for large open spaces such as the living and dining room. Cool mist humidifiers are cheaper and require less upkeep, but routine cleaning is still necessary in order for it to function at full capacity. Similar to the warm mist ones, mini versions are available for purchase for those who are constantly on the go.
3. Ultrasonic Humidifiers
Ultrasonic humidifiers make use of high-frequency vibrations instead of a fan in order to operate. These vibrations then create water droplets, which are expelled into the room. They also come with the option of using either a warm or cold mist. These kinds of appliances use very little energy to function and they’re extremely quiet, which make them ideal for children’s bedrooms and households where silent environments are needed. They save on energy and are simple to clean, and some models even come with programmable settings that enable you to control the humidity levels depending on the weather. Ultrasonic humidifiers can be utilized all year round to remedy different conditions like allergies and cold and flu symptoms.
4. Whole-House Humidifiers
A whole-house humidifier is one that is integrated into the blower system on your furnace and draws water directly from your house water supply. The greatest asset of this kind of system is that is requires virtually no maintenance and keeps your entire home at a set humidity level after a one-time set up.
Because the whole house humidifier takes water from your plumbing system, you won’t ever have to worry about refilling it, which is a big plus for busy homeowners. It also produces little noise and is cheaper as compared to portable units. Whole-house humidifiers are made to automatically detect humidity levels and add or reduce moisture as the system sees fit to maintain that ideal level.
Some whole-house humidifiers are installed directly onto the furnace ductwork, while others come with their own built-in blowers so that they can run independently of the HVAC units. Added positives include the zero-risk of developing mold since all excess moisture is simply drained away, and the fact that the regulatory levels will prevent cracks from appearing on furniture and art pieces.
Contact the Northern Heating and Air in Queensbury for more information about how a whole house humidifier can increase your comfort level and decrease your energy bills! From installation and maintenance of furnaces and home heating systems, to water heaters, tankless hot water heaters, boilers and smart thermostats, our HVAC experts work to make your environment and indoor air quality the best it can be. See our customer reviews, and call us today at (518) 745-0401 to schedule your appointment!