Should Low Humidity Concern You in Colder Seasons?
When we think of humidity, we often only think of its effects during hot summer days. While it is a factor in maintaining temperature and comfort levels, humidity is just as important to maintain in the colder seasons. Keeping air humidity levels in your home between 30 and 50 percent can improve your comfort level and reduce your energy costs in colder months.
When there is less water vapor in the air, or lower humidity, it can make an environment feel cooler. Low humidity can also have a negative effect on your health. It can dry out the mucous membranes in your nose and throat making you more susceptible to colds and respiratory illness.
Low humidity can also cause problems for the woodwork and furniture in your home. When there is not enough moisture in your home’s environment there can be shrinkage causing hardwood floor separation and gaps in molding.
Static electricity is another side effect of low humidity in your home. This can damage components inside home electronics like computers, TVs, and more.
Installing a whole-home humidifier may be a good solution if you are having trouble maintaining comfortable humidity levels in your home during the cold months.
Types of whole-home humidifiers
- Steam – Steam humidifiers are usually installed on the supply duct and generate humidity by boiling water and converting it to steam or vapor. Steam humidifiers produce much more humidity than fan powered or bypass humidifiers.
- Fan powered – Fan powered humidifiers use a flow-through system, meaning it uses a fan to blow air across a water panel which increases the amount of water vapor in the air. These types of humidifiers are ideal for small to mid-size homes.
- Bypass — Bypass humidifiers use a furnace to add moisture into the air it brings in through heat ducts. The air passes through a water panel, picks up moisture and is then distributed back into the home.
Choosing the right whole-home humidifier to install can be a little confusing. Bradley Mechanical can help you make the right choice and our HVAC experts can take care of installing it too. Give us a call today at (804) 748-6728 and let us take care of your heating, ventilation and air conditioning needs.