How Does a Whole House Humidifier Work?
Living in a dry climate can wreak havoc on your home and health. While portable humidifiers can offer temporary solutions, they often aren’t able to properly increase the humidity of your home air. Whole house humidifiers work with your HVAC system to effectively increase the air moisture of your entire home. Keep reading to learn more about how these systems work, their benefits, and the types available.
Understanding Whole House Humidifiers
Whole-house humidifiers add moisture to dry air in your home. They are attached and work directly with your HVAC system to increase moisture levels and improve your home’s comfort, health, and condition. The humidifier is often controlled by a humidistat that is operated through a remote or buttons.
Most homeowners prefer a home’s humidity level between 30 and 50 percent. If it drops below this set level, a whole-home humidifier will turn on to push moisture into the air. The HVAC blower fan pushes the moist air through the ductwork and into your home.
Benefits of a Whole House Humidifier
These systems offer many benefits to your home and health. The top benefits of installing a whole-house humidifier include the following:
- Health: Cold, dry air allows viruses and bacteria to spread. It can also worsen allergies, asthma, and other respiratory conditions. By increasing the moisture in the air, you can improve these issues and the health of your household.
- Comfort: Living in dry conditions can cause respiratory issues, skin irritation, and other uncomfortable symptoms. A whole-home humidifier can improve the indoor air quality of your home to make it a more comfortable place to live.
- Home protection: Low-humidity areas often have cracked floors, walls, and furniture. Adding moisture to the air helps protect your home and furniture.
- Savings: Humidified air naturally feels warmer, which allows you to lower your home’s thermostat setting to save on energy bills. You’ll also see less wear and tear on your heating system, which results in lower repair bills and a longer lifespan.
Types of Whole Home Humidifiers
There are three main types of whole-home humidifiers: bypass, fan-powered, and steam. These systems differ in how they add moisture to your home’s air and their effectiveness. Explore how each of these systems works below.
Bypass humidifier
Bypass humidifiers connect to the return section of your heating system. They remove warm air from your home and push it through a water tray. The moisture levels in the air increase, and the blower fan pushes the air back into your home.
These systems are relatively inexpensive and are ideal for those with small or medium-sized homes. They are quieter than other models and reduce your bills as they reuse water.
Fan-powered humidifier
Fan-powered humidifiers distribute moisture through your home using their fan. They are much stronger than a bypass humidifier, as their design allows for significantly more water evaporation. They don’t require a duct and can be placed in almost any area of your house. These systems are often the most efficient type of whole-house humidifier and are the best choice for medium—to large houses. However, placing these systems in secluded areas is best as they can be quite noisy.
Steam humidifiers
Steam humidifiers are the most effective whole-home systems for large homes. They feature a heating element inside a canister filled with water to create steam. The steam is then pushed through the ventilation system to increase moisture levels. These systems use electricity as power and often produce a more consistent moisture level than other systems.
Whole House Humidifier Maintenance
Proper maintenance of whole-house humidifiers is essential to ensure they function correctly and reach their maximum lifespan. Schedule professional maintenance once per year to have an experienced technician inspect, clean, and tune up your system.
During the service, they’ll complete the following checklist:
- Check for signs of wear and tear or damage
- Replace the filter
- Clean all components
- Check the water supply
- Inspect electrical connections
- Check the airflow
- And more!
If the technician detects damage or necessary repairs within your system, they will fix them before progressing.
Call Kliemann Brothers for Whole House Humidifier Services
At Kliemann Brothers, we’re proud to offer comprehensive whole-house humidifier services in Tacoma and surrounding areas. Our expert technicians are familiar with all system types and can help you find the best option for your home. If your current humidifier shows signs of damage, they’ll promptly diagnose the issue and provide fast, effective repairs. You can also extend the life of your system with our preventative maintenance services.
Contact us today to schedule your whole-house humidifier repair, installation, or maintenance in Washington. Ask about our other indoor air quality services, including whole-home dehumidifiers and air purifiers.