Humidifiers, like homes, come in different shapes and sizes, and with varying characteristics. And since humidifiers can make all the difference on a cold, blustery day, we’re serving up a quick guide to help you navigate the humidifier landscape.
For starters, a “whole house” humidifier increases moisture (aka humidity) in artificially heated spaces, from a single room to an entire building. The added moisture helps to combat dry air, often responsible for respiratory issues in humans, and adverse effects to home goods, like carpet, woodwork, books and more. These are just two of the reasons why outfitting a home in Colorado with a humidifier is a good idea.
Steam Humidifier
Steam humidifiers have gained notoriety as of late given their ability to kill most bacteria and viruses. They work even if your furnace is switched off, improving indoor air-quality no matter the time of year. In fact, a steam humidifier has little to do with your home furnace, and everything to do with humidity levels naturally present in your home. And as one might anticipate; a steam humidifier comes at a higher price point than your average competitor due to its sterilizing capability.
Power Flow-Through Humidifier
Although this humidifier is wired independently from your home’s furnace and has its own fan, it does work alongside your furnace’s fan to cover more area in the house with moistened air – as much as a gallon of air or more, every day with a minimal increase in energy-use. Power humidifiers are a good choice for homes built on concrete slabs, and those where the furnace and HVAC system are located in a closet or garage. Its flow-through design keeps the unit clean and lowers the frequency of maintenance.
Bypass Flow-Through Humidifier
The smaller of the furnace-mounted humidifiers, this one relies entirely on your home furnace fan to moisten air and distribute it into the rooms of your home. Bypass humidifiers are the most commonly used and affordable-type of whole home humidifiers. Another benefit, adaptability to water types – hard or soft. Maintenance is limited to annual changes of the filter and removal of buildup in the drain.
The best humidifier for your space depends on the size of your home, energy-savings you’re hoping to achieve and how much of an investment you’re willing to make up front. As we head into the winter months, Sensible Heating & Cooling is your humidifier expert; we can install or provide service to any whole house humidifier. Give us a call today at 720-876-7166 or email us at [email protected] / [email protected] to discuss humidifier options.
