Why You May Need a Whole-House Humidifier
Humidity levels can affect your home comfort. If the air is too humid or too dry, it can cause more allergy-like symptoms. Recommended indoor humidity levels are between 30% and 50% indoors.
Because the body is mostly made of water, it requires a certain moisture balance. Health issues from too-dry air include respiratory problems, skin irritations, allergy aggravation, and increased susceptibility to infections.
Dry air can also affect your home and belongings. Signs the air is too dry include wood damage and cracked musical instruments because wood is porous.
Benefits of Whole-House Humidifiers
The many benefits of whole-house humidifiers include:
- Improved overall health and sleep quality: Adding moisture to dry air can reduce allergy-like symptoms and improve rest, i.e., REM sleep, where cells repair themselves.
- Prevention of dry nasal passages: Good respiratory health can reduce sicknesses and phlegm and increase breathing comfort.
- Reduced allergy and asthma symptoms: Humidifiers can improve mucous membrane health, decrease asthma symptoms, and prevent airborne allergens (fungi, bacteria) from entering your lungs.
- Alleviation of dry skin and scalp: Skin health will improve with more hydration, reducing the need for moisturizers. Refreshed skin is less prone to microorganisms and eczema.
- Reduction of bacteria and infections: Adjusting humidity can reduce bacterial growth and decrease ear, throat, and sinus infections.
- Lower utility bills: Based on the Integrated Energy Factor (IEF), ENERGY STAR® humidifiers can help lower annual energy costs by up to 15%.
How Humidifiers Work
In exploring the basic principles of humidification, portable humidifiers use misters that release a fine mist of water particles into the air at routine intervals.
Whole-home humidifiers are usually installed in your home’s ductwork to treat incoming/outgoing airflow. To help adjust the moisture levels, vaporizers evaporate water and turn it into steam, which is then released through the ducts.
While newer HVAC systems can include built-in humidifiers, if you want to integrate a humidifier with your HVAC system, talk to our knowledgeable teams. We can recommend the best type of humidifier based on your energy consumption, heating/cooling needs, coverage area, and capacity.
Types of whole-house humidifiers include:
- Bypass:Â These use a drain and pull warm air from your HVAC into wet padding.
- Evaporative:Â This self-regulating option uses a wick to draw in water and blow the vapor.
- Fan:Â These blow moisture into the air from sitting water.
- Steam:Â Steam humidifiers use energy but are more effective at emitting vapor from boiled water.
Why Choose AIS Heating & Air Conditioning?
Backed by years of experience, AIS Heating & Air Conditioning provides comprehensive HVAC services. An award-winning service, we have our Diamond Certification and excellent customer reviews. We offer humidifier installation, repair, and maintenance to keep your equipment working properly.
Sign up for our Comfort Protection Plan to improve your system’s efficiency and increase long-term savings. Along with a 23-point inspection and free filter replacement, you gain access to repair and air quality discounts and other perks.
Be warm. Be cool. Be comfy. Partner with AIS to schedule humidifier repair in the Bay Area or find local experts in Fremont.
