Furnace Humidifier
Utah is known for dry winter air! If you do not maintain proper humidity levels in the home, it can lead to health problems including allergies, asthma, dry skin, and nosebleeds. Dry and itchy eyes, and sore throat are also common effects of low humidity in the home. Furnace humidifiers are designed to improve the level of humidity throughout the home. R&D Heating and Air can provide furnace humidifier installation directly to your water supply while you go about your day-to-day living.
How Does a Furnace Humidifier Work?
Whole-Home humidifiers connect to the water supply and are installed onto the main heating and cooling system. When the furnace is in use, the warm air will pass through a fan that pushes air through the ducts where it then flows past a humidifier and to the rooms in the home. Depending on which type of whole-home humidifier you choose to install will affect how each of them work. Some of them need the furnace on and active in order to work, while others do not and can function alone.
Types of Furnace Humidifiers
Whole-home humidifiers can be installed within your existing cooling and heating systems. There are three different types to choose from and each have their own pros and cons.
Steam humidifiers
This type distributes steam through the house along with the air from the furnace. This is usually the most expensive among all the whole-home humidifier options but are very effective.
Bypass humidifiers
These humidifiers do not have motors of their own and rely on the furnace to power the moisture. The air passes through a water panel and picks up the moisture along the way to being distributed throughout the house. This system uses very little energy and is low maintenance compared to the other two types. The one downfall some homeowners have found is that they can be less effective than the steam and fan options because the furnace has to be on for them to be active.
Fan powered units
Humidifiers operated by a fan can still operate even if the furnace is not on. The fan essentially blows air over the water and picks up the moisture.
Whole-Home Humidifiers Improve Energy Bills
A humidifier can reduce the heating costs in the winter as the air feels warmer and homeowners no longer feel the need to set the temperature higher on the thermostat. Since the whole-home humidifier is directly connected to the water supply, you don’t need to worry about refilling a humidifier tank. Along with your humidifier, our technicians at R & D Heating and Air also install a humidistat which measures the humidity within your home.
They also limit the risks of mold and mildew growing in the home because the humidity is constantly monitored. The humidifier will only release moisture when the home’s overall humidity drops below a certain level. Over-humidity is not a fun issue and causes the home to become sticky and uncomfortable.
In addition to improving your energy costs, humidifiers can help your wood flooring and furniture. Paint and furniture polish can peel off in environments with too much moisture. Keeping the homes minimum humidity level to 35% decreases the risk of wood splitting along the grain.
From a health standpoint, whole-home humidifiers provide effective solutions to health problems caused by cold and dry winter air. Homeowners find themselves sleeping better following their home’s installment, and improvement in their skin. Humidity can also help those suffering from arthritis be more comfortable during the coldest days of the year. While these effects may be minor for some Utah residents, in others it can interfere with their quality of life.
Stay warm and healthy year-round with a whole-home humidifier. Contact R&D Heating and Air today to schedule an appointment to assess your home for a whole home humidifier, 801-436-5213.