Winter is coming! And no, it’s not the White Walkers that you have to worry about. It’s those dangerously-low humidity levels that come with the ultra-cold weather.
Humidity is defined as the amount of water vapor that is present in the air at a given time. During the winter, the temperature of the air drops considerably, which also decreases the amount of water vapor that it can hold, resulting in lower humidity levels. Humidity levels this low doesn’t bode well for your health as it can cause an irritation in the eyes and itchy, flaky skin. It also dries out the mucous membrane lining, which lines the respiratory tract, which also results in a higher risk of suffering cold and other infections. It can also add to the amount of mold and fungus growth within your home.
To prevent all of these, a humidifier should be present in your home to maintain the quality of air within your living space.
Benefits of Humidifiers
Controlling the level of humidity is important. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) warns that the air inside your home should be kept between 30 and 50 percent humidity for the maintenance of your health. For the upcoming winter season, having a humidifier inside your home can help you achieve those humidity levels. Additionally, there are other benefits of having a humidifier inside your home or office during the winter months:
- Helps prevent static – If the air inside your home is too dry, you might notice that touching some fabrics, other people and pets will give you a little shock. This is called static and although it's harmless, it is still very annoying.
- Helps prevent the spread of viruses – According to a recent study, keeping indoor humidity to at least 43% has a dramatic effect on approximately 85% of airborne viruses (including the influenza virus) rendering them ineffective.
- Helps reduce snoring – Low levels of humidity will cause dryness to the throat which increases the likelihood of snoring. By having a humidifier, you are introducing the needed moisture to the air to help soothe the tissues at the back of your throat helping you to sleep more comfortably.
- Prevents damage to wood – Wood that is exposed to dry air for a long period of time will shrink and split. So protect your wooden furniture or fixtures with a humidifier to prevent costly damages.
- Makes your home warmer – Air that has a good level of humidity feels warmer than dry air. With more water in the air, sweat evaporates more slowly, leaving the people inside the house feel warmer. This is important because, during winter, you are most likely to turn up your heater to keep your indoors warm. Having a great humidifier may cost less compared to turning your heating system to full blast thus saving you money on utilities.
Different Types of Humidifiers
There are many different types of humidifiers. If you want to add moisture to a medium-sized room such a bedroom or an office then a tabletop humidifier will be your best choice. These humidifiers are light-weight but still deliver outstanding results often offering germ protection, combination warm or cool mist outputs, easy-to-use controls, and built-in hygrometers. If you want to humidify more than one room, you will need a console humidifier which is considerably larger and can add moisture to spaces as large as 3,000 square feet. The type that you choose would obviously depend on your needs. Let’s take a look at the most common types:
- Evaporators - These are also known as wick humidifiers which take air in through an internal fan and run it through the wet wick filter before blowing that moistened air out into the room. Evaporators are one of the most affordable type of humidifiers but they tend to put too much moisture in the air. High level of humidity is problematic because it can also contribute to the growth of dust mites and mold.
- Impeller – Impeller humidifiers have a rotating disc that directs water through a diffuser which breaks the droplets of water into smaller ones before dispersing them into the air as a cool mist. These are considered to be the most commonly used type of humidifier due to their low price, low power requirement and their ability to cover large areas despite their small size. Because impellers are classified as cool mist humidifiers, they are considered to be a child-friendly.
- Ultrasonic – This is another type of cool mist humidifier but you can also get them in a warm mist version. They produce humidified air through ultrasonic vibrations.
- Steam Vaporizer – These are classified as warm mist humidifiers. Within the unit, water is heated at boiling point until vaporizes, therefore moving moistened warm air around the room. Steam vaporizers are the most portable and inexpensive but they are not recommended around children because the steam they give off causes burns.
For a house or a large office that has a significant need for moisture, whole-house or central humidifiers are best suited for the job. These types that are directly installed on your home’s HVAC unit and directly connect to the water line to disperse moisture all over the indoor space continually. They are permanent installations that humidify the entire house at once making them very efficient when it comes to energy and cost savings. There are three primary types of central humidifiers and these are:
- Bypass Humidifiers – Water vapor is generated by the bypass humidifier using water from the plumbing system mixed with warm air from the heat duct. Then, the moisture is distributed into each room of your home through the ductwork system.
- Fan-Powered Humidifiers – These work the same way as bypass humidifiers but they have a fan that blows air across the water panel for increased water evaporation. Because of this, fan-powered humidifiers produce more humidity compared to bypass humidifiers but since they use their own fan to move air, they consume more electricity. Fan-powered humidifiers are more costly to operate.
- Steam Humidifiers – These humidifiers heat the water in their reservoir to convert it to steam which is then picked up by the system blower then pushed throughout the home vents.
Every home is unique and you need to choose a humidifier that is best suited for your needs. Luckily, Blackhawk Supply has you covered. Shop for the best humidifiers on the market now!
