3 Benefits Of Buying A Whole-Home Humidifier For Your Home

Feeling a bit itchy lately? Having trouble with your sinuses? As the weather turns colder, humidity levels throughout your home can also take a plunge. That's because the chilly winter air doesn't contain as much moisture as warm air. As a result, you may start experiencing dry skin, scratchy throat and a number of other symptoms triggered by dry winter air.

You can't change the weather, but you can change the amount of moisture in your home's indoor air through the use of a whole-home humidifier. Having one installed in your home can help alleviate indoor air quality issues that often arise from low humidity levels. There are also plenty of other benefits to using a wholehome humidifier, as explained below.

It Covers More Space than a Room Humidifier

Room humidifiers are compact and easy to tote from room to room, making them a common go-to for homeowners looking to rebalance their indoor humidity levels. Unfortunately, these advantages are also what make room humidifiers somewhat impractical for use throughout the entire home. Due to its small size and relatively limited reach, you'll spend plenty of time moving it through each and every room.

In contrast, whole-home humidifiers are designed to have a much larger reach than a typical room humidifier. That's because a typical whole-home humidifier is integrated as part of your existing HVAC system. These appliances rely on your HVAC system's existing ductwork to add moisture back into the air. As a result, a whole-home humidifier can deliver moisture to every conditioned space in your home.

It's Cheaper to Maintain

Room humidifiers can be surprisingly time-consuming and expensive to operate due to a number of unique maintenance requirements. For starters, the water reservoir needs to be cleaned and disinfected on a daily basis to prevent bacteria growth as well as prevent scale buildup. If your room humidifier comes with a filter or demineralization cartridge, you'll need to replace those whenever their lifespan runs out.

A whole-home humidifier, on the other hand, doesn't need the same level of intensive maintenance. Most units require annual maintenance, which can be done at the same time as your normal heating and cooling system maintenance. Many whole-home units also feature scale control inserts that trap minerals and solid residue and drains that prevent water from stagnating and encouraging scale buildup.

It's Cheaper and More Convenient to Operate

The majority of room humidifiers come with small water tanks that need to be refilled regularly with distilled water. With distilled water costing $1.00 or more per gallon, keeping your room humidifier topped off can quickly turn into an expensive experience. Room humidifiers also require their own fan - another mechanical element that draws power and increases energy consumption.

Room humidifiers also lack provisions for connections to your home's water supply, meaning you'll have to fill your water tank as needed manually. That makes it possible for your unit to run dry during the middle of the night or while you're away from home.

A whole-home humidifier relies on your home's water supply, meaning you won't need to go through countless gallons of distilled water to keep your humidifier going. You also won't have to worry about it going dry. Most units also rely on the HVAC fan to distribute moisture, resulting in reduced energy consumption and lower maintenance costs.

It pays to make a whole-home humidifier a new addition to your home's heating and cooling system, especially if you're currently struggling with dry winter air. Air Supply offers a selection of whole-home moisture control solutions to suit your home's unique needs. Contact us to learn more about our products and services or schedule an appointment.​