It’s that time of year—frigid temperatures, wearing layers upon layers of clothing, and dealing with constant chapped lips and scratchy throats. Along with the cold, winter brings dryness, since the air can’t hold as much moisture at cooler temps. While we can’t change the weather outside, we can make life more comfortable for our dry skin and sinuses inside, and one way to do that is by installing a whole-house humidifier.
You may have tried portable humidifiers before, where you fill a small container with water to raise the humidity in one room of your home. A whole-house humidifier uses your house’s duct system to circulate water vapor and raise humidity levels in every room. Below, we’ve outlined the pros and cons of a whole-house humidifier to help you decide whether this solution is right for you.
But First, a Quick Note on Ducts:
Whole-house humidifiers can do a lot of good, but if your home has leaky air ducts, the humidifier won’t be able to do much to combat the dry air that’s spilling in from outside. Before you decide to purchase and install a whole-house humidifier, give us a call, and our team will come inspect your ducts for any possible leaks.
The Pros of a Whole-House Humidifer:
Health Benefits: Maybe the most important benefit of getting a whole-house humidifier is that it can help with many winter-related illnesses and irritations. According to ColumbiaDoctors, keeping your home’s humidity level somewhere between 30–50% can help relieve asthma symptoms and irritated sinuses, reduce persistent nose bleeds and eye redness, and even make it easier to sleep. The Mayo Clinic also says that when the air is drier, it’s easier to catch colds and the flu, so having a humidifier can help prevent those viruses from spreading and keep everyone healthier as a result.
Increased Comfort: In addition to feeling healthier, having a whole-house humidifier can also make it more comfortable to be at home. Adding moisture back into the air also adds moisture back into your skin, meaning you don’t have to keep reaching for the chapstick or lotion every few minutes. Static electricity can also be reduced by increasing the moisture in the air, which is a win for everyone with frizzy hair this time of year.
Protected Furniture: Whole-house humidifiers don’t just help us feel our best, but also helps our furniture stay its best, too. When the air loses moisture, wood can easily dry out, which can cause warping and cracking over time. Putting moisture back into the air can help make sure your wooden furniture and floors keep their shape and structure for years to come.
Good Investment: Did you know that humid air actually traps heat more than dry air? That means that you may not need to turn up your thermostat quite so much in the winter if you have a whole-house humidifier. So, even though it’ll cost you money up front to install the humidifier, it’ll most likely save you money in the long run by helping you reduce your energy bills in the winter.
Easier Maintenance than Portable Humidifiers: While you have to clean portable humidifiers every few days, you only have to change your whole-house humidifier’s filter once, maybe twice a year. This is something that can be easily done yourself, or our team can also switch it out as part of a $50 humidifier maintenance add-on to our Platinum Maintenance Plans.
The Cons of a Whole-House Humidifer:
Upfront Costs: Because a whole-house humidifier connects to your current air duct and HVAC systems, the cost to purchase and install one can range anywhere from $500–$4,000. Most common Aprilaire humidifiers can be installed for $1100–$1600, while steam humidifiers can cost in the range of $3000–$4000. If you feel like there’s only one or two rooms in your home where the dryness is noticeable, consider purchasing a couple of portable humidifiers instead. Most models that are designed for rooms <1,000 square feet cost under $100, making it an affordable alternative, just on a smaller scale. (A quick note about portable humidifiers: they should be used with distilled water ONLY. Using tap water is likely to plug up the filter with very fine, hard-to-see particles, which can cause your furnace to stop working properly.)
Regular Maintenance Required: While there’s not much maintenance with a whole-home humidifier, there is some that cannot be ignored—otherwise, you risk your humidifier breaking down or growing mold and mildew in your home. Changing your filter and evaporator pad at least once a year, as well as checking and cleaning the water tank on a regular basis are the main ways you can keep your humidifier (and your household) happy and healthy all winter long. As we mentioned above, we’re happy to do all of this for you as an add-on to your regular maintenance.
Risk of Mold/Mildew: You’re adding more moisture into the air with a humidifier, which is mold and mildew’s best friend. It’s important when you’re cleaning your humidifier to do so regularly and thoroughly, otherwise mold and mildew might pop up in your air ducts or other hard-to-reach, hard-to-see places around your home.
Now that you’ve read through the pros and cons, we hope you feel that you can more confidently decide whether a whole-house humidifier is the right fit for your household. Give us a call to ask us any additional questions, as well as to learn about the humidifiers carry and how to get one installed in your home!