During our long winters, one of the most common issues we deal with is dryness. Lack of proper humidity levels can lead to dry skin, dry throats and can even cause damage to your home with cracked walls and flooring. The fluctuation in humidity levels from summer to winter creates an ongoing battle for a consistent environment.
There are a number of products on the market that provide humidity in a single room, but wouldn't it be ideal to provide this to your entire home? Actually you can. By adding a whole home humidifier to your furnace, you can provide the entire building with a proper level of humidity.
How Do They Work?
Whole home humidifiers add vapour to your airflow through ducts at a desired level. These units not only help control humidity levels, but they also help harmful particles from entering the air. Not only does a whole home humidifier relieve dry skin and throat, but they can also help reduce energy consumption. Air at an ideal humidity level will feel warmer than dry air. This will enable you to slightly reduce the temperature and ultimately save you money.
Selecting the Right Product
There are a few options of humidifiers to choose from. The most common product is a traditional drum and sponge unit that picks up water from a reservoir as your furnace blows the water from the sponge through your duct system. This product will deliver as much vapour into your home as it can absorb, and is usually controlled by a humidistat. One of the cons with this product is that the sponge and water reservoir requires regular cleaning as they become encrusted with sediment and eventually the sponge will become hard and reduce airflow. If not regularly cleaned, the sponge can collect mould spores, bacteria and contaminants.
Another option is a Rotary Disc Humidifier. Like the Foam Drum option stated above, this unit attaches to your furnace. This option operates with a plastic wheel assembly as 40 textured discs pick up water from a reservoir and delivers it through your ducts. It works very much like a sponge drum does, but does not clog or deteriorate over time. This unit should use less water and requires much less cleaning.
A third option is a Flow-Through Humidifier. These products are typically hooked up to a nearby floor drain and allow a steady stream of water to drip down a metal or plastic screen. As air blows through the screen, vapour is added to the airflow and delivered through the duct system. One complaint about these units is that they use a lot of water - averaging 5 - 8 gallons of water for every gallon added to the air.
One of our favourite products, and the product we recommend is a Atomizing, or Steam Humidifier. Our line of Clean Comfort Steam Humidifiers work by heating water in a secure, internal cylinder which created steam. The steam is then injected directly into your central heating system's duct work and circulated throughout your home. These units can add humidity to your home much faster and use less water most other options. These units do not reduce air flow, require little maintenance and are a great option for keeping you and your home safe.
At 4 Seasons Heating, Cooling & Electrical we are experts in whole home humidifiers. We have the ability to not only supply you with a product that fits with your home's specs, budget and lifestyle, we are also able to take care of any gas or electrical updates that may need to be done. For a free, in-home, no-obligation consultation regarding your next water heat, or for service contact us by phone at (204) 953-5700 or book online by clicking here.
