After installing a high-efficiency furnace, some homes become drier over the winter. If you’ve noticed that your skin has dry patches, your throat feels scratchy, and even that your hair is sparking up more static cling than usual, the problem may be your humidity levels. A new high-efficiency furnace can make winter humidity levels even worse, but you can harness the power of the furnace to a whole-home humidifier and become so much more comfortable. Here’s how a whole-home humidifier can work for you.
How a Whole House Humidifier Works
These aren’t one-room humidifiers that stand on their own to add humidity to a space. Instead, these humidifiers work with your furnace to distribute the humidity evenly throughout your home. There are three main types of whole-home humidifiers:
- Drum humidifiers: These are the least expensive humidifiers, but they also require the most maintenance. They involve a pan of water that creates moisture through the heat of the furnace. These can develop mold problems without proper maintenance.
- Flow-through humidifiers: These humidifiers make moisture by trickling water through the warm air that the furnace creates. This naturally humidifies the air.
- Steam humidifiers: These humidifiers can release either hot steam or cool mist into the furnace air. They use the most energy but are very effective.
These humidifiers range in price from $200 to $350. We can help you choose the right one for your budget and furnace.
How a Whole House Humidifier Works
These aren’t one-room humidifiers that stand on their own to add humidity to a space. Instead, these humidifiers work with your furnace to distribute the humidity evenly throughout your home. There are three main types of whole-home humidifiers:
- Drum humidifiers: These are the least expensive humidifiers, but they also require the most maintenance. They involve a pan of water that creates moisture through the heat of the furnace. These can develop mold problems without proper maintenance.
- Flow-through humidifiers: These humidifiers make moisture by trickling water through the warm air that the furnace creates. This naturally humidifies the air.
- Steam humidifiers: These humidifiers can release either hot steam or cool mist into the furnace air. They use the most energy but are very effective.
These humidifiers range in price from $200 to $350. We can help you choose the right one for your budget and furnace.
Benefits of a Whole House Humidifier
You might wonder, why pair your high-efficiency furnace with a humidifier at all? Seriously low humidity can have an extremely negative effect on your home and your health. Here are the benefits of correcting those levels with a whole-house humidifier:
- Protect your home: Hardwood flooring and other wood in your home needs above 35% moisture in order to retain its own moisture and not crack or split.
- Feel more comfortable: When there’s more moisture in the air, it can also hold more heat. This helps your home feel warmer, even at the same thermostat settings.
- Save money: When more of your furnace’s heat stays in the air, it needs to create less. That helps it use less energy, which saves you money on your utility bills.
- Protect your health: When you’re dried out from dry air, you might suffer from all sorts of discomfort, which may even make your underlying health conditions worse. Dry skin, eyes, nose and throat may especially bother those with skin conditions or respiratory conditions.
Ready to get these benefits for your home this winter? Reach out to us at Guelph Climate Care to discuss your humidity options for your high-efficiency furnace.
