Christmas is the season of giving, but sometimes, we get more than we bargained for. While presents all around are the epitome of a merry and wonderful holiday, you may find yourself getting dry, itchy skin, a scratchy throat, static electricity buildup, a wheezing cough, and sinus headaches as well as that fantastic new camcorder you wanted.
If the holiday season brings about any of the above physical symptoms, that’s a red flag letting you know your home is lacking moisture. Low humidity can cause discomfort, especially in those regions where it’s already dry, like Colorado or Utah. Dry air can aggravate severe respiratory problems, dry out nasal passages, and even lower your immune system to make you more susceptible to illnesses such as a cold or flu. Humidifying your home using a whole-home humidifying system will help rid these problems and make your home a more comfortable place to live in.
You have low humidity, but how did that happen? Well, low humidity can be caused by a number of things, but the number one reason is central heating. If your home relies on a forced air heating system, that hot air is sucking moisture out of the air with no way of replacing it. You may not notice it right away, but your home does: hardwood floors tend to shrink and constrict when in a dry environment, house plants tend to droop and wilt, and even wallpaper will start to peel.
The solution is investing in a whole-home humidifying unit. These work alongside your current heating and cooling systems to replace lost moisture in the air. Similar to how heating and cooling systems have thermostats which tell you the temperature, humidifying system have humidistats, which tell you your home’s humidity level. Ideally, you want to be operating at a humidity level of 35 to 40%.
Here’s how it works: air heated by your furnace is pumped through a pad in the humidifier called the evaporator pad. This pad is drenched in water. As the air passes through it, it absorbs moisture. When the air is released throughout your home, it also releases that moisture. You’ll see yourself using anywhere from 8-20 gallons of water a day to keep your home at the right moisture level. It may seem high, but in general this amount of water isn’t enough to steeply raise your water bill.
You may notice that this is specific only to forced air heating systems. The reason for this is that the alternative heating method, boilers, heat your home using water. As we all know, as water heats it evaporates, so boilers naturally replenish the moisture in the air.
Buying a humidifier is a big decision, and it comes down to knowing what brands are the best and what your budget is. Personally, I favor Honeywell for these services. They carry a variety of different models which all work to efficiently replace the moisture levels in the air. A few of their best brands are their TrueSTEAM and TrueEASE models.
If you’re looking for a trustworthy and affordable place to start your search, make sure you visit plumbersstock.com by clicking on the following URL: https://www.plumbersstock.com/category/553/air-humidifiers/.
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