Indoor humidity levels play a vital role in human health, energy consumption and general home comfort. However, adjusting your home’s humidity levels is difficult. That’s why more homeowners are installing whole home humidifiers, which can add moisture to the air during dry winters. Here’s how a whole home humidifier can improve your indoor air quality.
What Is a Whole Home Humidifier?
A whole home humidifier connects to the ductwork of your existing HVAC system, typically near your furnace. The unit holds a pad saturated with water. Air heated by your furnace passes through the pad and absorbs the moisture. This humid air is pushed through the ductwork and circulated throughout your home. Most models feature a humidistat so that you can control the humidity level.
4 Benefits of Installing a Whole Home Humidifier for Indoor Air Quality
Installing a whole home humidifier in your home provides numerous benefits to improve your indoor air quality. Here are four things installing one in your home can do for you:
Alleviate dry air symptoms. Indoor air gets pretty dry during a Canadian winter. A whole home humidifier can prevent dry, itchy skin, a burning nose and throat and winter nosebleeds. Humid air can alleviate allergies and asthma symptoms and eliminate shocks caused by static electricity. You’ll spend less on allergy medications, expensive moisturizing creams and lip balms.
Protect wood furniture and flooring. Dry air will sap the moisture from wooden furniture, musical instruments and expensive wood flooring, causing them to crack and splinter. Dry air can also damage paintings and cause wallpaper to peel. Using a whole home humidifier can protect your belongings and prevent costly repairs.
Reduce energy consumption. Humid air feels warmer than dry air. A whole home humidifier can decrease your energy consumption in winter because you won’t have to set your thermostat as high as you would without one. You’ll feel more comfortable at cooler temperatures. For example, if you lower your thermostat by two degrees, you could reduce your heating bills by about two per cent.
Prevent viruses from spreading. Research shows that viruses live longer in environments with low humidity. Keeping moisture levels between 40 and 60 per cent in your home can reduce the risk of members of your family catching influenza. Whole home humidifiers have a humidistat that you can use to set the humidity levels.
Schedule a Humidifier Installation in the GTA
At Black Forest Plumbing, we offer whole home humidifier installation, service and maintenance, plus a host of other home heating services, for homes and businesses in the Greater Toronto Area. Our experienced technicians can quickly and easily install a whole home humidifier into your existing HVAC system to improve indoor air quality immediately. Contact us today to learn more.