Humidity. Deal with it.
As we discussed in our last blog post, low humidity problems are very frequent in homes, especially in the winter. The only way to remedy this situation is to add moisture to the existing air with the use of a humidifier. There are three types of humidifiers: portable, self-contained, and duct mounted (or whole house). Let’s look at each type.
Portable
This is the least expensive type of humidifer and typically serve only a small room. They must be constantly filled with water due to their limited capacity and typically have a small heat element in them with no fan assist. Portable humidifiers rely on the heat to evaporate the water into your environment.
Self-Contained
As we continue on to a typically bigger humidifier, we start to find more benefits and controls. Most self-contained humidifiers have a larger heater and fan assist which circulates the air in the room. There is also likely to be a sensor and control to limit the amount of humidity delivered to one specific area. Self-Contained units come in a variety of capacities (3-10 gallons per day) and can cover a significantly larger area than a portable unit.
Whole house
A duct mounted humidifier provides complete control of the amount of humidity in your house. There are two basic styles: evaporative and mechanical. Both types typically have humidistat controls and the ability to cycle on demand and according to the humidity sensors.
- Evaporative Humidifiers open a solenoid to flow water across a water panel and utilize the heat from the furnace to humidify the air. The air is then blown into the house where it mixes with the less humid air resulting in a balanced indoor environment. This style of humidification can humidify a 2000 square foot house fairly easily and accurately.
- Mechanical Humidifiers operate in a very similar way. The major difference is that there is a heating element in the water to produce steam. Additionally, there is a relay that can power on the indoor fan, providing humidity any time it is needed.
Humidity is a very necessary part of our indoor environment and is beneficial to our health. If you and your family would like to explore any of these options, Reliable Comfort, humidity experts, can help achieve the balance in your home. Give us a call today.
In our next blog, we’ll will look at the benefits of proper indoor humidity.