The Surprising Benefits of Installing a Whole Home Humidifier
In the winter, your home’s furnace often depletes the moisture out of the air during the heating process. This can cause the air inside your house to feel dry. Humidifiers can remedy this dry air issue by pumping moisture back into the air. Whole home humidifiers are a great solution for homeowners looking to create comfortable air indoors. Surprisingly, they’re not just for people with breathing issues, or even those who suffer from dry skin or respiratory problems like asthma, allergies and the flu. In fact, installing a humidifier in your HVAC system can have surprising benefits that impact all areas of your life—your comfort level, your air quality and even your energy bill. If you’re looking to improve the air quality in your house but aren’t sure about getting a whole home humidifier, check out these five benefits to help you decide whether it’s right for you.
Feel Warmer
Have you ever noticed that when it’s summertime and the temperature is hot, how much more uncomfortable you feel when it’s also humid? Moisture in the hot air just feels hotter. This same feeling applies to the air in your home when you have a humidifier. One reason for this is that the moisture in the air causes our sweat to evaporate more slowly, which makes you feel warmer. Additionally, many people discover that with a whole home humidifier installed, they tend to keep their thermostats a few degrees lower than they did before, which can result in lower heating costs over time.
Health Benefits
Studies have shown that humidifiers can have significant health benefits, not only for people who suffer from allergies. Some health areas that humidifiers can have a positive impact on include the following:
Sleep – Humidifiers work by adding moisture to the air, which helps to reduce irritation in your throat and nose. This can lead to improved air quality, more comfortable breathing, and a decrease in snoring, all of which can help you get a good night’s sleep. Additionally, a humidifier helps to regulate the temperature of your bedroom, which can lead to greater relaxation. Discomfort caused by temperature swings during the night can contribute to restlessness and lack of sleep.
Respiratory Health – Humidifiers can also help with breathing. The extra moisture in the air helps to decrease inflammation and can help to reduce the symptoms of allergies and asthma. Additionally, it can help to clear out any dust, pollen, and other allergens that may be lingering in your home. This can be especially helpful for those who suffer from seasonal allergies or asthma. By adding moisture to the air, you can improve your breathing and reduce your risk of respiratory illnesses.
Skin and Hair – Have you ever noticed that your skin tends to be more dry and itchy in the cold weather months? Do you find yourself slathering on more lotion in winter compared to the warmer months? This is by the decreased moisture in the air. Dry air can cause your skin to become dehydrated, leading to itchiness. Additionally, the dry winter air can cause your hair to become brittle. The added humidity from humidifiers can help to keep your skin and hair hydrated, making them healthier and reduce the signs of aging.
Save On Energy Bills
When winter comes around, one significant expense for many homeowners is the cost of heating their home. As mentioned previously, installing a whole home humidifier in your house can save you money on energy bills, since you won’t have to keep your thermostat set as high as you would without the humidifier. Over time, this can lead to significant savings on your energy bills and could even pay for itself in the utility savings.
Another way a whole home humidifier can save you money is by improving the overall efficiency of your HVAC system. Low humidity can decrease the efficiency of your home’s heating system making it have to work harder to keep your house warm in winter. The harder your heater has to work, the more often it will need repairs. Furthermore, it will probably need to be replaced sooner than a unit that is running at optimal efficiency.
Lower Static Electricity
In the winter, you often find that there is a whole lot more static electricity. This is particularly annoying when it comes to doing laundry and taming flyaway hair. A buildup of static can negatively affect sensitive electronics, as well as produce sparks that could lead to even more problems. Properly humidified air can help reduce or prevent the majority of these problems from occurring and lower the chances of being shocked at home.
Protect Wood Furnishings
A whole home humidifier helps protect wood furnishings by keeping the relative humidity at the desired level, which in turn helps prevent furniture, floors and other wooden items from shrinking or swelling. Wood that shrinks and swells ends up with warps and cracks. Hardwood flooring, cabinetry, doors, furniture, and other wood items in your home will last longer and look better if you maintain a steady humidity level in your home throughout the year. Additionally, paper items such as books, photos, and artwork can be damaged by exposure to dry air. Having your home properly humidified throughout the year will protect many of your home furnishings and cherished belongings.
Why Choose A Whole Home Humidifier?
We have looked at the benefits of having a humidifier in your home. If you are grappling with whether you should invest in a whole home humidifier versus just purchasing a few single room units, consider the following comparisons:
Whole Home Humidifiers
- They get their water directly from your home’s water source and require very little maintenance.
- They are attached to the home’s HVAC system and are quiet and non-disruptive.
- They are energy efficient and use less energy to humidify the entire house than a single room unit uses for one room.
Single Room Humidifiers
- They require water levels to be manually replenished daily.
- They are placed in one room and can be relatively loud, causing sleep disruption.
- Expect your energy bills to increase.To humidify one room, they use more energy than whole home humidifiers use to humidify an entire house.
Contact Lancaster Brothers Heating & Cooling
Get in touch with experienced HVAC specialists to learn more about having a whole home humidifier installed in your home. Lancaster Brothers Heating & Cooling has been serving the HVAC needs of the greater Kansas City area’s businesses and homeowners for over 20 years. We are experts when it comes to heating and cooling repairs, installations, replacements, and more! Give us a call at (913) 851-3399 or visit our website to reach out. We would love to help you improve the air quality and comfort in your home, this winter and all year long!