Top Reasons to Consider Installing a Whole-Home Humidifier
May 17, 2024
Humidity refers to the percentage of moisture present in the air. When the humidity level is too high or too low, it can affect factors such as comfort and HVAC efficiency. Extreme humidity levels can even cause long-term damage to your furniture, your home’s finishes, and your belongings. The ideal humidity level inside your home should fall between 40–50%; whole-home humidifiers are designed to help you maintain this ideal level of humidity to enjoy the many benefits of a healthy indoor environment in Detroit.
Improved Heating Efficiency
The efficiency of your HVAC system is tied to the ambient humidity levels in your home. Air that is humid has a higher heat capacity than air that is dry, meaning that higher humidity levels cause the ambient environment to feel slightly warmer. While this property means that you want to remove excess humidity from your home during the summer for more efficient cooling, it also means that adding humidity to naturally dry wintertime air during the heating season can improve the efficiency of your furnace. By ensuring that your home maintains a 40–50% humidity level during the cold winter months, your whole-home humidifier will also contribute to greater indoor comfort without the need to raise your thermostat to a higher temperature. This will help to reduce strain on your furnace and keep your heating bills lower without compromising on comfort during the winter.
Healthier Indoor Air
Long-term exposure to dry air can have several negative health effects, including dry skin and irritation of the eyes, nose, mouth, throat, and lungs. Dry air can even exacerbate chronic conditions such as eczema and snoring. Furthermore, the flu virus, in particular, tends to thrive in cool, dry conditions, which increases your family’s risk of catching the flu during the coldest, driest months of the winter. By maintaining a healthy baseline of humidity in your home using a whole-home humidifier, you are ensuring that your family enjoys a healthier and more comfortable indoor environment throughout the year. Keeping your home at just the right humidity levels for health and comfort during the winter will reduce the symptoms associated with dry air, as well as lower your risk for bacterial or viral infections by ensuring your indoor environment can’t sustain the microorganisms that can make your family sick.
Our heating and cooling experts are not only here to help you handle HVAC breakdowns and tune-ups—we also specialize in indoor air quality services, including whole-home humidifiers and air cleaners for an ideal indoor environment. You can check us out on the web for more information about our full range of home comfort and health services, including home maintenance plans that will ensure your furnace, air conditioner, humidifier, and air cleaner are working perfectly all year long. If you’d like even more home heating and cooling tips and news, we encourage you to keep an eye on our monthly blog.